The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-03-19
the disaster. The court was convulsed
with laughter for some moments, in which
the mayor himself heartily Joined.
FROM DEATH TO LIFE.

l uOAC WCACSlA VI uS Scdltu DclO16 UldA-
ing fire, which cast generous glare into
the otherwise unlighted room. Outside
winter storm beloved over the chin
neys, and beat seriously at the window
panes. Afar off we could hear the gust
roaring among the naked hills, now
p!unging shrilly through the skeleton
branches of the trees, and again whirling
overhead with weird, shouting sound
that might we'll have proceeded from the
threats of evil things riding upon the
wind. The ghostly spirit of the storm
comfortable circle, for we got, I know
not how, upon that most dismal of all
ubjects-death. sa@ >..<a&. ...." B
We had canvassed the theme pretty
thoroughly before we discovered that two
of our number, the Professor and the doc
tor, had taken no part in the converse
ton. They were sitting little removed
from the rest of US, gazing gloomily into
! the fire. Their ordinarily cheerful ex-
preston of countenance had given place
| to q sober, troubled look, and more than
once we had detected the exchange of g
strangely significant glance between
them.
As may be readily supposed, we were
not slow to press them for an explanation
of their conduct. But for a considera-
able time our efforts were fruitless. At
length, after much persuasion, it was the
Professor who spoke:
"Gentlemen,' said he, gravely, "no
man cares to gain for himself the repu-
tation OF liar or maniac. Yet that is
exactly what you are pressing both of US
to do. Ihave no doubt that the expert
ence which I am about to relate, and
in which my friend the Doctor bore no
unimportant part, will appear absolutely
incredible to persons of your advanced
VIEWS"
There was touch of sarcasm in the
worthy Professors tone, but IN our eager
ness to hear his story we found it con-
venient to disregard it..
''However," he continued, 81 shall risk
it. If you choose to disbelieve 1t, why
shall endeavor to have charity for your
ignorance and conceit. Now, Doctor, if
you will hand me the tobacco and one of
the pi pes-the ranker and blacker the
better-I will proceed"
Having filled his pipe, and settled him.
self comfortably in his chair, he began
thus:
sit must be fully ten years ago that
the Doctor and myself were engaged upon
geological survey of the northern part
Of this State. We had labored diligent-
ly during the summer and fall, when
toward the c,ose of cold November day
we shouldered our knapsacks and turned
| our faces homeward.
"Our way led through chain of black
and rugged hills toward a frontier town.
| twenty miles distant, where we intended
| to take the railroad. A more forbiddine
region it has never been my misfortune
to see. It was chaos, blackened and
wrapped by primeval fires, and destitute
| of the smallest trace of vegetation. Tai
cliffs lowered thousand feet above oul
heads, shutting out the light of the dull
| November sky. Sluggish streams filtered
between crevices in the rocks, and poured
noiselessly into the deep and motionles
turns. 1T seemed that the blight of dealt
had fallen upon the whole country.
"Well knowing the peril of attemptin,
to proceed throug such region afte
nightfall, we halted at sunset, and, build
ing fire at the foot of crag, disposed
ourselves to rest as well we might. Elk
hausted with the tolls of the day, tn
Doctor was soon asleep, and I was no
long in following his example.
"How long had I slumbered I knew
not, when 1 found myself sitting upright
peering nervously in the darkness aroun'
me. It seemed to me that some one ha'
uttered a wild, appealing cry in the YER
portals of my ears. For some moment
sat so, wondering and anxious. Then
reflected that, as there could be no hu
man being in the neighborhood beside
ourselves, the sound which had alarme
me must have been the shrek of som
bird or animal. Explaining the matte
J thus, I was on the point of lying dow
, again when was arrested by a repeti
{ ton of the cry. This time there coul
be no mistake. Wild, long, and, it az
. peared to me, full of lntolerable angus!
} it 1e.echoed among the crags with fea
full shrillness. With all uncontrollab
start, tarned and shook the doctor I
awake him.
u "'Be quiet he muttered, Il am awak
and heard it ALL
"'What can it beg asked, anxiousl,
? surely nothing human; no one lives IN tn
: region for miles around. Perhaps it
| a wildcat
. "'No,' he said, between his teeth, sue
sound never came from the throat of
4 wild. cat. There it is again. Listenp
f 'The' cry was repeated. It was
b woman's voice, but it expressed such S,
: preme misery as believe woman new
e felt before. It came ringing up IL
e gorge with weird and mournful linton
s ton that chilled the blood in my heal
e BY the doctors quick breathing cou
q tell that he was as much effected as m
e self. Neither of us spoke nor move
t both waited for renewal Of the cry, :
e the hope of arriving at some rational e
: PLANTATION of it.
: "Again it came; but now like a Ia
d tremulous sob. am nota superstitio
it man, gentlemen, but confess that I S
d there shivering with specions of horr
o that was utterly new to me. What cou
# it BET Not living woman surely, alol
r. and suffering in an inaccessible fastne
l. where we were morally certain nothil
It human dwelt. And then what mise
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