Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-08-10

l heard from Sniff were an order to hisat-
tendants to open the vault In the me rnng
and place the coffin in the crypt that had
been assigned to it.
was alone for the night, again sui
rounded by dead bodies, and my last OPP
portunity for communication with mortals
was to come in the morning. How the
twelve or fifteen hours passed hardly
know. / think may have been, part OF
the time, in kind of sleep, for often an
hour would pass, as indicated by the strik
ing of clocks in the church towers Of the
city, and it would seem but a few minutes.
Hearing was the only one Of the senses l
could exercise, and listened eagerly to
every sound, to assure myself that was
still in the material world could hear
all the katydids on the trees without, the
cracking of frogs in the ponds of the Gem
etery, the music of tree-toads, and once a
whippoorwill poured forth his note with
startling distinctness Just at the door OF
the vault
Near morning new phase in my con-
dition occurred l began to feel in my
hands and feet sensation as if they were
overrun by an army of ants or spiders. At
first / thought these insects had found
their way into my coffin. They seemed to be
crawling up my legs and arms and over my
body in countless multitudes. Then / felt a
sharp tingling, as if each ant were plung-
ing small needle il my flesh-then pain,
as if each needle were hook at which
the ants were vigorously Juggling Then
there was a quiyering beneath the skin
and tremor of the muscles of the legs
and arms Finally, with some forebod.
ings, made an effort to move my hand,
and as did 80 heard the rustling of the
stiffened trimming of the coffin. The
sweetest note Of Nilsson could not afford
the pleasure that the sound gave me. BY
repeated efforts l moved nay extremities
until they were entirely under the control
of my will. l tried to articulate, but could
only produce sound which was ambi-
tious enough to call groan. Still, l
hoped it might be heard without the cot
fin
l think it was about seven o'clock in the
morning when heard rafting at the
grating which constituted the door of the
vault. The hinges creaked, and mo-
ment afterward heard the sound of foot
steps and voices near me: "The upper
holes the place to put m. Take hold of
t'other end, Pete Little end fust," said
hoarse African voice.
l felt myself lifted some distance from
the ground; the foot of the coffin was
rested on the edge of the crypt, and the
head, l suppose, was supported on the
shoulders of two men preparatory to its
being showed into its final resting place
thought my last moment for rescue
had arrived. If 1 could not make myself
heard now, my fate would be finally de-
cided. l concentrated all my energies
upon the effort: Oh-oh-um-m oh
oh--umm
What's dat? who's dar? What did
you say, Peter"
Muffin. I guess suthin' must be the
matter wild you"
Again tried, more desperately than be-
fore: "Ah! oh-um- UNI mr.
II heard suthin', I'm sure, Pete. Who's
dar? say"
Once aore l tried: Oh-um-m!"
"Oh, Golly! inns in de coffin. Clar
out, Pete! Dis nigger's gwine, shush?"
The very next instant | was sensible of
a conclusion as if all Bismark's
Prussians had planted their batteries
in the head of my coffin and fired them
off simultaneously. Meteors, shooting
stars and sky-rockets, intertwined with
innumerable streaks Of lightning of all
sizes, shapes and colors, shot through and
before my eyes. My coffin was standing
upon its head, with the foot resting against
the edge of the crypt, having been dropped
by the Ethiopians at the sound of my
third groan. The light of day was stream
ing through the broke lid, which had been
split by the force Of the fall. Pure air
also was admitted through the aperture,
and, whether from this reason or because
l was reused by the violence of the con-
cussiOn, l found that | was once more
breathing freely. l was also able to see,
through the chink in the coffin lid, that
the negroes in their fight had left the
door OF the vault widely open. now felt
sure of my escape and final safety.
Standing on ones head in ones coffin is
not comfortable position. BY decided
swinging motion l succeeded in dislodging
the foot Of the coffin from it's resting
place, and i'll bringing it to the floor with
crash not quite equal to the first. The
lid of the coffin had been so shattered by
the successive falls that l succeeded in
bursting it open after a severe struggle.
l was now free. The conclusion had
fairly aroused my vital powers, and, though
weak and trembling, l climbed the steps
thai led from the vault. The first objects
that met my view were the two colored in
dividuals standing few rods of, and star
ing with dilated eyes and outstretched
necks toward the door of the vault. NV
head had just risen above the surface when
with yell they turned their backs and
flying heels and vibrating elbows remained
before my vision but moment, and then
were hidden by corner The view from
Greenwood is at all times beautiful hut to |
me, after my escape, it seemed glorious be. |
yond description. In the beautiful sun. |
light OF June morning, the glittering
dew, the grass, the trees, the BAY. the |
distant hills, the neighboring cities, United |
to form picture which seemed too charm. |
ing for this world.
l next thought of home and of the
method of getting there. / had been
attlred for the grave in an ordinary suit
OF black, but was without hat, shoes or
purse, which the undertaken had consid.
cred useless membranes in taking the
last journey. One or two early visitors to
the cemetery looked at me as if | were an
escaped lunatic, as l was tottering as ran
idly as possible toward the gota Tho -.