Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1886-10-16
THE TURRET DOOR.

] III Q z. IA - II Il " OA-a
Argogg
It was beautiful and still evening to-
ward the end OF the summer, when in the
! course OF my wanderings about the
ancient city entered the quiet and soil
tary close CT the gray cathedral. The
rocks were gathering in the old elms
which stood around. a ruddy light
wrapped the great grey towers which
rose far mp into the evening air. The
sounds of the city from witheut came
/ family and at intervals TO the ear as L
walked slowly across the close toward
/ the low wide steps which assembled and
! were lost in the shadow OF the noble
porch.
On reaching the great door Of the
cathedral I found it closed. But In the
| center of this there was another smaller
/ door which still stood Open-and here
party OF visitors, to whom I was a
| stranger, were endeavoEing to persuade
| the ancient verger that the hour was not
yet too late to permit them to inspect
| the interior. 1t SO happened that just
as came up they succeeded In over
| coming his hesitation, and he turned to
lead the way into the building.
! The party followed him and I among
them.
Inside, the Stiffness was prOfOundi the
| lightest football aWoke echoes. The even
ing light fell, laden with rich and oolOred
! gloom of painted windows, on the dark
carving of the stalls on the great tubes
Of the silent organ, on the scrolls Of the
/ epitaphs. on the marble images Of war
riors, priests and kings. The silence Of
the antique nave, the colored gloom Of
the painted panes, the sense Of antiquity
in ell the air, impressed their influence
upon the mind with even more than Gus
t0mary power. I had had no other mo-
tive in entering the cathedral than to in
dulge the ordinary curiosity 0f a
straDg er-yery certainly 1 anticipated
mo more than the ordinary incidents of
such a visit. No mortal could have been
Iass prepared for an adventure. How
0Juld L dream that a strange, a wildly
strange experience, was to befall me be
foFe I should stand again without those
grey and ancient walls?
The truth of this extraordinary story
is known to many persons, and my
! veraci5y may be easily verified. The
D facts OF the case are these:
The party Of visitors 70 which I had
Joined myself had completed, under tbs
guidance Of the verger, the customary
tour Of inspection round the ancient
2 fabric, and were now preparing to leave
: the building. I had fallen for a moment
: behind the rest in order to examine
i fine and deply interesting specimen Of
antique carving which covered the whole
!, of the hail near which I stood. The
r great door Of the cathedral, where the
T rest Of the party were now standing
> was not visible from this spot; but ]
o could hear their voices plainly, round
. the angle Of the wall. Aware that ]
= had not much time to linger unless ]
wished to be locked up all night, I cast
a last glance at the rich tracery Of the
a woodwork and prepared reluctantly tc
: tuIn away.
> Suddenly my eye was caught by &
+ portion Of the carving which seemed &c
= stand ont slightly from the rest. I put
. my hand upon the carved head of the
+. Apostle Peter and pulled it outward
. To my amazement a door opened in tbs
!, carving, showing beyond il dark pass
2 age. 1 stopped forward and looked In
As I did so the door, which was thicl
and massive, and which was hung slant
ingly upon its hinges in such a name
as to close with its own weight, swung
heavily back from the position int
Q which had pushed it, and coming IN
> expectedly upon me as I stopped for
u ward, projected me into the opening ant
! and shut behind me.
L The suddenness OF the incident an,
IL the total darkness in which 7 found my
self entombed, started and confused me
q But at first I felt no positive alarm.
y attempted at once to push open the door
II but to my surprise it did not yield.
l. pushed harder-harder yet ezerte
all my strength, but the door remaine
- immOvable.
- At last, finding all my efforts useless
4 endeavored to attact attention Of thOs
- outside. I raised my voice and Gale,
p loudly for assistance, at the same tim
10 beating a vigorous tattoo with my Eticl
y against the door. I then paused an.
p listened, IN the expectation OF being
~ speedily released But to my surpris
y and alarm the minutes past and ther
y was no response.
Is With a vague terror at heart 1 re
- neWed my endeavOrs. raised a clgmO
> that ay7oke the echoes OF the building
- But still no voice replied from outsid
my prison, no hand released the fasten
= ing Of the door. Gradually the eonvic
- ton forced itself upon my mind that
i had delayed too long. While I hal
been trying to force open the door by N,
I own efforts, the party of visitors had LEI
u the cathedral, either without observing
= my absence, or perhaps EuPPosing. tina
y / had left before them. The verger ha,
~ locked mp the building and departed
There was no one within hearing TO ss
list me.
My consteZnation at this discover
may be conceived The idea that va
"a fated TO pass the night In the dark an.
narrow prison vas one which [ refuse.