New Ulm weekly review., 1886-08-18
THE sURRET DOOR.

1t was beautiful and still evening
toward the end of summer, when in
the course Of my wanderings about
the ancient city entered the quiet
and solitary close of the gray
cathedral. The rocks were gathering
in the old elms which stood around.
Aruddy light wrapped the great gray
towers which rose far up into the
evening air. The sounds from with
out came family and at intervals to
the ear as | walked slowly across the
close toward the low, wide steps which
ascended 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 centre of this there was an
other smaller door, which still stood
open land here party ofvisitors, to
whom was a stranger, we're endeavor-
the hour was not yet too late to per-
NIT them to inspect the interior It
so happened that just as | came up
they succeeded in overcoming his hesi-
tation, and he turned to lead the way
into the building.
The party followed him, and among
them.
Inside the stiffness was profound;
the lightest football awoke echoes. The
evening light fell, laden with the rich
and colored gloom ofpainted windows,
on the dark carving of the stalls, on
the great tubes of the silent organ, on
the scrolls OF the epitaphs, on the
marbleimages OF warriors, priests and
kings. The silence of the antique
nave, the colored gloom of the
painted panes, the sense Of an
tiquity in all the air, Impressed
their influence upon the mind with
even more than customary power. l
had had no other motive in entering
the cathedral than to indulge the or
dinary curiosity Of a stranger-very
certainly I anticipated no more than
The ordinary Incidents OF such a visit.
No mortal could have been less pre-
pared for an adventure. How could
dream that a strange, a wildly
strange, experience was to befall me
before 1 should stand again without
those gray and ancient walls?
And yet, so it was.
The truth of this extraordinary sto-
ry is known to many persons, and my
veracity may be easily verified. The
facts OF the case are these:
The party OF visitors to which Ihad
Joined myselfhad completed, under the
guidance Of the verger, the customary
tour Of inspection round the ancient
fabric, and were now preparing to
aeave the building. I Ihad fallen for a.
moment behind the rest, in order to
examine a fine and deeply-interesting
specimen OF antique carving which COW
sared the whole of the wall near which
I stood. The great door OF the cathe-
'dral, where the rest of the party was
aaow standing, was not visible
from this spot; but could hear their
voices plainly round the angle OF the
wall, Aware that I had not much
time to linger unless I wished to be
locked up all night, cast last glance
%at the rich tracery OF the woodwork
and prepared reluctantly to turn
away.
Suddenly my eye was caught by a
aportion of the carving which seemed
TO stand out slightly from the
rest. I put my hand upon
the carved head Of the apostle Peter
and pulled it outward. To my amaze
nent a door opened in the carving,
showing beyond it dark passage. I
stopped forward and looked in. AS I
did SO the door, which was hung slant
tingiy upon it's hinges in such manner
as to close with it's own weight, swung
heavily back from the position into
which had pushed it, and coming un-
sexpectedly upon me as Istooped for.
ward projected me into the opening
land shut behind me.
The suddenness OF the incident and
The total darkness in which l found
myself entombed startled and confus-
ed me. But at first i felt no positive
alarm. | attempted at once to push
open the door. but 60 my surprise it
did notyield. Ipushed harder -harder
yeti exerted all my strength, but the
door remained immovable.
At last, finding all my efforts use
less, endeavored to attract the at
tention Of those outside. I raised my
voice and called loudly for assistance,
at the same time beating vigorous
tatoo with my stick against the door.
I then paused and listened, in the ex-
pectation of being Immediately releas-
ed. But to my surprise and alarm
the minutes passed and there was no
response.
With a vague terror at heart I re-
newed my endeavors. Iraised a clam
or that awoke the echoes of the build
ing. But still no voice replied from
outside my prison, no hand released
the fastening OF the door Gradually