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

SPAR MOI until 4 lAL E4lLlz+l-l,-l every
efsort in my power, not until every CLEAN
Of hope had vanished from my mind.
did give mp the attempt to force the
door as hopeless, and turned away from
it to examine more narrowly the place
Of my imprisonment. Nothing now
seemed left to me but to ascertain how I
might pass the hours with least discom-
fort, until I might expect assistance from
without.
In my assaults upon the door Z had
already discovered that the place In
which was inclosed was Of very small
Dimensions. 1t was, In fact, little more
than a recess or deep niche In the mason
~, not exceeding three feet square, 1t
would neither enable me to lie at full
length nor to obtain any OtEer relief for
my tired limbs than by the change OF one
eramped and uneasy posture for another.
The floor was of solid pavement. The
roof, as L stood erect, Just touched my
head. The walls, ike the floor, were Of
solid stone. Standing close to one OF
these, and casting my eyes upward, I
made a discovery which filed me dt first
with surprise, and afteFWard with ex-
IRENE perplexity.
BetWeen the roof and the wall there
was a space OF at least four inches.
Through this space I became aware Of a
fain5 CLEAN Of light very far above my
head. With the object of ascertaining
the length Of this aperture L moved
along the wall keeping my eye upon the
oreyice. The light did not vanish.
turned the angle OF the wall and still the
/ light remained visible. L traversed in
/ succession the four walls Of the cell; no
! obstacle obscured the feeble CLEAN. The
/ roof did not touch the wall Rt a single
point Of the circuit.
/ At this unaccountable discovery I was
SO astounded that for some time I re-
fused to credit the evidence Of my own
senses. The roof was, to all appearance,
ike AIahomet's coffin suspended in mid
air. 1 struck it with my stick, it sound
ed heavy, massive, substantial as the
walls themselves. But yet neither tC
the touch nor by the peculiar ringing
sound which it emitted when struck did
! it seem Of stone. 1t gave rather the
impression Of a block OF solid iron. But
/ how could this be?
Totally unable to account for this
discovery, L now placed myself on the
floor OF the cell, my back supported
la against one Of the walls and my feel
/ against the opposite, and was relieved tc
find that the posture was more telerable
than L expected. I began to be not
without hope that I might in time be
able to fall asleep, and so pass a portion
Of the weary hours before me in uncon.
seriousness. Little did I know what was
to rouse me. Sleepl It was not sleeE
that was in store for me.
Presently a loud and startling sound
seeming to issue from the roof above my
head, burst suddenly upon the silence
It was the great clock Of the cathedra
striking the hour. The notes fell slow
" from q deep, solemn and GOnOrous bell
But instead of reaching my prison, al
might have been expected, in duh, far
OF and muffied tones, they fell upon M
ears with thrilling clearDess and dis
thickness, as If they were close at hand
It was evident, IN fact, that my cell mus
be situated directly under the clocl
tower. This conclusion, however, lie,
me no further at the moment.
L sat for a long time IN reflection up
on the number Of hours which mus
elapge before I could expect to be Sc
free. The bell had struck the hour o
6. The cathedral would probably no
be opened in the morning before 9 or 10
I had therefore, some fifteen hours a
I least before me to get through as best
= might
How slowly the time waned! A
seemingly long intervals the bells strucl
the quarters: one, two, three, four anC
then In deeper tones the hour ITSELF
And now, When the ringing sound Of thu
last note had died away the bells Of tn,
carlton began to chime. The notes fel
upon my ears with the same singuIa
: and understandable distiuctusss which
had observed In the striking Of the hour
! They chimed the evening hymn.
Very suddenly a strange though
struck me, causing me to raise my eye
toward the ceiling Of my cell In m,
present position could Just perceive TIA
faint CLEAN Of light discernible far u
: through the interspacs between the roc
: and the wall; but the root itself was bur
= led In darkness. I rose slowly TO m
4 feet, and the scarcely formed coniectur
- OF my mind was instantly cOnfr nee
: AS L had expected, I could no longe
: stand erect; my head now struck tn
- roof The whole truth flashed at ono
. across my mind. I now saw clearly til
u explanation Of what had before astOund
. ed and perpleLel me. I saw why tn
u roof did not touch the walls of the inclo
= sure, why it was formed Of massive iEOI
= 1t was descendingl During the hour
had remained seated the roof had sun
7 through a space Of fully four inches
! But this discovery, when now L made j
T so far from causing me Psrplexity, &
? once revealed to me the whole myster
= Of my prison.
y The dishDctness OF sound with Whic
: the Ginning OF the bells reached my eal
had already told me that tae beltry mus
be situated directly above my head.
= now perceived that what had taken fc
= a solid heavy roof was In fact the mas
= sive and enormous weight Of the grea
! clock. L Was imprisoned in tbs bOttOI
= Of the shaft into which the weight do
scended. The ponderous clock Of soil
, metal as falling at the rate Of about fOU
= inches an hour, or rather more. In les
; time tERn it takes to trace these word
y the consequence Of this flashed thrOug
- my mind. In fifteen hours the weigh
Q would decend through a space OF fy
+, feet. Long before I could expect II
lease, the enormous mass would be upO
= me, and would crush me helplessl
against the pavement Of my prison.
n Ny sensation upon making this di
covery I VIII not attempt 70 daseribt
! Often-very Otten-in the course OF N
7 life, have 1 had occasion to remark th
- truth Of the saying, ''Ihe avenues thu