The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1869-09-17

of the refrain came distinctly to my
cars: IL.
"And for my bonnie Annie Laurie
I'd lay me down and die ~
1t took all my strength to raise my
self to II sitting position. stretched out
my arms. My hand came in contact
with cold iron. l was mad No! no,
not mad but I felt that lunacy in the
shape of terrible spectre was approach
ing me-for the question was answered..
l was imprisoned within the steam
boiler.
l began to shout:
Help! George, for Gods sake
hclpw
But my voice sounded like that of
muffled bell. Then / commenced to
pound with my fists upon the iron.
" Surely, George must hear that"
thought l.
But no, he was whistling the tune of
Yankee Doodle.
Once he stopped, and thrill of Joy
ran through me. Then he began again.
l felt my way to the head of the boil
er, for now l heard that he was opening
the furnace doors. / knew well what
he was going to do. Soon l heard
scratching sound-he was lighting
match. Then 1 heard the rustling of
shaviDgs which he was throwing into
the furnace. This was shortly followed
by cracking sound.
"He's Lit the fire, and shall be boil
ed alive!' thought 1, again pounding
and scratching against the sides of the
boiler, in the vain hope of making my
self heard. l felt not the pain, but felt
that the warm blood was dropping from
my lacerated knuckles and torn nails.
l listened. The sharp cracking sound
of the fire became lower and lower.
Again l had hopes-the fire had gone
ut,and l knew that the Waterman had
gone to bed, for the lighting of the fire
was his last duty at five o'clock in the
morning. 1 also knew that the fireman
whould not rise until half past five.
Twenty, perhaps twenty-five minutes,
and then he would come and relight
the fire.
"Thirty minutes and then must
dep ........ ..... ........
folded my hands, and prayed TO God
as had never prayed before. recalled
to my mind prayer my mother taught
me when was a child, and a holy calm
came over me, for surely, thought l, He
who sees the sparrow fall, will not de.
sert me in my present need.
Slowly my hands parted and fell to
my side, and slowly / crawled back TO-
wards the end of the boiler, where ]
knew was the eman-whole through which
had been showed by the wicked engi
: neer while was under the influence o
, the drug which he had administered.
, passed my hands over the cast.iroI
plate which shut up the only egres
from the boiler. l pushed against i
with all my strength still knew thai
one hundred pounds of steam pressure
) could not remove that plate. l felt ex
{ hausted by my efforts and threw my
self at full length against the flues. Tn,
water covered me up to my neck, ,whicl
kept above its level
, A desperate thought came to IN,
mind! Why should not drown my
self by lowering my head? 1t woul,
) end my misery Mt once. Some on
seemed TO whisper in my ear. "Do it,
r Then another voice said, at is suicide
and God will punish you! !" sr
: l laughed, yes, laughed. 1t is onl,
: a dream" said j, "and soon will wax
: and once more see the blessed light q
$ day."
/ But 1t was not a dream, it was Il tel
@ rible reality. The love of life cam
D back to me. Again pressed my hand
over the cold surface of the boiler The
, came in contact with something whic
| moved.
l God in his infinite mercy had give
} to me the means of escape from tina
= living tomb. My hands were graspini
: the short iron bar which the boys ha'
dropped into the boiler! 1t was lyin
G across some of the stray rods whic
S traversed the boiler in all directions
j | used it as hammer against tn
. castiron plute;which covered the mar
+ hole. One sharp blow, crack, and
stream of binding light fell upon IN
a eyes. 1t was the rising sun, for til
o back part of the boiler looked towar
G the east. Two more blows, and tn
Y broken plate fell with splash into tn
G water and left the aperture open an
h clear for my escape. ..
G 1t is yet wonder to me that the in
tense joy that ! experienced did not XII
a me. With difficulty l crawlcd throug
he opening. l staggered towards tn
Q engineers room and opened the doc
@ The apartment was tenantless; Jam,
O had gone to his break fast. | looked /
r the clock; it still lacked fifteen minute
= to six.
q A strange thought flashed across IN
/, mind. "What if | should take til
IS spare man-hole plate from the stoi
room close by, and fix it into ii
n aperture. l have yet ten minutes tim
d Would not James think that was sti
v within the boiler ?"
/: | ran to tho store-room and took IL
- plate from the shelf. 1t seemed yer
Y heavy to me rs l carried it to the baC
Y part of the boiler; there | laid it dow
d and closely examined the lead gask'
l. which was around its rim. Everythin
D, was complete with the exception Of pu
D. ing on some red lead, | went back
the store room, got the little cask
lead and put some of it upon the to
| that James had wound round the leG
II gasket. Then l fastened the apertu
A. by means of clamp and nut. Viii
m | was at work / heard the voice of Il
n fireman. He was swearing at the ne
" lect of the watchman in not lightiI
1t the fire. There was no danger of II