Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1863-04-30
A Living DcntIh.


Itsometimes happens, on certain coasts
OF Brittany or Scotland, that man, trav-
eler or fisherman, walked on the beech at
low tide, suddenly notices that he has
been walking with some difficulty. The
strand beneath his feet is like pitch; his
solcs stick TO il; it is sand no longer, it is
glue. The beach is perfectly dry, but at
every step he takes, a. soon as he lifts
his foot the print which he leaves fills
with water. The eye. however, has no.
ticed NJ change, the immense strand is
smooth and tranquil, all the sand has
the same appearance, nothing distinguish
ed on the surface which is no longer SO;
the joyous little cloud of sand heas con-
tinue to leap tumultuously over the way
iarer's feet. The man pursues his way,
goes forward, inclines toward the land,
endeavors to get nearer the upland. He
is not anxious. Anxiousl Anxious about
what? Only he feels somewhat as if the
weight Of his feet increased with every
step which he takes. Suddenly he sinks
in. He sinks in two or three inches. De-
cidcdly he is not on the right road; ne
stops to take his bearing. All at once
be looks at his feet. His feet have disap-
peared The sand covers them. He draws
his feet out Of the sand he will retrace
his steps, he turns back, be sinks in deep
er. The sand comes up to his ankles, he
pulls himself out and throws himself to
the left, and the sand is huff leg deep; he
he throws himself to the right, the sand
comes up to his shins. Then he recogni-
zes with unspeakable terror that he is
caught in the quicksand, and that he has
/ beneath him the fearful medium in which
man can no more walk than the fish can
swim. He throws off his load, if he has
one, he lightens himself like ship in dis
tIess; it is too late, the sand is above his
knees.
He calls, he waves his hat or mis- hand
kerchiei, the sand gains on him more and
more, il the beach is deserted if the land
/ Is too far off, il the sand bank is of too i'll
repute, if there is no hero in sight, it is
all over, he is condemned to enlizement.
He is condemned to that appalling in
terment, long, inn mplacable, impossible to
slacken or to hasten. which cndures for
/ hours, which will not end, which seizes
you erect, free and in full health, which
draws you by the feet, which at every ef-
fort that you attempt, at every shout that
you utter, drags you a little deeper, which
appears to punish you Tor your resistance
by doubling OF its grasp, which sinks the
man slowly into the earth while it leaves
him all the time to look at the horizon,
the trees, the green fields, the smoke of
the village in the plain, the sails Of the
ships upon the sea, the birds flying and
singing, the sunshine, the sky. Enlize-
meut IS the grave become a tide, and ris-
ing from the depth of the earth toward
living man. Each minute is an mex
orable enshroulness. The victim attempts
to sit down, to lie down, to creep; every
moment he makes inters him; he straight
ems himself, he sinks in he feels that he
is being swallowed up; he howls, implores,
cries to the clouds, wrings his hands,
despairs. Behold him, waist deep in the
sand; the sand reaches his breast, he is
now only bust He raises his arms,
utters furious groans, clutches the beach
with his nails. would hold by that straw,
leans upon his elbows to pull himsel out
of the soft sheath, sobs frenzedly, the
sand raises. The sand reaches his shoul-
, ders; the sand reaches his neck; bis face
alone is now visible. The mouth cries,
the sand fills it; silence. The eyes still
gaze, the sand shuts them; night Then
the forehead decreases, little hair futters
above the sand; a hand protrudes. comes
through the surface of the beach, moves
and shakes, and disappears. Sinister eff
iacement of man.