St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1869-10-15

cOulu scarcely breathe Auu To tins I'll
fact that | was bound hand and foot. am
could save myself very little from tn
jolts of the wagon, and it can be easii,
imagined how great was my discomfort
Fortunately, the road was tolcrahly
smooth and | was kept in this way cnl,
: a few minutes before the wagon stoppe,
again. The cover of the box was lifted
and my muller was pushed down from
my eyes and nose SO as to make respira
ton easier. ''Cut off a piece, brother,
want to strangIe him yct.' In pursuit OF
this humane suggestion, Il hasty hand cut
off with a knife SO much OF the comforter
As was likely to prevent my breathing,
but still leaving my mouth carefully Sc
cured. The same hand gave the cord,
which held me Il little twitch, TO see that
they were tight; and then the cover was
pat on again, and heard them screwin4
me in. 1t was a very unpleasant sound,
| can assure you. There were six screws,
two at the top, on each side oi my head,
two i'll the middle, and two at the bot
| tom.
think | wept and groancd and ravcd
tor few minutes, although, by rcaScn
of the muller, there could hot have been
any sounds very distinctly audible. On
reflection, do not feel ashamed that |
gave way to Il Inomentary panic. There
Is something trighttul, TO any person not
utterly destitute OF nerves, in the idea Of
being closed up in Il tight box; and here
| was screwed in, and with my hands
and feet tied, besides being carried oil TO
some unknown destination. | only felt
this sensation of utter despair for few
moments. In the first place, a very dim
hight came Ill at some holes which had
been bored in the cover just where il
came over my head. That is, there was
no light in the interior OF box. bus
could presently make out the holes. with
some difficulty, as lay on my back.
There were nine OF them, and they were
bored in the form of the Greek eros.
with one hole in the centre and two 10
of them, could breath without very
much difficulty, although the atmosphere
was intolcrably close and warm Ihc
horse had been started at a walk, appar-
emily, and the motion If the wagon Wa
not very uncomfortable. | had thus Il
little time tor reflection, and | presently
became quite cool and collected, rou-.d-
crinE The peculiar position IN which
found myself - suddenly laced
had understood very we'll from tin
men of the oldc.' classes, who were out
On what WAS called in those DAYS Il hal-
ing expedition. had no means Of know
ing who they were. Ihc largcr man
who had seized me first. had heavy black
whI>krrS and, | JuiIcd, black HAIR. but
these might be, and probably Were, false Z.
and by his size AMI strength thought il
more than likely that he wa, Dick trash
ford. lie seemed also To- b. the leader
Of the expedition, and knew ot no man
So likely 10 venture on such n bold scheme
Who the other WA, | could not gucS-.
for he were Il hal-ma>k : but Tor their
calling each other ''brothcr' | ima-incd
they bclDngcd TO some secret organization.
Very likely tins business OF the box was
only introduced TO trrrliy IN, and knew
they would not venture to do me any
bodily INJURY. II was. nevertheless, trut
that | could not tell what WAS IN store
for me, and | made up ny mind that.
come what wuuid, | would put ON Il bold
face, and not allow Dick Bra>hloId the
small triumph OF having frightened me.
even with "a whole club nj ms back.
OF course, i'll INV excitement these
thoughts did not follow each other in
regular sequence; but this was the con
cluSion 10 which presently came. There
was room enough in the box for lIe 4,
roll about in it, and acted very early
the ropes which held me. This WAS not
80 difficult As expected. The ropes
Were large, and in their hurry they had
tied mo tightly, indeed, but not securely.
By dmt OF struggling. twisting, and
equirming, | presently worked the ropes
could get hold of the knots with my fin
GERS 1t was chen only a work of time
TO unite them. When my arms Were
free quickly tore oif the stilling band
aye from my mouth and in half q
minute more | was tree, and stretch
ed out my cramped limbs with feeling
of immense relief. When | had made a
rough pillow of the rope-, with th~ com
fCrter over them, Iny condition was
greatly improved. 1t is true, the air
was still very warm AMI close: but /
was astonished. and actually smiled at
the thought, shut up and screwed in Is
| was, to lind how comfortable i man
light make himself IN a box.
| thought OF Genevra, of the Man III the
Iron Mask, of that other prisoner, the
walls Of whose cell gradually closed in
upon him day by day, until he was
squeezed to death in their cold embrace.
| believe | thought of every di>agrceable
story of the kind that had ever heard
or read of, and | should undoubtedly
have given considerable time to retlec-
ton upon the singular profession OF the
Davenport Brothers, only they had MT
yet invented it. Then l came near melt
IN at the idea of Miss Bessie, and what
She would think if she could see her Gay
cavalier, her admrer, her adorer, her
slave-il she could look in upon him in
his box, | never realized until that
miserable moment how much loved the
girl, and made q vow that if | ever
got away from the clutches OF my perse-
cutors alive, | would tell her of my pas
sion. les, and would marry her, un-
dergraduatc though was, if it were on
ly to spite Dick Hrashford!
Then | attempted TO sleep, but it was
| .,.nIr-, ..l.I-.n.rh L Ill I'll IL, tr,..l .