Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-12-29
Talesdaua Skstflles.
TIE fURRIf DoeR.

twas . beautiful and still evening
toward the end of summer, when in tn
course of my wanderings about the ancien
city / entered the quiet and solitary clos
of the grey cathedral. The rocks wer
gathering in the old elms which stoo
around. A ruddy light wrapped the gre.
towers which rose far up into the evening
air. The sounds of the city from withou
came family and at intervals to the ca
as / walked slowly across the clos
towards the low, wide steps which ascend
ed and were lest 10 the shadow of thu
noble porch.
On reaching the great door of the cathe
dral found it closed. But in the centre
of this there was another smaller door
which still stood open-and here party
of visitors, to whom | was stranger
were endeavoriug to persuade the ancien
verger that the hour was not yet too late
to permit them to inspect the interior. Il
so happened that Just as | came up they
succeeded in overcoming his hesitation
and he turned to lead the way into the
building.
The party followed him, and | among
them.
Inside, the stiffness was profound; the
highest football awoke echoes. The even
ing ieht fell laden with rich and colored
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
tfe antique nave. the colored gloom OF
IL ID hn nf
in ali the air, impressed their influence
upon the mind with even more than Gus
tomary power. had had no other motive
in entering the cathedral than to indulge
the ordinary incidents of such visit. No
mortal could have been less prepared for
an adventure. How could l dream that
a strange, a wildly strange, experience
was to befall me before l should stand
again without those grey and ancient
walls?
And yet, so it was.
The truth of this extraordinary story is
known to many persons, and my veraclty
NAV be easily verified. The facts of the
case are these:
The party of visitors to which | had
loined myself had completed. under the
guidance of the verger. the customary
tour of inspection round the ancient
fabric, and were now preparing TO leave
the building. had fallen for a moment
behind the rest. in order to examine fine
and deeply interesting specimen OF az
tique carving which covered the wall AN
which l stood. The great door d(1Ihe
cathedral, at which the rest of the party
was now standing, was not visible from
this spot; but could hear their voices
plainly, round the angle of the wall.
Aware that had not much time to linger
unless I wished to be locked up
all night l cast last glance at
the itch tracery of the wood work
and prepared reluctantly to turn away.
Suddenly nv eye was caught by a
portion of the carving which seemed to
stand out slightly from the rest. l put
my hand upon the carved head of the
Apostle Peter and pulled it outward. To
my amazement door opened in the carv-
ing, showing beyond it dark passage.
stopped forward and looked in. As
did so, the door. which was thick and
massive, and which was hung slantinglyup-
on its hinges in such manner as to close
with its own weight, swung heavily back
from the position into which had pushed
it, and coming Unexpectedly upon me as
stopped forward, projected me into the
opening and shut behind me.
The suddenness of the incident and the
total darkness in which found myself
entombed startled and confused me. But
at first felt no positive alarm. | at
tempted at once to push open the door
but to my surprise it did not yield.
pushed harder-harder yeti exerted all
nv strength, but the door remained i'm
movable
At last. finding all my efforts useless,
endeavored to attract the attention oI
those outside. | raised my voice and
called loudly for assistance. at the same
time beating vigorous tattoo with my
stick against the door. then paused and
listened, in the expectation of being
speedily released. But to my surprise
and alarm the minutes passed and there
was no response.
With a vague terror at heart l renewed
my endeavors. | raised a clamOr that
awoke the echoes of the building But
still no voice replied from outside my
prison, no hand released the fastening OF
the door. Gradually the conviction forced
itself upon nv mind that l had delayed
too long. While | had been trying to
force open the door by my own efforts,
the party OF visitors had left the cathe'
dral, either without observing my absence,
or perhaps supposing that / had left be.
fore them. The verger had locked ur
the building and departed. There was
no one within hearing to assist me. My
CONSERVATION at this discovery may be
conceived. The idea that | was fated tc
pass the night in this dark and narrow
prison was one which refused to enter.
tain. Again, again, and yet again hurled
myself against the wooden barrier, with
rage, with fury. with despair. Not until
had exhausted every effort in my power,
not until every CLEAN OF hope had
vanished from nv mind. did give up the
attempt to force the door as hopeless, and
turned away from it to examine more
narrowly the place of my Imprisonment
Nothino now seemed left to me but to
ascertain how might pass the hours with
least discomfort, until l might expect
assistance from without.
In my assaults upon the door had al
ready discovered that the place in which
was inclosed was of very small dimen-
sions. 1t was in fact, little more than a
recess or deep niche in the masonry, no,
exceeding three feet square, and it would
neither enable me to lie at full length nor
to obtain any other relief for nv tired
limbs than by the change of one cramped
and uneasy position for another. The
floor was of solid pavement. The roof. as
4 OF ,,sf