Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-03-23
MARCH %, 1867.

AS Tam living man the taper felt the
shock, and inclined alittle to the left, as if
it had more than halfa mind to toppie over
altogether.
Ny life hung by a thread, and I could
fancy the weird sisters siSSOrsin hand, pre-
pared to cut itwith grim and professional
Presently, the noise of iscuffle and the
screams of a woman, whom by her voice IL
knew to be my wifeYwere heard. .r3m -ii
l. Two, minutes now elapsed, during which,
/ suffered the most torturing anxiety and
suspense. What was happening? Was he
making my wife a participatof' in what he
called my crime, and punishihg her by TAX.
ing away her life. - -a 5|,teoe, SIN 10 J.s
The mystery was revealed at last. Bar.
/ rington had bound her arms as he had.
mine. She was evidently condemned to
die with me. AS they entered the room,
/ into which my wife was dragged, unwil-i
/ lingly, uttered a groan deep and full of
Intensity. She was about to fly to me when
she caught sight of the powder barrel and
the taper, whose ftickering flame now al.
most kissed the powder with every breath
of air that famed it,.
/ 1l.Uttering shrill cry, her ioverwrought'
nerves gave way, and she fell, insensible
/ upon the rich and yielding Turkey carpet
"Thank God for that" cried. -f.
"Pray, pray. the end draweth nigh,,"I
exclaimed Darlington, with the Impress
iveness of2a preacher exorting people to
repentance. t-..r, r-..o.ls .d ,0e.t5 s.,z.
With outstretched arm he stood erect and
rigid as statue. My gaze was alternately
fascinated by him and by the powder, over
which hung the burning hght-fen instru-
ment of destruction. g.4,...s. /. 81 ..s-.-.ly,
If the tension of the nerves, which were
stretched to their utmost capacity, lasted
much longer, felt that must go mad. /
could not bear it, ] even longed for the
/ catastrophe. "a ~.
Suddenly there was bright burst OF
/ flame, followed by dense cloud of sui
| phurous smoke; but no roar, no crash no
utter rnin OF the room and the circumja-
cent buildings,
What could it mean? Was translated
| to another sphere after painless death?
| When the explosion took place could
| see Darlington with his hands clasped. His
lips moved, and he audibly uttered the
| name of "Emmeline." ,-. .sf
I certainly was unhurt. or if hurt, the
pain was of such peculiar nature as to b'
| insensible. ~ = @a EalH "
| The smoke was so dense that could see
nothing. Had [ been delivering letters il
thick New York fog, it would not have
been more difficult to distinguish object;
than it was through the vapor which fllet
the room. f..l-sze.y f-7 s.,.- -a
1t was simply mist and mystery.
"Does your head ache as badly as it did
my dear" L exclaimed to my wife the mex
| morning. ..--..... s.
at is little better; but oh! the horror
of last night. Never will it be effaced from
my memory" .Fa 5H banssl sa ltYf
81 Nor from mine, )" / interjected. g.s II
Tell me again, George, how we eventu
ally escaped" she continued, ''my mind wa
so confused at the time that have only
vague idea." -gT ~ f,. l1s
!; "Certainly," answered, 81 will tell yoI
with pleasure. First of all, it appears tina
the tradesman of whom Mr.. Barringto
had bought the gunpowder faneied from
his manner that it would be unsafe to trus
him with so large a,quantity of infamma
BILE material, and with commendable pre-
caution had recourse to a Stratagem. ID
| filled the cask with substance who's
; weight corresponded to that of the powdel
merely putting layer of gunpowder owe
all, so that in the case of any explosion
: nothing but smoke would result from it,"
'tYes,I remember that but how were W
| extricated from our unpleasant position q
l last" .-,.. - ...-...l ~ ,..-,
"By some accident, perhaps by using to
, much force, the front door when slamme
did not shut. The catch did not meet
the lock with that which should hold i
A policeman going his rounds, and seein
, the door of the house open, ventured in
rouse the inmates. Receiving no answer
he went do own stairs, and noticing the ligh
| entered the room in which we were. wf
sensible enough to appeal for help, whic
: he instantly granted me. We were libera
ed, and MIR. Darlington is by this time,
hope safe in lunatic asylum" us
"What an adventure D." -....s .-
4 ''You may well say that"
sDo you think his story about Emmelir
, is true?" asked my wife, tears dimming I'll
. lnstre of her eyes as she spoke.
81 wish indeed L couIu7 7UtItuk the COZ
trary.'a 9,i5 -a e e... ..
t Thus ended my adventure of the ''Des
Letter" .-'t.'F Goif-r s.it
i Since that time have never heard til
familiar phase without tremor and an il
r ward misgiving, and the smell of powd,
d always makes me take to my heels as if
d were running from his Satanic majest
e himself. :st.Ht o. 4rgf 81 r. $50