The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1871-01-19

loved me had you not crossed my path
with yonr fne talk and soft nonsense,
which won her affections" .aH#
1.-Two minutes more" said he, after a
pause, during which he looked at his
watch. "Yes, two minutes more and
your soul will leave Its miserable body.
Please give my regards to his Satanic
Majesty. Tell him sooner or later I
will join you in the fiery regions below.
Your eyes are closing now; your face
has the hue of death, your limbs are
getting cold, yes, cold ~ ice" ne ~ -.
l felt the touch of his hot hand upon
my face. It seemed IA if'a thousand
needles were entering every part of my
body; red blur obscured my vision and
It was becoming darker. I felt - If
something was pressing upon my head
which now seemed to leave my body,
my breath became shorter and shorter
all at once it stopped. felt, As coun-
ted the beatings of my heart-one, two,
three, four, five, six! Then ali was OBJ
livion.
opened my eyes that is, I felt ope-
ned them, as not ray of light fell
upon the pupils. Darkness-impenetra.
ble darkness-was around me. Was
in hegrave? l made an effort to stretch
out nv hands. I succeeded. They
moved through the wafer, which now
felt eddying around my neck.
Where was l? Surely was not in q
dream, for felt that was thoroughly
awake. raised my right hand to my
head, and my hand came in contact
with an iron rod, upon which my head
was lying. Again the question passed
through my mind, "Where am II"
Soon, but too soon, the question was
answered.
Hark! hear the sound of q distant
voice. It came nearer and nearer-yes
my ears did not deceive me. It was the
voice of George, our night watchman.
He was singing a song. The words
Of the refrain came distinctly to my
ears:
"And for my bonnie Annie Laurie
I'd lay me down and. .die!'
1t took all my strength to raise myself
to sitting position. 1 stretched out
my arms. My hand came in contact
with cold iron. was! No, no, not mad,
but l felt that lunacy, in the shape ofa
terrible specter, was approaching me-
for the question was answered.
l was imprisoned within the steam
boiler:
began TO shout:
Help, George, for Gods sake help!'
My voice sounded like mufflel bell.
Then l commenced to pound with my
fists upon the iron. ''Surely George
must hear that" thought.
BIT no, he was whistling the tune OF
Yankee Doodle.
Once he stopped and a thrill of joy
ran through me. Then he began again.
l felt my way to the head of the boil
er, for now heard that he was opening
the furnace doors. knew we'll what
he was doirg to Go. Soon ! heard
scratching sound-he was lighting a
match. Then I heard the rustling of
shavings, which he was throwing into
the furnace. This was shortly followed
by cracking sound.
"He lit the fire, and will be boiled
alive!" thought I, again pounding and
scratching against the sides of the boil
er, in the vain hope Of making myself
heard. felt not the pain, but l felt that
the warm blood was dropping from my
lacerated knuckles and nails. listened.
The sharp, cracking sound of the fire
became lower and lower. Again had
hope, the fire had gone out, and knew
that the watchman had gone to his bed,
for the lighting of the fire was the last
duty, at five o'clock in the morning. l
also knew that the fireman would not
rise until half past Ave. Twenty. per-
haps twenty five minutes, and then he
would come and relight the fire.
Thirty minutes, aud then l must
die"
folded my hands. I prayed to God
as had never prayed before. I recall
ed to my mind prayer my mother
taught me when l was q child, and a
holy calm came over me, for surely,
thought l, He who sees the sparrow fall
will not desert me in NV 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 man hole through which
had been showed by the wicked engi-
neer, while was under the influence o.
the drug which he had Administered.
Ipassed my hands over the cast iror
plate which shut up my only egress t.
to the boiler. pushed against it with
all my might; still I knew that on,
hundred pounds ofsteam pressure coulc
not remove that plate. 1 felt exhausted
at my efforts, and threw myself at full
length upon the flues. The water Gov
cred me above my neck, which 1 kep
above its level.
A thought came to my mind. Why
should I not drown myself by lowering
my head? would end my misery q,
once. Some one seemed to whisper in
my ear, "Do it," Then another voice
said. 1T is suicide, and God will punish
you!" ~".f
I laughed; yes, I laughed.
IT'S only dream" said I, land ]
soon will wake and once more see the
blessed light ofday."
But 1t was not dream 1t was terrible
reality. Again I passed my hands
over the cold surface Of the boiler They
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