Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1867-08-16

I water was now only 70 my I4Eudle-
I made my way with difficulty, for there
was a perceptible current against me.
Breathing would have been easy, had
/ it not been for my excitement and now
/ a hOrrid dread seemed to check the very
4 act, for all at once I heard heavy re-
/ verberating noise, and the thought
/ struck me that thev were opening the
/ gates, and in another instant the fear
| rul rush of fresh water would come
1 bearing all before it,-even our lives
1 In the agony of the moment, utter
I ed a wild uneartbly shriek,-sO fear
/ full a cry, that I shrank against the side
afterwards. and clung to Shiny post,
/ trem bling TO hear the strange whisper
/ ing echoes, as the crszreverberated along
I the place, and mingled with the tapping
rush of the water, the dripping from the
roof, and loud sound as Of little
waterfall infrOnt.
Now came again the shape of some
thing round swimming up against me,
and as it struck my side I beat it savage
ly, though I smiled at my foolish fear the
next moment, for it was one Ofthe bran
dykegs washed out Of the boat. but
horror still seemed to hold me, as wa
ded on farther and farther, till once
more the water began to deepen, and
the Ooze at the bottom grew soner; so l
stopped listening to heavy rushing OF
water in front, where the drainage es-
capped, and washed heavily down, deep
eniug the tunnel at the foot OF the doOrsi ;
while in that hollow cavernOus place,
growing smaller moment by moment
the rushing sound was something hide
ous. Danger IN 'front.' for the great
gates might at any time be opened and
danger behind, where the tide was COM
ing in ceaselessly, and deepening the
water around me with its regular beat
ing throb, minute by minute. Thoughts
of the past and present seemed TO surge
through my brain, so that 1 grew be-
WiIdered, and had any chance or escape
presented itself I cCOuld not have
seized it, though I could not but tell
myself that escape was impossible. a
few minutes,-ten, twenty, thirty per
haps, and the blackness seemed to be
growing blaeker.
2 g I must be free, muttered and
dragging HOdsOn's handkerchiefs from
his neck, bound it to my own, and
then making them fast beneath his
arms, felt among the woodwork till i
could find a place where 1 could pass
them through, so that I could secure
him from slipping down, or being swept
away by the ebbIng and flowing of the
water.
/ was not long in finding place but
then the handkerchiefs were not long
enough, and 1 had to add one nom
nv pocket then [ left the poor fellow
0uite fDsensible and half-hanging from
one of the timbers. And now 1 Waded
about, searching for the mouth OF the
air-pipe, iu the hope of shouting up 1t
for succOr, since felt conY4 44lSeo 4Leaet . S1s
tide would effectually fill the tunnel,
while the very thought Of the gates be
ing opened half maddened me and
needless now of who might hear me, so
that they brought succor, 1 hunted aim
IessIy about, yelling and shrleklng 1or
aid.
1t was a fearful struggle between rea-
son and dread and forever dread kept
getting the upper hand: now 1T was a
floating keg again and again making
me dash away now one Of the pack
ages hurried in by the tide; Whlle the
strange drippings and hollow Whisper
iugs were magnified into an lnhnlty OF
horrors. Fvery monster with which
imagination has peopled the sea seemed
to be there to attack me,-Strange ser
Dent or lizard-like beasts, Shiny and
scaled, thrOnging along the cell ng or
mn the Sides swimming arc und me, or
burTOwiug through the sand. More
than OUce [ actually touched some
swimming object, but the contact was
nomentarv, and the stranger dGrted on
Then reason would gain supremacy Tor
a while; and trying to cool my GnFoo-
bing brow with the water, GhOugnG OF
nv position, whispered u few prayers,
and endeaVored to compose myself.
There was even now a doubt the tide
might not rise high enough to cover me
certainly it was now at my breast, ana
1 was standing with difficulty In the
shaIIOWest place / could pick. me
next moment. as the waves receded, II
would fall to nv waist; but again it was
up to my chest, and in spite OF gLeS3rll4S 9I
hone, despair whispered truly IhaJ IL
was farther up my chest than DeIoFe'
True; but one wave in SO many always
came higher than the others me tlqe
might still be at Its height ana TINS De
that particular wave.
Down again nearly to my waist; and
then up, up, up, nearly to my chin, dash
ing away hope and reason, But stay
another CLEAN; I was standing upon the
soft mud, for here there was no sand
my feet must have sunk IN.
L moved again and ag ain, Dut ever
with the same results; and at last, des-
pairingly, I was clinging to shell-coY--
cred piece of timber at the siuej with
the water at my chin.
A noise, a cIanking noise as of chains
rattling and iron striking iron ana now
hope fed, for knew that this must be
the opening of the doors OF the govt ;
but, to my surprise, no rush OF water
followed only little came, when zap
ped against my lips; while a rush OF ar
smOte my forehead:
Voices, shouts, and HOdson's name
uttered but could not shout IN reply.
Then NV own name /; and gave some
inarticulate cry by way Of answer,
while once reason seemed to get the pet
ter of the dread, for I knew that the far
doors of the govt had not been opened,
and that they kept up the drainage,
while the pair nearest to me naQ ohly
had the pressure upon them OF the Wa
! ter escaping from the first. And now a
good bold swim, and could nave Deen
in the big pit-like opening between the
TWO pair of gates but the -sp rlG was
/ gone the nerve was absent ana
still clinging to the shelly piece OF tlul-
! her 1 closed my eyes, for L teltthat, near I
as rescue seemed, L could do nothing 10
1 i'll it. As for HOdsOn, in this time OF
I ,lraa5 had forgotten hiIH-iOrgotien
ali bur the great horror Of the water lap
/ lap tapping at ny Zip, and orca9i 9iot''.IN
recedfng, rs spray hzzing n my nos
/ trils.
/ UIuher aud nis her, covering my lip ;
/ but bv a desperate effort 1 raised myself
/ a few inches, but only to go through the
same agOnies again, as the wafer sIl4l
/ crept up and up, slowly DuG sureIy,
while in this my last struggle, my neItu
/ touched the top timbers, the weed wash
ed and swept ON er il, and as forced my
! fupers round the timber TO Wutch /
/ olung nv body hOated in the water.
Another minute, and felt that ali
| was over, for the water covered my race
once twice and half strangle leo, l wait
ed gasping for third time; put II came
not, Half minute passed, auu tneh
| again it washed over my face, seeming
as if it would never leave it; but at
last il was gone, and too unnerVed JC
hone. I awaited its return, but it came
not.
i 7 dared not hope yet, till felt tina
the water was perceptibly lower, anC
then the reaction was so fearful GhaG
| could hardly retain my hold TIL Gn'
tide had sunk so that L could stand
when my shouts for help brought assis
tance to me through the govt, for Chel
and I was brought out as nearly deaf
as my compa niOn.
That nights work sprinkled my hal
with gray, and my last experience witt
the smuggling business. The loss wa
heavy: but [ had escaped with life
t while Door Hodson was followed to th
grave by some ore tie following sun
; day.
HARD ON DEMoCRATs.-In his speec