Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1860-07-13

thirst, and almost at the same time | WAS
sure that heard the dropping Of wafer.
| dragged myself towards the sound, and
stretched out my hand; drops from above
fell upoa III eagerly swallowed a few
drops, which burned my throat; they
were distilled hrine--salt as any impreg- |
nation of water could be.
Again on my hands and knees, | crept
around, feeling by the damp walls, snd.
as ] continually approached and reeeded
from the spot where the salt water drop
ped from the projecting rock, ! discover
ed that the cave was nearly round, and
was many yards squire. Having dis
covered this, / became more collected
and resolute and forced myself to calm
review of my position. | had 20 ac-
knowledge to myself that my only chance
of escape seemed the hole or crack
through which | had fallen; but no ray Of
light betrayed that spot--earth and stones
must haye fallen in and choked il up.
Parched with thirst and faint from bodily
injuries, I was almost at the point Of des-
pair when a distant sound fell upon my
ear. listened with intense attention.
Soon more and more distinctly, recog-
nized the noise OF machinery, the rumb-
ling of carts. the voices of men, then a
bell rung, and with tbrob Of joy rec
ognized It as the morning summons to the
Iaborers in the works,
A night only could have passed since
my leaving the outer world. Had they
missed me would they search for me? !?
Alas there was nothing to lead them to
suspect the spot of my captivity. Still
was comforted by the knowledge that
only partition rock separated me from
my fellow men. Now | could almost dis
tinguish their voices. ! fell that il was
vain to hope that my calls and shouts
could be heard by them, yet could not
forbear shouting till ! was quite ex.
hGusted.
Then reflected on the means I could
find Of diggingaway the barrier rock. Ii
could not be thick ! knew that, by my
! facility in hearing sounds, and concluding
that ] had fallen close to the edge Of the
; cliff, had sunk straight to the level o.
} the valley at its foot, and possibly tht
, wall of my prison was not more than twc
or three feet in thickness. But L had nc
implement save my knife, and that wa:
a slender one, quite unequal 10 cutting &
passage through even soft and damE
altrock, which formed partition. Sud
denly remembered having picked uI
I an OK shoe on the road, during my Sun
days walk. 1t was still in my pocket
E With what JOY / pulled it out, and com
P nlenced eagerly my work.
] will not detail the agonies Of thos'
hours. worked on in darkness some
. times encouraged, sometimes nearly hope
I less. ] coald not find that ! had mad
. any visible progress; the sounds wer'
0 no nearer than at first, and was GROWN,
Q hourly more exhausted from fatigue an,
! burning thirst. The salt air Of the cav,
; had inaamed my eyes, parching my skin
: and excoriated my throat and often
e bad horrid idea that / would 90 mad
n but I worked on. ] had been trying 3
loosen fragment Of rock which SCENE
D somewhat detached from the strata--thi
l. | could only judge by. my feelings. II
succeeded / should much reduce III
2 thickness Of the barrier at that point
, again tried my matches. had constant
ly done so hitherto, bot without success
Il and few remained but now the ihiT
one that tried gave forth light snok
e then light blue fame, and finally
e clear red light. ] held it carefully an
e beheld plainly the cavern in which / WI
re immured.
II was small one, and sparkled fro
. the saline crystals, as if studded si
gems. Opposite to me was a dark obje
: on projection Of the shelving rock, Ar
bearing similarity to the outlines Of
human figure. lifted high the expirii
match, and by the last rays, saw humi
face.
In frenzy Of impaiince / tried
]. few remaining matches but in th
:, instant, holding II directly even with 8
body. recognized The dead. pale, .
!. changed face Of my poor lost broth
= Henry
: was again IN darkness with the de
body and ny frenzied thoughts. Afsei
:, time resumed Gercely my labor q t
rock. A iew blows loosened il aad
.. few more, and the large mass rolled
:. wards, aud from Gssure ia the 70
: which lay behind il, came il a narr