The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-07-15
From the Atlantic Monthly for JULY
A STRUGGLE FOR LIFE,
Concluded.

CORCtHded.
His first emotion was one OF natural
terror. But this passed as quickly as II
came. Life had ceased to be very pre-
cious to him; and ifit were mis- fate to die
at jules side, was not that the fulfill
nent of the desire which he had ex-
pressed to himself hundred times that
morningf Was itDot cowardly to yield
up without struggle, the life which he
should guard for her sakei Was 1t not
his duty TO the living aud the dead
TO face the difficulties Of his r,"'.t-:', r"':.I:,
ana overcome them ii III were WlInln
human power! The vague fear of the
supernatural, that would affect most
men in similar situation, found no
room in his heart. He was simply shut
in a chamber from which it was
necessary that he obtain release
within given period. That this
chamber contained the body of the
woman le loved, so far from adding
TO the terror of the case, was n cir.
cumstance from which he drew cOnsola-
ton. She was beautiful statue now.
Her soul was far hence; and if that
pure spirit could return, would it not
be to shield him with her lovef 1t
was impossible that the place should
not engeuder some thought OF the kind.
Philip chanced to have in his pOck-
ct a boX of wax-tapers which smokers
use. After several Intellectual attempts,
he succeeded in igniting one against the
damp wall, and by its momentary lare
perceiyed that the candle had been left
in the tomb. This would serve him in
examining the fastenings of the vault.
he could force the inner door by any
means, and reach the grating, cf which
he had an indistinct recollection, he
might hope To make himself heard. But
the oaken door was immOvable, as solid
as the wall itself, into which IT fitted
air tight. Even ifhe had had the re-
uuisite tools, there were 10 fastenings TO
be removed: the hinges were set on the
outside.
Having ascertained this, Inc replaced
the candle Oh the floor, and leaned
against the wall thoughtfully. watching
the blue fan of flame that wavered 10
and fro, threatening TO detach itself
from the wick. AT all events" he
thought, 1.-THE place is ventilated" Sud
denly Philip sprang forward and ex-
tinsuished the light. His existence de-
pended on that candle!
He had read somewhere, in some ac-
count of shipwreck, how the survivors
had lived for days upon a few candles
which one of the male passengers had
insanely thrown into the long boat.
And here he had been burning away his
very life.
By the transient illumination of one
of the tapers, he looked at his watch.
II had stopped at eleyen,-but at eleven
that day, or the preceding night! The
funeral, he knew, had left the church at
ten. How many hours had passed
since then, 0fwhat duration had been
his swOon!
He picked up the candle, and seated
himself on the stone steps He was a
sanguine man, this Wentworth; but. as
he weighed the chances OF escape, the
prospect did not seem encouraging. Oh
course he wonld he missed. His disap-
Dearance under the circumstance would
surely alarm his friends; they would in-
stigate q search for him; but who would
think Of searching for live man in the
cemetery of Montmarire! The Prefect
of Police would set u hundred intelli-
genees at work 90 find him; the Seine
might he dragged; les BiiseTdbies turned
over at the dead house; \ aIninute descrip-
tion of him would he in every detectives
pocket; and he-in VI. DOrine's family
tomb
Yet. Oh the other hand, it was here he
was last seen; from this point Keen
detective would naturally work up the
case. Then might not the undertaken
return for the candlestick, probably not
left by design? How long could he keep
| life in himselff
With unaceelerated pulse, he quietly
cut the half-burned candle into fOuI
equal parts. Tonight" he Ineditatedi
II will eat the first Of these pieces; to-
morrow the second, tO-morrOT evening
the third, the next day the fourth, aud
the-then I'll waitT
He had taken no breakfast that morn
ing. unless q cup Of coffee can be called Z
breakfast. He had never been very
hungry before. He was ravenOusll
hungry now But he postponed the
meal as long as practicable. Ii mus
have been near midnight, according e
his calculation, when ne determined Il
try the first Of his four singular repasts
The bit Of white wax was tasteless; bR
it served its purpose.
His appetite for the time appeSsed
he found Few discomfort. The bn
midity Of the walls, and the wind tha
crept through the unseen ventilator
|, chilled him to the bone. To keep walk
. ing was his only resource. A SORT