Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-11-22

IN connection Will OIuoIS IhiueSj l""S'ou
that my legs had been 80 stretched with the
long walk I had taken the evening before,
that they now reached the whole length of
the boiler and extended through the open.
ing.
"At first, in my dreamy reflections, it was
comfortable thought that no one could now
shut up the man-hole without awakening me.
But soon it seemed as if my feet, which were
on the outside, were becoming drenched in
the storm, which had originally driven me to
seek this shelter. felt the chilling rain upon
my extremities. They grew colder and cold.
er, and their numbness gradually extended
upward to other parts fmy body. 1t seemed,
however, that it was onl the under side OF
nv person that was thus strangely visited. l
laid upon my back, it must have been species
of nightmare that afflicted me, for knew at
last that was dreaming. yet felt it impossible
to rouse myself. A violent fit of coughing
restored at last my powers Of volition. The
water, which had been slowly rising around
me, rushed into my mouth awoke-to hear
the rapid strokes of the pump which was dri-
wing it into the boiler.
my whole conditioning, not all of it-not
yet-my present condition flashed across me
with new horror. But I did not again swoon.
The choking sensation. which made me faint
when first discovered how was entombed,
gave way to livelier thoug gh less overpowing
emotion I shrieked even as I started from
nv slumber. The previous discovery of the
closed aperture, with the instant oblivion that
followed, seemed only part Of my dream,
and threw my arms about and looked ca
gerly for the opening by which had entered
the horrid place-yes, looked for it and telt
! for it, though it was the terrible conviction
that it was closed, now second time brought
home to me, which prompted my frenzied cry.
Every sense seemed to have ten.fold acute.
ness, yet not one to act in unison with another.
I shrieked again and again-imploringly,
desperately, savagely. filled the hollow
chamber with my cries till its iron walls seem.
ed to tingle around me. The dull strokes of
the accursed pump seemed only to mock at
while they deadened my screams.
"At last gave myself up. 1t is the strug-
gle against our fate that frenzies the mind.
We cease to fear when we cease to hope. l
gave myself up, and then grew calm
II was resigned to die-resigned even to
my mode of death. 1t was not, l thought,
so very new, after all, as to awaken unwonted
horror in man. Thousands had been sunk
to the bottom of the ocean, shut in the holds
of vessels, beating themselves against the bat
tened hatches-dragged down from the upper
world shrieking, not for life, but for death.
only beneath the eye and amid the breath of
Heavenl Thousands had endured such ap-
palling kinds of sufFocation. | would die
only as many better man had died before.
l could meet such death. | said 80, l
thought 90, | felt so-felt 80, l mean, for
minute or more; ten minutes it may have
been, or but an instant of time; know not,
nor does it matter, if could compute it,
There .oas time, then, when / was resigned
to my fate. But, good God was l resigned
to it in the shape in which it next came to
appall me? Stranger | felt the water grow
ing hot about my limbs. thong it was only
yet mid.leg deep I felt it, and at the same
moment heard the roar of the furnace that
was to turn it into steam before it could get
deep enough to drown me.
"You shudder. 1t ,Oas hideous. But did |
shrek, and shrivel, and crumble down upon
the iron floor, and lose my senses in that hor-
rid agony of fear2 mol though my brain
swan, and the life.blood that curdled at my
heart seemed about to stagnate there forever,
still knew was too hoarse, too helpless, from
my previous efforts, to cry out more. But l
struck, feebly at first, and then strongly, fran
tically, with my cenched fist against the sides
of the boiler. There were people moving
near who must hear my blows. Could not |
hear the grating of chains, the shutting of
feet, the very rustic of a rope-hear them all
within a few inches of ne2 | did but the
gurgling water, that was growing hotter and
hotter about my extremities, made more noise
within the stesming cauldron than did my
frenzied blows against its sides.
"Latterly 1 had hardly changed my posi-.
ton but now the growing heat OF the water
made me plash to and fro; lifting myself
wholly out of it was impossible; but could
not remain quiet. 1 stumbled upon some.
thing-t was mallet! chance tool the
smith had left there behind him. With what
wild Joy did I seize it! with what eager con-
6dence did now deal my first blows with it
against the walls of my prison! But scarce
had intermtted them for moment when l
heard the claug of the iron door as the fire.
man flung it wide to feed the flames that were
to torture me! My knocking was unheard,
though l could hear him toss the sticks into
furnace beneath me, and drive to the door
when his Internal oven was fully crammed.
"Had yet hope? l had but it rose in
my mind side by side with the fear that l
might now become the agent of preparing
myself more frightful death. Yes when !
thought of that furnace, with its fresh red
flames curling beneath the iron upon which l
stood, a more frightful death even than that
of being boiled alive! Had discovered that
mallet but short time sooner, | would, by
its aid, have resorted to the only expedient
now left me-
ut was this: remembered having mar
linspike in my pocket; and in less time than
have taken in limiting at the consequences
of thus using it, had made an impression on
the sides of the boiler, and soon succeeded in
driving it through. The water gushed through
the aperture-would they see it? No! the
let could only play against wooden parti-
ton, which must hide the steam from view ; it
must trickle down upon the decks before the
leakage could be discovered. Should drive
another hole to make the leakage greater
Why, the water within seemed already to be
sensibly diminished, so hot had become that
which remained Should more escape, would
not hear it bubble and hiss upon the fiery
plates of iron that were already scorching the
soles Of my feetS
"Ah there is movement-voices | hear
them calling for a crowbar. The bulkhead
cracks as they pry off the planking. They
have seen the leak-they are trying to get at
it. Good God why don't they dampen the
FIRE? Why do they call for the the
"Stranger, look at that finger! 1t can new