Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1877-04-20

thing. I would strain my eyes to
see the light In the window till they
were ready to start from their sock
cts. Sometimes l would see a sud-
den red flash, and with a joyous
throb of my heart I would say, "It's
there;" but, in moment after, l
would groan in spirit at discovering
the flash vas only within my strain
ed weary eyeballs.
From straining my eyes and ears
for some sign of the arrival Of my
partners, l would fall into my old
circle of thought; and round and
round in it as in whirlpool, my
brain would whirl till some moan of
the winds or creaking of the trees
would arouse me to thoughts of
escape from my fearful position.
After the first few efforts l made
toward extricating myself, my whole
care was to remain as motionless as
possible, and keep my arms stretch
ed out to their fullest extent, in Or
der to grasp for my support every
twig within my reach. were it no
larger or stronger than rye stalk
Time seemed to move on leaden
wings, and it appeared to me that l
must have been suspended over the
shaft for many hours. l began to
fear that, on account of the orm,my
partners had concluded to ''turn In"
at the cabin of our neighbor. The
moment l thought of this, it seemed
to me almost certain that such was
the case. My escape, I now began
to think, rested on myself. thought
there might be before me pole
strong enough to bear my weight
Slowly l began raising my right
arm, in order to feel for some sup
port; but are startling swapping of
twigs, when this extra weight was
thrown upon my left arm, caused me
quickly to desist.
"Great heavens" l groaned, as l
settled back into my former position,
chow long is this to last?"
Just at this moment l heard the
sound of voices. This time there
was no mistake about it. / heard
the loud, ringing laugh of my jovlal
partner, Tom, and heard card-loving
Bob say something about game
they had been playing at the ''other
cabin"
As they came nearer, / heard Tom
say:
81 wonder if Dan has got back
from town."
They spoke in their ordinary tone
of voice, and this gave me great joy,
as I knew l could make them hear
without shouting too loudly. I heard
them at the door, scraping the snow
away with their feet, and knew that
now was the time to call, for once
had they entered, they might not
hear me.
"Tom!'' I cried; "Tom!"
There was no answer; my heart
felt cold within me.
"Tom" | again cried.
This time, to my great JOY, both OF
the boys in a breath sang out "Hel
lom
"Tom!' l cried again, in as loud a
tone of voice rs | dare use; ''Tom,
come here"
"Why, that's Dan. what can be
the matter?"
And both came as fast as their
legs would carry them down to near
where | was hanging.
"Don't come too near!" l cried.
"For heavens sake, don't come too
near!!" / have fallen through the
brush over this shaft; and it's just
ready to break and let me down.
Get rope quick-the windlass rope
you know"
Tom ran to the cabin, and in less
than a ininute-though it seemed an
hour to me-was back with the rope.
Both were running to the shaft with
the rope, when I stopped them.
''Stop right where you are, boys.
Now listen or you Will kill mel
Don't come near the brush about the
shaft, or you will break it and let me
down. Take hold of the rope about
twenty feet apart and walk SO as to
bring it across the shaft, SO that I
can reach it."
They did as ! directed, and the
rope was soon against my face. |
began slowly to lift my right hand
to clutch it, but a cracking of the
brush on which l hung suspended,
startled me so much that l had not
the courage to try and grasp the
rope. I thought of making sud
den plunge, for 1t, but feared |
might fail to catch 1t, when l would
most certainly break through, and
fall to the bottom of the shaft.
"What is the matter?" asked Bob.
"Can't you get hold OF the roper"
"No," l replied. 81 shall break
through if even lift finger"
"Take hold of the rope with your
teeth!" cried Tom.
This was the very idea.
"Hold the rope little lower"
said I, "and l will try. Lower yet,
therc-hold on"
"lIave you got it?" asked Tom.
eyes," l said as well as I could.
Snow try 1t with your hands,"
cried Bob.
AS quick as l could use my stitfen-
ed right arm, l made a clutch at the
rope, and, most lucky for myself,
got hold of it. Had l missed it, l
should have been precipitated to the
bottom of the shaft; for as l clutch
ed the rope, the whole rotten pile
of boughs broke loose, and dropped
into the dark pit below.
After being dragged some dis
tance from the black and yawning
mouth of the shaft, l still held to the
rope with both teeth and hands, and
could hardly be persuaded that l
was out of danger. l was so COM
pletely exhausted, that was unable
to walk to the cabin without the
assistance of both my partners; and
it was some weeks before my strain
ed shoulders were free from pain.
THE ST. LOUIS HOLOCAUST.
Thrilling Incidents Of the Burning Of