The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-08-03

might an unearthly kind of sound, bear
ing some resemblance to groan, issued
from the monsters chest. He writhed
and struggled with renewed energy in my
grasp, and dragged me about the room rs
if were child. 1t struck me at the
time that he wanted to bring me over
some particular spot in the floor. He soon
accomplished his purpose, when, to my
horror, felt the floor give way, and be-
gan to sink down, down into an unfathom-
able abyss. The creature had relaxed
his.hold, and knew was sinking alone
/ do not know how long this descent
continued, for became unconscious
When regained my senses, found my
self Cd the damp ground. / rose to my
feet and gazed round me. / found was
in a stone cavern, which was lighted by a
lamp hanging from the ceiling At one
end of this cell was placed a flight of steps,
which led up to an iron door. / ascend
ed these steps, and tried the door it was
fastened and as firm as a rock. The lamp
suspended from the ceiling allowed suffi-
cient light to illuminate the cell, so that
l could trace the form of the stones of
which it was built. They were large and
rough, bearing in some places the marks
of inscriptions, but too much obIiterated
to be read. There was one thing parties
ularly that struck me, and that was the
dampness of the place it chilled my very
blood. Not only was the floor damp, but
the walls we're reeking with moisture,
large drops of unwholesome exhalations
| coursing each other down the discolored
blocks of stone. --. .....
l sat down on the only chair the cell
contained and mused upon my condition
| What was to become of me Was to
perish there, Or was 1 TO be kept in per-
petual confinement What motive could
there be for taking my life? How had
l offended7 Such were the questions /
asked myself over and over again as 1 sat
in that dark, dismal prison. A feeling
of some great, unknown terror was fast
settling in my breast, which surpassed
that 1 had lately undergone. At last
rose up, and began to pace up and down
the Shiny bricks of which my dungeon
floor was composed.
1t was strange anomaly, that with
some unknown fate hanging over my head,
l should begin to feel drowsy; but such
was the fact. l threw myself in the
chair again, leaned back, and actually
slept In the black solitude of that
dungeon, delightful dream visited my
troubled mind. l was with my wife, and
we were gazing on beautiful expanse of
water together, the waves ripping to our
very feet The rays of the morning sun
illumined the placid surface of the lake,
and the air was musical with the songs
of birds. / could see her loving face
turned towards me, every feature beaming
with joy, happiness and affection. /
thought we advanced closer to the lake -
nay, SO close that our feet actually touch
ed the water; while the ripples grew
more and more distinct. 1t was no dream
my feet did touch the water felt it
distinctly, and could hear the rushing
sound made by the waves a child seized
me, and awoke. But, strange to say,
the rushing sound still continued. The
lamp had gone out, and l was in the most
complete darkness. l rose from my seat,
and my feet went splash, splash, into
water / stopped down, and found that
the floor of my cell was covered to the
depth of something like eight Of, ten inch
es with water. - -. ..-.
The drip, drip of the water still con-
tinued. What could it mean? Even a
suspicion of the truth did not enter my
mind. 1t was some water-pipe that had
burst, and the fact would soon be discov>
cred by the inmates of the house, and re-
medied. Such was my first thought at
that dread moment. s, .e
The dripping had changed into rush.
ing sound the water was evidently pour
ing in faster. 1t had already reached
above my knees, and l felt it ascending
still higher and higher. Now it had
reached my waist, and L had great diff
Guilty in wading it. Suddenly the truth
burst on my mind. ,Vas to be tiroa0ned.
Yes, that was to be my fate. L uttered
one cry Of despair, and struggled to and
fro in the mass of fluid, which still kept
rising. --
The water had already reached my
chest when / thought of the steps, and
endeavored to reach them. l struggled
about some time without success, the
water all the time gaining upon me.
grew chilled and cold, but at last reached
the steps, and, ascending them, was
for the time being removed from above
the surface of the water. But it was
only prolonging my fate; for the rushing
sound Of the water became 30 loud as to
drown everything else. and l felt the cold
fluid again invading my limbs as l stood
on the top step. l beat against the door,
then cried out at the top of my voice but
still the water rose higher; again had it
reached my waist renewed my cries /;
but they only echoed back to me from my
prison house.
The water reached my neck. I grew
dizzy strange sounds rushed through my
head; l felt that [ was suflocating !;
sparks of fire danced before my eyes. l
| xuorIlod soul AIaker and