The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-05-24

H. 49,. H. LII -~x1 49,
who Is s.r,,s~i;n IS 1870 ~. ' ~ ee.m
Gave their i;yas "a ssve ~ hIns.
Taxa the lily, kindly feeling,
Peace smiIes on the land to-day,
Gods true charity revealing
Deck sns gzaves snss mold the gray.
-'
4 NIGHT or HORROR.
have passed through many q trying
scene in my life. scenes wherein danger
lurked and death smiled grimly. On
water and on land have stood. as 1t were,
lace TO face with that dread of the hu-
man race On the mighty ocean, when
our fair bark was tossed as II Il were
feather, could gaze upon the surging
pillows with awe, aye, with veneratlon-
Tor tnere, amid the roaring OF tne tempest
ana me iashing OF the waves, saw the
power ana might OF the Deity.
DEAN amid tne storm ana tempest,
me nasnes 81 hgnning ana the roarir
o. tne tnunder, naa no dreaa ior me.
10 die mus, amid tne war OF elements,
would De glorious triumph over slow
oeatnl
why snoula Wri.e tnls sKetcnY why
describe night OF horror, the remem-
orance OF wnlcn, althougn many years
nave passed away, makes me snuduer
sulls ~ is, because II ives IN memory,
ike some norrld speoter; II may, now
ever, teno 70 wltnaraW tne mind from
ina. Ina one IearIui ePlsooe IN my lie, Wnlcn,
IKE oark snaaow, Keeps OUT ali sun
snine. 10 test tnis tneofy,l sena you tnis
skecn, ior inc memory oi tnat nignt OF
nofror
Like a drop that night and day
FAILS cold and ceaseiess' wears my heart away. "
The State House clock had struck eight
when the clerks left the office. l re-
manned alone, as had some important
business to transact, with which the CLERKS
had nothing TO do. locked the front of
the office, and for one hour was busily
employed at my work. In one corner Of
the counting house stood my mammoth
sate-a huge affair. prided myself on
being the owner of the fixture. could
stand upright in it. and arrange my books
and papers without STOPPING. 1t was like
q small house or an iron tomb, just as fam
cy might determine. Near the safe stood
an old.fsshioned, rickety bookcase; a
large, ponderous piece Of furniture. The
inches of it.
IL IL ucScSSUTy IO meullUQ Luls UOOk-
case. for. had it not been there. the adj.
venture am about to relate would never
have been written.
l was inside the safe, putting in its
place the last book. when there came upon
my ear the cry Of " fire." followed by the
rush OF the engines down the street. l
listened for a minute, and was in the act
OF leaving the safe, when-oh, horror!-
there came crash! The old book-cas
had fallen against the door OF the safe,
and It's spring was caught in the intricate
workings OF the huge lock!
| WA thus inclosed IN o living tomb,
aud a. the dread sound echoed through
the sale, knew it was the knell of my
death. For moment | stood utterly con-
founded, and when the true state of my
situation was realized, no tongue can de-
scribe nor pen portray the remotest idea
OF my feelings Ent0mbed, encased in
an iron coffin-all sound deadi The shout
sent forth, IS II It could be ever heard,
came Dack IN reverDerallng echoes. Then
again all was still-still as death, for my
voice was husned! The lew moments
that mad passed since my incarceration
seemed as 80 many years. How would
die! having mad, perhaps, or BY lmme-
diale suffocatlon: Already ! felt the pres
ence OF the condensed air acting on nv
prain-aiready ieit tne blood rushing IN
tumuituous waves 10 my head! 10 die
thus. struggling ior lie IN an IRON vault
was awiul.
/ calculated the hours, the minutes, and
seconds before the time of opening the Of
nee, and then-then-the key Of the safe
great heavensl-it was In my pocket,