The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-04-08

steel. HOuiQ iron Qog IL InAg1t! In almost
less time than it takes to tell, sI had broker
| up one of the sheet-iron deed boxes, and by
carefully bending pieee Of it backward and
forward on the sharp'edgeeof the chest had
used as missile. obtained a,sstrip about the
length of my hand, and two fingers broad, and
with this commenced saving one of the
bars. Half an hour hard work produced no
impression on the bar, and had turned the
edge of the soft sheet-iron on both sides sis
If it had been a question of saws, could
have ten deed boxes into a hundred saws to
cut through that one bar. Alasi it was no
such thing-the saw would not cut; and then
sprung up before me the vision of a large
yard with blocks of stone and the motion to
and fro Of the suspended saw of the stone
sawyer, and his little tricklng water barrel
and heap of sand Once more went to work
broke off a corner of the stcne shelves (the
lower ones were of st1ne, the upper ones of
slate), pounded hard with my hammer, and
then wetting the edges of the saw with saliva,
I strewed the pounded stone upon it I felt
tho saw become steadier and steadier, and ut
last could feel with my nail a little nick IN
the bar. worked for nearly three hours on
this one bar, changing my saw when it was
worn hollow for another and another till had
worn six of them. I was nearly through !;
another half hour and shall be quite through !;
yet it might break off now with blow and
it mig hit leave ragged end to my chisel that
would destroy half the force of my blows when
1 came to bore through the wall. 1 would
not strike, but kept on patiently, and at last
the saw went through I seized the end, and
in few minutes held in my hand the instru-
ment of my deliverance
The air of the room had by this time be-
come close and sitting, and it was only by
STOPPING that could breathe freely.
/ had still, as far as could judge, some FIVE
hours left-in those must accomplish my de-
liverance or die ~
I now commenced sounding with nv ham
mer for the least sclid part of the wall. lsaa.
In striking it on part nearly opposite the
shelves cut out for the gate, thought heard
it sound hollow. I struck again and again
without success it all seemed alike. Once
more / determined to strike over the whole
space had previously struck this I did, and
found the spot, about thesiz of a penny piece,
from which the sound came. then carefully
felt the wall in the neighborhood, and found a
rough indented line ran from the place round
the angle of the wall, and on the wall on the
same line were three small holes in a CIRCLE
decided at once that this was the place of
some burner fixed and afterward removed the
rough lire was the mark left by the pipe, and
the hollow place must be tho hole where The
old pipe entered the room. I drove the chisel
into the place and found it hard very hard,
but still hollow. Ny life was hung upon the
choice of right place ;if this hole Tas filed
up with the hard cement, and the difference
of sound arose merely from the difference in
density, then 1 Lad better try the wall over
for brick softer than the rest but if it was
not fulfil those who should have filled it
had put but few inches of cement at each
end of the hole, then in another hour l was
safe as if Twas free. I would risk it. That
hollow sound was SO CHEEKY that I would be-
lieve it must be true guide ---sf e.
Blow after blow, and the hole grew deep,
and my progress less as my control over the
point of the Instrument lessened, when one
sudden sharp blow drove the chisel into the
wall the length of my arm. The place, was
hollow: I had now but to drive it through
the crust of cement on the outer wall and T.
should live. I drove it cautiously and care.
fully, and at last heard the echo of the pieces
fall on the other side, and drawing out the
chisel, felt the air rush in. How can words
convey the sensation experienced as I drew
in the God-given breath of life ] / could now
defy Death there was fountain at which
mi sht drink and live. M
For hours sat close to the hoe and breath
ed, and then fell asleep. 1 know not how
long slept. but awoko sore and tired, and
with horrible hnnger and thirst t-on me.
could not have many more hours to stay, so
hoped on, and frightened my belt to ease the
knawing pain at my stomach. And now be-
gan the horror of solitude while I Lad en-
ployment for the mind felt no pain of any
kind now was going mad with anxiety ami
fear. must find some employment. And
what, in this utter darkness But il dark
ness, why not light Yes, would have light. !
For this must enlarge the hole, and went to
work again with blistered hands, and in two
hours had enlarged it to twice its original di-
lmeter, and had consequently four times as
much air flowing in.
My next step was to crate from, the edges
If book a paper powder for finder, and
Spreading this on the ground in q heap, I
struck with the point of my hammer the stone
helf above it: The sparks few about at the I
contact, but it was at least an hour before one /
odged in the heap and set it smouldering. I |
yatched anxiously as the little red ring grew
arger and brighter in the heap, and then ap-
dying piece of thin paper rolled-+e-a fine !
,oint to the center of the ring, 1 gentiE,shlew
he redness to hame-yes, fame real fame,
hat blinded me by its brightness, that seenedI
o pierce my brain with sword, SO long and,I
eep had been the darkness.
took my paper stop from eff the gas and
eard the serpent hiss once more-tnis time
7ithout fear. lit the Issuing gas, and then
at looking at it as Bartimeus might have done
q the Joy of his new found sight,
had done had light and air but still I +
aust have employment or should rave.
Employment! The thought came to me of
hat unfortunate sentence that had caused me
, run the risk: IF I had access to his books
would prove that fraud was possible
There they were, every one, not one miss
,g. Could 1 proyeit Could--I would-my
ocd name depended on proving it. If he ,
ere true, was false I set to work. and
ith my pencil, which happily had with
lie, I went through account after account from
eginning to end, and well was I rewarded
II learned that my uncle, supposed TO be &
ch, had been systematically .robbed for years !
' this sccundre, and was now almost ruined
i'd that his daughters portion, invested in '
nglish securities, and the interest paid by t
L: I'M foA