National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1869-12-24

/ HIS NdtCI. itS. UWU minutes UiDIt
and your soul will leave its misera.
bic body. Please give my regards
to his satanic majesty. Tell him
sooner or later | will join you in the
fiery regions below. Your eyes are
closing now; your face has the hue
of death, your limbs are getting cold,
yes, cold as ice
| felt the touch of his hot hand
upon my face. 1t seemed as if
thousand needles were entering
every part of my body; red blur
obscured my vision and it was be
coming darker. felt as if some
thing was pressing upon my head,
which now seemed to leave my body,
and my breath became shorter and
shorter all at once it etopped. |
felt as / counted tho beatlhgS OF my
heart-one, two, three. four, five and
six. Then all was oblivion.
opened my eyes, that is, | felt |
opened them, as not a ray of light
fell upon the pupils. Darkness
impenetrable darkness-v as around
me. Was in the grave? | made
an effort to stretch out my hands.
| succeeded. They moved through
water, which now felt was eddying
around my neck.
Where was II Surely it was not
"A dream. for felt that was thor
oughly awake. | raised my right
hand to my head, and my hand came
in contact with an iron rod, upon
which my head was resting. Again
the question came through my mind,
'Where am ?
Soon, but too soon, the question
was answered.
| Hark | hear the sound of dis
tant voice. 1t came nearer and
nearer yes my ears did not deceive
me. 1t was the voice of our night
watchman.
He was singing song. The
words of the refrain came distinct
~ to my ears:
And for my bonnie Annie Laurie
Id lay me down and die
1t took all my strength to raise
my NSelt to sitting position. |
stretched ont my arms. My head
came in contact with cold iron. |
was No. no. not mad, but | felt
that lunacy,in the shape of IA terrible
spectre, was approaching me-ior
the question was answered:
was imprisoned within the steam
boiler, began to shout:
Help! George, for Gods sake
helpr but my voice sounded like a
mutiled bell. Then began to pound
with my nStS bpOn u'e iron. Suie-
y.Georgc must hear them. thought
But no, he was whlStling Yankee
Doodle.
Once he stopped, and a thrill of
joy ran through me. Then he began
again.
felt my way to the head of the
boiler. for now heard that he was
opening the furnace doors.
knew well what he was going
to do. Soon | heard scratching
, sound-he was lighting a MATCH
Then | heard the rustllng OF shay
ings which lie was throwing INTO the
, furnace, This was shortly followed
, 10y cracking sound.
Hes lit the fire, and | Will be
boiled alive thought l,again pound
! ing and scratching against the sides
! of the boiler, III the VAIN hope OF
D making myself heard. felt not
> the pain but the warm blood dilppeo
a from my lacerated kmuckles and
- torn nails. l listened. The sharp
, cracking sound of the fire became
= lower and lower. Again | had hopes
the fire had gone out, and | knew
that the Watchman had gone to bed
for the lighting of the fire was his
y last duty at five in the morning.
| also knew that the fireman w0ulo
not rise until halfpaSt five. Twenty
perhaps twenty-five minutes, ano
then he would come aud Icllght th,
fire.
: Thirty minutes and then mus
die
}, folded my hands, prayed t.
God as ! had never prayed before
e recalled to mind prayer my
c mother taught me when chlld,an,
Z holy calm came over me, for sure
" thought /, He VIII, sees the spar
- row fall will not DIES s,rt me III my
e present need.
Slowly my hands parted and fee
Z to my side, and slowly ] crawle,
back tow ards the end of the boiler
( where knew was the man hol'
p" through which had been shove,
u bv the wicked engineer while ! wa
= under the influence of the druJ
= which he had administered.
', | passed my hands over the cas-
~ =, iron plate which shut up the onl'
~ rpress from the boiler pusle'
" !, against it with all my strength still
~ knew that one hundred pounds q
y, steam pressure could not rcmov
~ the plate. felt exhausted at IN.
:, efforts. and threw myself ai lnl
~ length upon the ilucs. The waite
>" covered me above my neck, which
II. kept above its level
ls A desperate thought came to III,
10 mind. Why should ! not drow
~ myselfby loweriugmy head I conl'
end my misery at once. some on
a seemed to whisper IN my ear, do II
Then another voice silu' III ~ S''
il. eide, and God will punish your
re | laughed; yes, laughed. 1T