The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-03-16
A few minutes had elapsed when /

A low minutes nhu cInESeu WHICH
heard distant rumbling like approach.
ing thunder. It increased. l seemed TO
feel q wind blowing against my face l
tasted, too, continual draught Of smoke
and steam. Ilnew that q train was aT-
preaching, and my hair lifted on my head.
What rails were We ont The suspense
was ffightGHl. t,-.,--.
Ny assailant increased BIS struggles.
He became furious. He was evidently
fighting to throw me down, and over in
the direction OF TINT side Of the tunnel
along which came the roar ofthe train. 1
saw lis object, and madly pressed upon
him. His body fanhcally writhed. D. He
twisted under me Us II he revOlved on
piyot, He cndeayored to shrek some
words to me, but my throttlIng grasp
made his voice no more than a horrible
hoarseneSs, ~.
| saw tho rcd and green lights Of the
engine approaching. They grew IN size
and lustre with fiideons rapidity. There
was roar, i shower Of dust, aWind that
struck mo down like blow nom q strong
mans fist; then followed the dying rattle,
ending In o dull and spllen moan. m.
| rose to my feet. I crossed over to the
wall, and, feeling along 1t, took TO walking
with all the speed my sinking frame would
suffer me to put FORTH How long !
walked ! know not My passage seemed
interminable. The damp Of tho wall,
against which my LEFT hand constantly
pressed, froze my blood Now and then
/ stumbled over piles Of rubbish lying
grouped against the side, and sometimes
my grouping was bewlldered by coming
across recGsses into which my Hands
guided me.
At length / saw o star, tremulouS, gluri'
Gus, in the distance II was daylight
the aperture Of tho tunnel-and pushed
forward with invlgornted spirits. l neared
I slowly; for this star seemed to maintain
an inexorable distance, and would not en-.
large. How shall describe MY Joy as !
gained the twilight Of It's reaectton-as l
advanced and felt tho pure air OF Heaven
upon my dry cheeks and burning Gps,-as
l saw tho blue sky and dim vista OF palo
green banksl N la 5 y
As / got into the light q cry escaped
my lips. My trousers were Splnshed with
blood. There WIS ono onsNnguined line,
as ifa fountain Of blood had played upon
mo, ~ "tlaL4' III IN l.t- ir II
seated myself to recover my strength,
could sec that presented u dismal ind
terrible spectacle. My coat was torn, my
hands were black-so, too, l judged, was
my face-my collar had been torn from
mo, and the skin at tho ends OF my fingers
was lacerated. Amer reposing myself !
climbed the bank, and perceived at about
the distance OF q mile d small station. ]
made towards It,, and gained i. A rail
way official, who was standing looking at
two children playing in back garden,
uttered loud cry 'ot alarm as he spied
me. narrated my story 10 him rs CO.
herently rs could, and then sunk upon
the ground In fainting condition.
Ofwhat happened after this l hGye no
remembrance. When i came to my
senses l discovered TINT had been taken
to the house of tho stati0n-naster, and
carefully tended by his wife. From him
l learnt the conclusion Of this singular in:
cident in my life. 1t seems that atGcr my
story had been told, two mon were dir
patched into the tunnel in search Of my
assailant They discovered him lying
dead, with both his legs cut clean oil u
littlo above the knees They bore the
corpse to an adjacent dead house, and an
inquiry into his death brought ont such
particulars which are very easily anticl-
patetl. The man who was so very closely
resembled me at V-hads educed the be-.
tr0thel Of lab0tcr, one Theodore Yer
tot. This Theodore, reckless now Of life,
and rcSolutely bent on vengeance. sw0fo
to kill the sednccr. Mistaking mo for
his enemy he attempted 10 shoot lne.-
This failing, he hung about tile hotel
armed with stilctto, determined 10 stab
mo whenever | should appear In the
street. Hearing, however, that ] was about
leaving for Paris, hG perceived a bet.
ter and safer means Of prosecuting his
design, by stabbing INC in the tunnel
through which he Knew We would pass
and then escaping in the darkness. Re-
Election had obviously taught lin that re-
venge would BIO none the less sweet be.
cause it did not entail his destruction by
tho. law. ,...-. .,.l.i....s ,.,,
Such il this simple but tragical story.
My prototype who had been the means Of
twice imporilling my life, I have never
seen since. confess 10 no wish TO see
him, It is bad enough 10 have TO bear the
brunt Of ones own follies; It Is altogether
miserable to suffer from tho follies Of
Others. Ever since tho occurrence ofthiS
small episode l have always thought
there is much wiser providence mani.
tested in the disSimilarity between man
and man than our philosophy suffers lis TO
dream oc-GenaemSn'S Magazine 'uTa