Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1877-06-29
A NIGHT OF HORROR.
James Rees, in Hartford Times.

| have passed through many a trying
scene in my life, scenes wherein danger
lurked and death smiled grimly. On
water and on land | have stood, as it
were, face to face with that dread of the
human race. On the mighty ocean,
when our fair bark was tossed as if it
were feather could gaze upon the
surging pillows with awe, aye, with ven
eration-for there, amid the roaring of
the tempest and the lashing of the
waves, | saw the power and might of
the Deity.
Death amid the storm and tempest
the flashes of lightning and the roaring
OF the thunder, had no dread for me-
To die thus amid the war of elements,
would be ii glorious triumph over slow
DEATH
Why should Iwritc this sketch? Why
describe night of horror, the remem-
brance of which, although many years
have passed away, makes me shudder
still? 1t is because it lives in memory,
like some horrid specter 1t may, how
ever, tend to withdraw the mind from
that one fearful episode in my life,
which, like dark shadow, keeps out all
sunshine. To test this theory, | send
you this sketch, for the memory of that
night of horror
Like drop that night and day
Falls cold and ceaseless, wears my heart away"
The State House clock had struck 8
when the clerks left the office. [ 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 safe-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 small house, or an iron
tomb, just as fancy might determine
Near the safe stood an old-fashioned,
rickety bookcase; a large, ponderous
piece Of furniture The safe door when
opened came within few inches of this
case.
1t is necessary to mention this book
case, for, had it not been there, the ad-
venture | am about to relate would new
er have been written.
| was inside the safe, putting in its
place the last book, when there came
upon my ear the cry of Fire! follow
ed by the rush of the engines down the
street. | listened for moment, and
was in the act of leaving the safe, when
oh, hOrror!-there came crash! The
old book case had fallen against the safe
door, and it's spring was caught in the
intricate workings of the huge lock!
| was thus inclosed in living tomb,
and as the dread sound echoed through
the safe, | knew it was the knell of my
death. For moment | soOd utterly
confounded, and when the true state of
my situation was realized, no tongue
can describe nor pen portray the remOt-
est idea Of my feelings. EntOmbed, en-
cased in an iron cotfin-all sound dead!
The shout l sent forth, as if it could be
ever heard, came back in reverberating
echoes. Then again all was still-still
as death, for my voice was hushed! The
few moments that had passed since my
incarceration seemed as so many years.
How would | die? Raving mad, or by
immediate suffocation? Already | felt
the presence of the condensed air acting
on my BRAIN already | felt the blood
rushing in tumultuous waves to my
head TO die thus, struggling for life
in an iron vault was awful
| calculated the hours, the minutes
and seconds before the time for opening
the office, and then-then-the key Of
the safe-great heavens!-it was in my
pocket, and there was no duplicate.
Hours and hours must pass away be-
fore the safe could be opened Opened
by whom? The man who made it! l
had no partner in the business; and my
clerks would not suspect that anything
had occurred. They would not attempt
the opening of the safe until they had
heard from me. How in heavens name
could that be! Never, never would they
hear the sound of my voice again! !
was there-death' prisoner in an iron
vault; they knew it not, nor even im-
imagined such horrible contingency
could be attached to the cause of my
absence Even if it were so-even when
the safe was opened, how would | ap-
pear to them? A lifeless corpse, or a
raving maniac?
did not smother or grOan. All cor
poreal sensation was lost in that of the
brain. | felt that death in some hOrri-
BILE shape was gathering its shroud
around me- In my excited state | i'm
agined that all was over with me- How
should 1 meet death? Dash my brains
out against the iron-sided prison? No,
no; not while reason remained. 1t |
were to lie down with my face pressed
to the floor, and remain there quietly =
shut my eyes and keep out the oppres-
sive darkness, might not sleep? If, as