American citizen., 1876-03-11
aloud to Symes, and sprang forward in

aiouu W yineS, anu SprdHS lOTWaru III
to the open space.
"There was no reply. My heart beat
violently. Could he have gone home
and left me thereP The moonbeams
had sloped farther up the building, leav-
ing the center aisle in deep gloom.
Creeping forward in vague terror al
most stumbled over the body of my
friend, apparently lifeless, but still
clinging to the rope. With trembling
haste disentangled his limbs and drew
him on to the mat beside the verger's
bench, where l left him for a moment
while l rushed to fetch assistance. But
conceive again my blank despair when
1 found the door, which shut with a
spring, locked, and the key-I couldn't
tell where! 1 had probably laid it down
in some forgetful moment, and l was
locked in, with a man dying or dead
under my charge.
81 shouted; beat; 1 kicked upon
the door, in the vain hope of being
heard by some stray passenger; but
there was no house within fifty yards,
and had heard the clock strike ten
some time before. Wild with despera-
ton, ran back to my inanimate COM
panion. By this time 1 had become SO
used to the obscurity as to be able to
discern that while had been away he
had lifted his arm on to the bench, al
though there was still no further sign of
consciousness. Such moments, my dear
fellow, make one religious, if nothing
else does. do not know whether you
have ever experienced the wave of re-
lief that succeeds the unexpected de-
liverance from extreme peril; but as
sure you that the conviction that poor
Symes was not dead brought me upon
my knees, in thankfulness for the mer-
cy that had protected us in such an aw-
full crisis.
I" was overcome with weari1seSS and
weakness holding the hand of my un-
conscious friend, and 1 almost think
that L was dozing when 1 heard the
sound of an opening door and friendly
voices. cried aloud, and we were at
once surrounded with lights and eager,
frightened, inquiring faces, besiegins
me with questions, which for the time
was altogether unable to answer. Symes,
still insensible, was carried to his lodg-
ings on the other side of the green
whittier 1 followed him, and waited fol
more than half an hour, until the doc
tor came and told me that he was part
ly conscious, but must not on any ac
count be disturbed or excited by seeing
any body. He said he would remain
with him through the night; and re
turned with anxious thoughts and al
exhausted frame, but with a gratefu
heart, to my own home.
ssIt turned out that little Jenny Ok
ley had been the means of bringing III
the help that we had despaired of. NJ,
old housekeeper had come into m,
room here two or three times durin:
my absence and could not understand
my leaving the light burning if 1 hat
intended to be away so long. She wen
over to Oxley's and mentioned the cir
cumstance, on which the verger said
why, my boy left them in the ccathedra
an hour ago. And you may depend up
on it, added he, that they're agone ant
locked themselves in, and that 'er
young fellow has been and lost the key
and they can't get out!' Which turne,
out to be pretty nearly the truth
And now, let us have some tea.''
Well," said I, "that's an adven
ture, certainly, and not badly tol,
either. 1t made me feel very shak,
about the knees when that poor fellow
went down the hole. 1 suppose he go
all right again?"
"No; poor man," said Maitland
with sigh; "that is the saddest par
of the history. He was dreadful,
knocked down for some days, and the,
apparently recovered his general health
except that he had lost all his buoyan
spirits, looked like an old man, and al
ways seemed to avoid me. He has sine,
gradually sunk into state little bette
than idiocy, which the doctors attribute
to the shock to highly excitable brain
and declare to be quite hopeless
"Poor young fellow" said 1.
wonder how far he remembers the cir
cumstances of that night
"Very little, you may be sure,' sai'
Maitland.
And so we gradually floated away int
the stream of friendly talk upon genera
subjects, until at late hour we parte,
for the night.
awoke in the morning from an eeri
and weary ysleep-journey, and soon gath
cred what had been the mischievou
spirit presiding at my dreams! A batl
set me to rights. And after breakfas
Maitland drove me briskly out Of the oil,
city through the frosty morning air t.
the station.
'May 1 make use of your story?'
said l to him as we parted.
''With all my heart,'' he replied
"And if you like I'll send you up m,
memoranda. Good-by."
And this is the use have made of it
Chambers Journal.
A Justice Who Wouldn't.