Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-07-12

6 Is that your home?'' asked. still
staring in mechanical sort of way.
OF course 1t is. Why don't you go
on, and not stand staring like fool ?n
They told me at tie hotel,'' said I
moving forward, ''that this island hadn't
dwelling on it, and was entirely unin-
hablted. / can't reconcile what / heard
with what | now see."
"They seem to have been mistaken,
EN- % said he, with one of his deyilish
laughs.
This time | was not mistaken. There
was some hidden meaning in his laugh.
Whatever it was, it gave me very Dosi-
tive dislike to the old man. Having
reached the shore of the moat. I asked
him how we were to get across. For an
answer he blew a shrill note upon KEY
Of curious shape, and, as suddenly as if
they had been waiting for US, two men in
the garb OF monks appeared on the other
side. They let down the drawbridge with
much clanklng of chains and creaking
OF hinges. Its rheumatic Joints seemed
to cry out with the pain motion occasIoned
them.
Carrying my burden as carefully as pos
sible, passed over the bridge and through
the gate into the courtyard. Once inside,
me. Becoming uncomfortable under their
stare, and finally getting irritated, [ said !:
Why don't one of you gaping fools tell
where to take this person; he is seriously
injured %
HURT injuredl Ha, ha, hi, hi" and
they capered round me, laughingin shrilI,
discordant voices. | looked to my bur-
den for All explanation of this idlotic pro-
cedure, when, to my amaZement, he slid
from my arms and in a jitfy was laugh
ing and dancing about me with the 9TH
ers. He whose leg supposed was broken,
whose head | thought gashed, and whom
l thought too weak to walk, was caper
ing about me, varying his antics with
an occasional sOmersault. In q moment
the truth flashed upon me. | could ac-
count for the request that | should not
examine his leg, and his cunning, devil
ish smile. | had been led into trap in
very ingenious manner. Their purpose
could not conjecture; probably rob
berry, possibly murder. | resolved to
make my escape if it was possible. Turn
ing suddenly, | rushed to the gate, when
to my dlsmaY | found the drawbridge up.
And yet these cursed people were at my
heels, shrieking, laughing, deriding me
tearing my clothes, pulling my hair, and
L
them
There remained but one thing for me to
do | must cross the moat. Icould swim.
| rushed to its edge. Baffled again! AS
far as | could see the muddy bottom of
the moat swarmed with lizards and snakes,
the latter with Vibratile heads, shooting
out their forked tongues. Still my tor
mentors continued their cruel sport.
Thought swept along like river. l
could let the drawbridge down, if these
devils could only be made to stand back.
l seized huge stick and rushed upon
them. They laughed at me. l would be
revenged. They should mock me no
longer. | aimed fierce blow at my de-
ceiver. Midway in air the stick crum-
bled to bits. 1t was rotten. Dropping
the fragments from my hand, rushed to
the bridge, followed by those devils, still
bowling and shriekiEg. | grasped the
huge chain, and then with cry of pain
snatched my hands away. 1t was red hot.
| had burned myself badly.
Surely this must be Perdition!" I
cried, and was greeted with more of their
derisive laughter | turned upon them,
and said, ''What is it you wish? l am
your prisoner and at your mercy"
9 Mercy our mercy" they ieered
me-. 1t lay on the bureau in my room at
the hotel.
"Hi! therel Stop that you fools.
Bring him in !" The voice came from a
window in the castle. could not see the
face. These men, on the first sound of
that voice, crouched like whipped dogs.
They pointed to the great door of the cas-
tie, snarling and looking hate at me, and
following close upon my heels, babe me
enter.
Up the steps l went, feeling as l passed
through the door that / had looked for
the last time on the earth and sky They
hurried me along small, dark passage
to the right for short distance, when
suddenly my feet met nothing and [ fell
down, down, down, it seemed thousands
of feet. Suddenly | struck something
soft, and fell flat upon an immense pile
Of feathers. The little old man who had
decOyed me to the castle, and many others
looking just like him, pulled me quickly
from where | had fallen and hurried me
out into the center Of the apartment. 1t
was large windowless apartment, lit by
some fragrant preparation burning in
skulls on lodges about the room. The
floor, walls and ceiling were composed of
rock and clay. In the center Of the room
was a large tub, about which were ar
ranged brushes of every shape and size.
These gray headed demons stripped me
of ali my clothes, and raising me upon
their shoulders, tossed me into the huge
tub. 1t was half-filled with smoking
liquid. Oh! how hot it was! In few
minutes they dragged me out, stood me
upon some feathers, and, dipping from
the tub with their huge whitewash brushes,
gave me coat after coat of the hot fluid
Taking me between them, they swung me
into the air. | began to dry. | felt my
legs and arms Strengthening out, and get
ting stiff and immovable; so, too, my
neck and body.
l tried to speak, to cry out. 1t was use
less. l only muttered something unintel-
ligible. | could not close my eyes, and
they began to pain me exceedingly.
When | was perfectly dry and incapable
of the least movement, one of them
painted on my chest, in red, No. $685.
67S, Sd SERIES When this had dried they
put me in a dumb waiter, or elevator,
just large enough for one, and shot me
upward with such velocity that | could
hardly hold my breath. Suddenly it
stopped with jerk that vibratcd through
every part of my stiffened body. 1t was
pleasure, that pain, for it was a certain
sign OF vitality. | no longer doubted that
l was alive. A door was opened and two
old men (hey all looked and dressed
alike) caught me up between them and
carried me into d brilliantly lighted hall.
There were rows of seats, bench above
bench, all occupied by men wearing black
skull-caps. Upon the front of each was
tastefully worked in red silk the heart and
its great vessels. Upon a raised seat,
fronting all these benches (Which were