Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1867-05-24

ladder hanging against the side ofthe
bin, thanking God that the grain had
not begun to move, for then I'd be a
dead man in no time. But as soon
as the ruffian saw what was after, be
went round and pulled up the ladder
'tLet that Alone | shouted, feeling
how little hope of escape I had with
the ladder out of my reach.
He laughed and flung the ropes
over beam.
'Do you mean to murder me p ]
cried. .f lo3aa5a 'f -''95-si'E
''No, I'm going to leave you there,
Bob. You have fallen in you see.-
That'll be the verdict when they find
your body. You'll want your shovel,
man, to make the thing look natural.
I'll show it to you in a minuter
1felt quite sure that it was so dark
in the bin that he could not see me
plainly, if at all, and that he would
try to hit me with the shovel.
crawled close to the side with one
cheek against the wood; looking up
| could see him directly above me,
peering down into the gloom, and with
the shovel in his outstretched arm
ready to spear at me, as if l were a
fish. Then followed a stiffness that
continued for five minutes, during
which he stood on his guard. Sud.
denly heard muffled rattle of ma.
chinery and felt a strange power pull.
ing at my feet, while my whole body
seemed to be sliding down a bottom.
less pit. In an instant knew what
was happening.
The grain was running!
Il madly flung out my arms, and my
fingers clutched one of the upright
beams. AS | drew myself up against
the receding torrent, heard a laugh
above me and the words
Remember Bessie Tillott, Bob
Campbell, and that l loved her, and
the words l spoke to you by the big
elm. Good-byH
when | looked up, the man was
gone from my sight. | don't exactly
know how | managed to climb that
huge beam. I think there were nails
here and there that helped my feet
and hands; for after | was rescued
my body was found to be covered
from head to foot with great gashes
or scratches, Anyhow, slowly and
painfully managed to reach the top
and threw my left arm over the edge
of the bin, and gasped for breath
Then, when | was so near to safety
to life, to hope, l felt horrible sick
ening blow from something neither
dull nor sharp. | seemed to feel the
cutting of the flesh and hear the break
ing of the bone. The arm, battered
and broken, lost its grasp, and l fel
back into the darkness and horror of
the bin. Hardly had | touched tn,
yielding wheat when my shovel wa
thrown from above and struck within
a few inches of my head. Thougl
my arm panied me terribly, | didn'
faint. Twas helpless. The dust wa
sitting. The grain was whirling AM
Kissing as it slid toward the vortex,
few feet distant. | heard the murmur
ing of the machinery in motion an,
the rushing sound of the wheat as
: rushed into the spout. Where | la
the grain had not yet begun to NOV
, into the whirlpool; but 1 knew j
7 would be only minute or two bt
fore | should be tossing ana strugglin
in the treacherous quicksands, and the
= stihed, mutilated and dead, at tn
spout. The dust seemed to circl
t about me and leave me a little air
. gasp.
Lying thus. hopeless and helpless
< a carelessness of death came upon MI
s My life came to me again in all its d.
n tails, its joys and sorrows. ha
:, visions of green fields, and heard til
o soft gurgle of brooks, and the song
> of birds, and the rustling of leaves
Then Bessie's sweet face, as it ws
/. when we were married, smiling an
e pretty with dimples, seemed to |
d above and close to mine, as if waitin
for kiss, as in the olden time befol
she was taken from me. forgot a
a else but her face. | had only CO
o sciousness that l was going to he
d that she was waiting for my relea
h that she might go with me on the la
II great journey. 1t seemed as if tt
# great relief would never come al
b, give me to my darling.
II 4 must have been growing unco
scious, | think, for a sudden throb {
pain in my arm robbed me of my wife
d, face and brought back the old feeli
le of resistance against death. l fl
that was going downward, slow
y but irresistibly; that every grain /
it meath me was moving, and shifting a
lg slowly descending. The circle Of t
to whirlpool had reached me, and W
dragging me down to torture and
at death. I'couldn't, | wouldn't subj
= to such a death. | must live. 1t "
horrible agony Of soul and of body.
us l screamed for help; but the dust
he tered my mouth, nose and ey
m, strangled and blinded me. | look
,ly for the shovel. 1t had disappear,
ne l was going too. Manned, and ga
en- ing for breath, l fought against Il
nd power that was slowly, but sure
dragging me down. I plunged
e., arm deep into the wheat and tried
pull myself up. In the dismal, m
ky Light Of this hideous den, | str
Ill, gled. / was a giant in my battle
life. Thought no more Of my brol
arm. was burning with heat, par
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