Columbia democrat and star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1867, 1866-08-15


/ felt ont on either side but felt no object.
put them down below the coffin, and found
it rested on a slab that was supported some
distance above the ground, l could not tell
how much / got out of the coffin carefully,
stretched down my feet till they touched a
solid basis, and then slowly and cautiously
began to grope around the vault. i soon
touched the wall on one side, and carefully
felt of the stones, | found them as L feared
l should, large, solid, and evidently put to-
gether with cement There seemed little
hope of my ever finding my way through
them. | followed the wall along till | came
to a pile of coffins, orc upon the otherreach-
ing up as high as my head. They had cvi-
IDENTIFY been there for long time, and fan
cied, from the slippery feeling, were mildew-
ed and decayed. After passing these, L came
to another pile of collins, not so high as the
first but even more decayed. In turning
from these my feet slipped, fell against
them, and the upper one came down with a
crash, burst open, and the bones fell out with
phosphorescent glare, lighting up the dark
ness and looking ike so many orbs of fire. l
staggered back with an involuntary yell of
horror-the thing was so sudden and the
spectacle so awful.
NV reason returned in moment, and,
though my nervous system had received
shock that for a long time kept me weak and
trembling, yet saw at once how much was
the gamer by the accident, since by this
means ] now had dim view of the charnel
house which had become my prison, If not
my grave. The vault was not large, but con-
tanned quite a number of collins, not one Of
which was new save my own. which led me
te believe that it had seldom been used OF
late years, except, perhaps, as place OF
temporary deposit. 1t was strange hight to
see by, the phosphorescence Of dead mems
bones and when | take every thing into
consideration, my return to CONSCIOUSNESS,
the horrible suspicious, certaintles, and dis
coveries which followed in appalling order,
am even now compelled to wonder how it
was possible for me to keep my senses, and
to continue my effort 10 escape with the cool
ness | did.
/ soon found the door to thevault. 1t twas
wooden one, and seemed much decayed
on the inside like the collins | have men
toned. j tried it with trembling eagerness,
but discovered, alas it was fastened on the
outside-probably secured by heavy iron
bolts. Oh for the use of an axe for halfan
hourl would willingly have given for it all
| was worth in the world. / struck against
the door with my fist, and threw my body
heavily against it; but only to discover its
massive solidity, and to know that, without
some implement to work with, all my efforts
to escape would be worse than vain-that /
might as well get down and wait my appoin-
ted time.
But perhaps some tool might be found in
the vault, left there by mistake? Some
hatchet, hammer, pick, crowbar, something!
| searched everywhere, as well as | could by
the dim, ghastly light, but found only two
things that could possibly use-a large
spiked nail and pebble-stOne weighing
over pound. How precious did even these
seem No miser ever clutched his gold and
diamonds with such intense and heartfelt
joy as did these possible keys to the living
world.
There was portion of the door so decay
ed that, with the use of the nail and the
stone, | believed Icorlld work hole through
large enough, perhaps, to admit my arm /;
and as this place was near where the bolt, If
a single one, would naturally be, j had great
hope that might be able to reach and slide
it back With this idea, | commenced at
once, with all the energy of a man IN my
situation and for hours | labored unremit-
tingly-hammering, prying, and getting off
splinter By splinter, till at last | found
could pass my arm through theaperture. Ol
what wild emotions of hope and fear thrilled
me then i trembled from head to foot, my
respiration became gasping and difficult,
large beads OF persplratlon seemed to start
from every pore. and, sinking down on my
knees, | prayed God to have mercy on me,
and restore me to the world oflife. Then
arose slowly, thrust my arm through the
aperture, and felt around for the bolt.
Ny hand touched it. With tremblingeager-
L 81 ha ba.,
door came slowly open, harshly grating on
It's hinges. Oh? Heaven what moment
was that Perhaps ] was to be delivered
from that awful sepulcher! The very thought
was an overpowering Joy, which my nervous
system, so long wrought up to the most IN
tense excitement, could not bear, and L
tainted, and fell at the foot of the stairs
which lead upward from the chaTnel vault.
When consciousness and strength again
returned to me, l went slowly szd tremb-
lingly up the damp, dim and narrow stairs,
till | came to the flag that shut in thewhole.
On my power to raise this depended every
thing! / put my shoulder against it, and
pressed upward with all my might. Gracious
heavens 1t did not move / was doomed
| uttered a wild, piercing shrek, and fell
back in despair the most wretched being IN
existence. As l sat there, on one the cold,
Shiny steps, IN an agony ofmlnd that must
soon have deprived my burning, throbbing
brain of reason, / fancied heardsteps above
me. What Human life above and [ to be
doomed to death in sepulcher2 No, no
Never never ] sprang tony feet with the
determination and strength ofa madman and,
again putting my shoulder to the stone, sent
it upward with force that turned it over
with a crash. Fresh airand light burst inup-
on me. / saw was beneath the roof of a
church, and, leaping up from my pit, yelled
forth myjoy.
1t was an early hour in the morning, and
the sexton had come into theehurch to put
certain things to rights. Seeing me spring
upward from the tomb with an appalling
yell, he instantly fed. with shrek of tersor.
lie soon returned, however, with half q
dozen excited spectators, and found me Oh
my knees, giving thanks to God for my won
4 1