St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1880-10-23

my cravat, my gloves, round and round
the wounds lest the blood should fall
and attract the terrible creature that
had brought me to this pass.
"a second effort, and | conquered my
aversion enough to be able to touch the
dead about me with certain calmness,
and | began to move slowly on, not
knowing what direction | was taking.
Remembering that had entered the
passage on my right, and that the skull
was on the left, turned my face around
so as to bring the skull to my right, and
when had reached the entrance OF the
passage to turn to the left. BY feeling
I soon discovered the skull whose teeth
had attracted me to my doom, LETT 1T on
my right and CROPPED my way the few
returning steps to the roadway, the
angle of bones telling me when | had
reached it. Immediately my highly
wrought senses perceived a change the
increase of temperature struck my right
cheek.
Like flash of light it went through
me that it was a current OF air from tne
outer world, and, if a current OF air, 1t
must come from all opening; that open
ing must be door then by following
ND this current must ultimately reach
the spot which it enters.
"I turned my full face toward the
current gasped, for could perceive
no difference OF temperature; held my
breath pushed the hair from my fore
head, shut my eyes, and still failed to
detect the current. But on turning my
check, there it was again. 1t required
a contrast, as it were, between the two
cheeks to ascertain the difference.
explained this to myself as one of the
provisions of Nature to protect the
nerves of the face IN meeting the wind
naturally--as in walking--lt offers the
minimum OF nervous surface to Its IN
huence. As stood sideways, the nerves
of the face were struck laterally, and
therefore more alive to Il slight differ
ence.
"All this gave me a fresh clew of as
celtainng my way, for agreed that in
feeling along the line OF skulls, the side
OF each skull which received the cur
rent precisely as my cheek received it
would necessarily, from its action, be
dryer than the other.
"TO my intense JOY, 1t was as |
thought The right side OF the skull
was smoother than the left, and feeling
along for twenty skulls, | found it so
in each instance.
Il decided to move to the right.
had become somewhat confused in the
| memory of the locality, but knowing
| there was more than one entrance to
the vaults hung firmly to the slender
| clew that seemed to connect me with
! the outer air. So travelled on, on and
on stumbling, sometimes falling; some
times rapidly, sometimes slowly; but
| ever on, for must have gone mad had
| | sat down and waited. How many
miles travelled thus have never beeii
able to ascertain. 1t seemed many hun
| dreds to me. When | came to one OF
| the transversal cuttings | had several
steps to make at random before ! could
reach or touch the reassuripg iiue OF
| skulls again The duration of these
steps seemed as years in my agony,
| while my heart beat like a triphammer
| against my side. Sometimes | lost the
current of air entirely, but | never
failed to find it again and to plod on.
Sometimes | heard the number OF
vehicles overhead, more or less distinct
ly according to the deptn Of the stone
above HE. / hailed this sound with in
tensest delight. Anything to break the
ghostly silence that reigned around me,
for even my steps seemed .muffied, and
/ had learned to walk without sound.
fast thought | should be strangled.
heard a voice. Yes, a bright, fresh hui
man voice caroling a blithe song.
could see no light feared when it
ceased that my overWi0ughC nerves
| had deceived me and that [ was the
| victiSl of fond hallucination. But no,
in another moment it broke forth again,
brave and brisk. | could almost dis
tinguish it's words. How fingered
about that spot 10Th to leave the neigh
borhOod of something near and human.
| shouted, l helloed, yelled, screamed
myself hoarse, but no reply came;
"Howcver, | took heart from that
moment. ] concentrated my whole
mind upon the current, and it grew
stronger every hundred steps, until
without the slightest warning, suddenly,
abruptly, the line OF skulls ceased, and
/ touched wood
"When | realized that here, then
was the goal | sought, | must have
tainted once again.
al had known for many thousand
steps that | approached the exit, but
when touched that door my Joy was
too much for me,
"It looked so dark beyond that
feared had gone blind, but I broke
the door, which was open latticewOrk
and precipitated myself beyond, out
away from the tomb and the dead be-
hind me, out into the celestial glory OF
the gradually dawning light Of day
How hailed that l;ght. now exquisite
rays streaming through the chiDks OF
the outer door pierced and irradiated
my soul.
II have no occasion to tell you how
hammered at the outer door and was
at last released by half dozen genGar,
mes and a throng Of curious passers.
This Was not the gate had entered
| had been immurcd forty eight hours
and at that time had never once sa
. down.
81 was i'll for a long time, Of course
} but, perhapa ain none the worse to
DAY for the distinction claim OF hav
ing tonched more skulls than any othe1
living man. At any rate, never re
! gretted having tried to help myself
without depending On the chances o
} being missed by my friends, whom
J found all unconscious of the appalling
position in which they had left me-
| Nnfs.hRn EvnntS IN nofnhnp