Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1862-06-07

nally established myself, and that l
knew from the first. It was foolish in
me to think that the opening through
which I had just entered could be clos
ed without my hearing it, and that too
when no one was astir but myself
But the blow on my face had made me
a little nervous, perhaps, and besides
I never could bear to be shut up in
any place-it always gives wild-like
feeling about the head. You may
laugh, stranger, but believe I should
sufocate in an empty church if [ once
felt that was so shut up in it that I
could not get out. l have met men
before now just like me, or worse rath-
er, much worse-men that it made sort
of furious to be tied down to anything
yet so soft-like and contradictory in
their natures that you might lead them
anywhere so long ae they did not feel
the string. Stranger, it takes all sorts
of people to make a world and we
may have good many of the worst
| kind Of white men here out Vest
But I have seen folks on this river -
quiet looking chaps, too, as ever you
see-who were so tetotally carankter-
onkterous that they'd shoot the doctor
who'd tell them they couldn't live when
ailing, and make a die of it just ont Of
spite when told they must get well.-
Yes, fellows as fond of the good things
of earth as you or I, yet who'd rush
like mad over the gang plank of life,
! if once brought to believe they had to
stay in it whether they wanted to leave
it or not. Thunder and bees if such
fellow az that had heard the cocks
crow as | did, awakened to find dark
ness about him-darkness so thick that
you might cut it with knife--heard
other sounds, too, to tell him that it
was morning, and scrambling to fun
! BILE for that man-hole, found it, too,
| Observation-Disclosures and even as the
rest of the iron coffin around him
closed with not rivet hole to let Gods
light and air why--why, he'd
swooned right down on the spot, as /
did, and I amt ashamed to own it to
no white man."
The big drops actually stood upon
the poor fellows brow as he now paus-
ed for moment in the recital Of his
terrible story. He passed his hand over
his rough features, and resumed it
with less agitation Of manner.
"How long I had remained there
.enseless l don't know. The doctors
have since told me that it must have
been sort Of a tit--more like an apo
plexv than a swoon, for the attack f.
naiiy passed off in sleep. Yes. /
slept know that, for / dreamed
dreamed heap o things afore I woke.
There is but one dream, however, that
| have ever been able to recall with
distinctness, and that must have come
on shortly before / recovered my con-
seriousness. Ny resting place through
the night had been, as I have told you,
at the far end Of the boiler. Well,
now dreamed that the man-hole was
still open, and what seems curious rath-
er than laughable, if You take it in
connection with other things, fancied
that my legs had been so stretched in
the long walk I had taken the evening
before that they now reached the
whole length of the boiler, and extend
ed through the opening.
cat first lin my dreaming recollec,
tions) ii was pleasant thought tina,
no one could now shut up the man
hole without awakening me. But soon
it seemed as if my feet, which were or
the outside, we're becoming drenched
in the storm which had originally driv.
en- me to seek this shelter. | felt the
chilling rain upon my extretnities.-
; They grew colder and colder, and
; their numbness gradually extended to
: other parts of my body. 1t seemed
however, that it was only the under
side of my body that was thus strange
< ly visited. laid upon my back, anc
$ it must have been a species of night
: mare that affected me, for l knew a
, last that was dreaming, yet felt it i'm
$ possible to rouse myself A violent Fl
Of coughing restored, at last, my pow
I ers of volition. The water which hao
t slowly risen around me had rushed in
8 to my mouth. / awoke to hear ths
, rapid strokes of the pump which wa
: driving it into the boiler! My whole
: condition--no, not all of it--not yet
my present condition flashed with new
S horror upon me. But did not again
7 swoon. The choking sensation which
q had made me faint when first discov
n cred how / was entombed gave wa,
d to live]ier, though less overpowerin!
emotion. shrieked, even as start
J. ed from my slumber.
s The previous discovery. Of the clos
It ed aperture, with the instant oblivion
n that followed, seemed only part o
i my dream, and threw my arms abou
t and looked eagerly for the opening b,