The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1877-06-20

SuuOCuIlOu WOulu emu my IO6UbNl SUI
fering. The density of the atmos-
phere must naturally produce the lat
ter result. No, no here was no at.
mosphere, for that was invisible, elias
tic fluid which surrounds the earth,
and presses by its weight the assem-
blage of eriform vapors. Here was
no air-no vapor-no motion-no
sound-atmosphere-to produce eth.
er of these active agents of the uni
verse. No Death was far away, yet
felt as if the very silence was kill
ing me. The buzzing Of fly, the hum
of bee, or the sound of that myster-
Gus insect whose peculiar imitation of
a time piece gives it the name of the
"dead- watch" even that superstitious
pleasure was denied ME.
There came a change, sudden as it
was alarming. The brain began to
tbrob. The heart beat in unison. l
felt its deep pulsation heard its
deep, heavy thud against my breast,
This l say l heard, for It was part of
myself. No other sound outside of
my own person could have reached me
there. felt pain in my head and
brain not an ordinary pang, but Cne
that struck at the base of reason.
Death was coming Welcome And
laughed the wild, unmeaning laugh of
the maniac. And yet | was not mad !;
but so near it that had not reason told
me it was approaching apoplexy, 1
would have been raving Welcome
apoplexy 1t, however, came not. l
rolled over and over in my limited
cell l screamed yelled and shout.
ed for help, and yet all the while l
was perfectly conscious Of what l was
doing. Death was playing with me
| prayed, too, but did not curse. No,
no for if am to die-thus l Geason-
ed-let me die in. peace with God.
These thoughts, the result Of my early
religious education, kept my soul in
tact with Him who had the best right
to it.
l endeavored to be calm, strove to
reason myself into patience, and wait
the coming day. Day alas what to
me was day? For here all was night.
But reason failed. 1t had no ergu-
ment to confnte facts. Death was
here and / had to meet it.. But bow {?
Alas alas that mystery was yet to
be solved. All was so still-so silent
that my faculties were benumbed. l
remember wondering if the voice Of
the Deity could be heard in that
dreadful place. Was this blasphemy |!
Perhaps it was but | was not then
accountable for either my words or ac.
tions. | was, for the moment, mad
l took off my coat and made a pill.
low of it. Sleep! Oh if | could only
sleep, and, in forgetfulness, escape the
horrors of nay waking moments. Sleep
was impossible. There was IA constant
buzzing in my ears, acute pains in my
head-a vertigo that drove me again
to my feet, and l reeled round the lin.
tied space in whirligig for life. |
struck my head against the side of the
safe. / felt no pain, for there was
madness in my acts, with just sufii-
cient reason to ada to the horrors of
my situation. What could l do now
but rave and yell, calling for help, we'll
knowing there was no help at hand +!
Why did my senses remain to torture
me thus Why not go mad and COM
nit some fearful act to end my mis-
cry? Because l was in the hands of
one who had issued his cannon against
self-slaughter. | trust TO him. | start
ed to my feet. My head struck the top
Of the safe, and l was dashed back
again to the floor. Again l shouted,
again laid fiat on my faoe and call
ed on death to come and end my woes.
The shout was echoed in low, rum
bling sounds, then died away, leaving
the silence tenfo,d greater. Like the
darkness preceding some great shock
of nature, its intenseness could be felt.
| felt it-felt it in my heartfelt it
on my brain-it was presting me to
death.
Had l nothing else to think of but
myself? Reader, I have given my own
mental and physical suiierings while
eutombed. l was not selfish even
analysed my own feelings, and SEEM
ingly forgot others outside of the
tomb. What, describe other sensa.
transformations that sprung from
pictures l could not bring my mind to
contemplate Pictures Of home-of
wife aad children-friends- all these
seemed, in my state, as only adding to
my misery, for l WIS doomed, and they
were for the time being happy. 1 kept
those pictures back.
even magnifed my suffering so
that memory might be silent. I could
not contemplate in my excitement two
distinnt events. | Lherefnra seLtled all