Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-08-19
guRRET DOOR.

-al;tarv close OF the gray
s-.i Therooks were gathering
"a eIms which stood around.
4 light wrapped the great gray
5 which rose far up into the
ar The sounds from with
.n,e taintly and at intervals to
) As / walked slowly across tile
.sxard the low, wide steps which
I'D and were lost in the shadow
( noble porch.
reaching the great door of the
ALI found it closed. But in
.strs OF this there was an
smaller door, which still stood
and here a party ofvisitors, to
Iwasa stranger, were endeavor-
persuade heancient vergerthat
e1n wasnot yet too late to per-
bess to inspect the interior. 1t
noened that just as came up
tnoceeded in overcoming his hest
and he turned to lead the way
he building.
party followed him, and among
Ede the Stiffness was profound;
shtest football awoke echoes. The
q light fell, laden with the rich
.olored gloom ofpainted windows,
e dark carving of the stalls, on
rat tubes OF the silent organ, on
krolls Of the epitaphs, on the
leimages of warriors, priests and
The silence of the antique
the colored gloom OF the
"a panes, the sense of an
n in all the air, impressed
Influence upon the mind with
more than customary power. |
Ssd no other motive in entering
.thedral than to indulge the or
n curiosity OF a stranger-very
snly ] anticipated no more than
tdinary incidents of such a visit.
hcrtal could have been less pre-
for an adventure. How could
am that a strange, a wildly
re, experience was to befall me
should stand again without
gray and ancient walls2
ret, so it was.
trsth OF this extraordinary sto-
known to many persons, and my
itT may be easily verified. The
hi the case are these.
party OF visitors to which Ihad
myself had completed. under the
nee OF the verger, the customary
pf inspection round the ancient
and we're now preparing to
the building. | had fallen for a
Int behind the rest, in order to
Inc a fine and deepiy-interesting
ben OF antique carving which COW
be whole of the wall near which
u. The great door of the cathe-
where the rest OF the party was
standing, was not visible
fbs spot; but could hear their
plainly round the angle of the
Aware that i had not much
10 linger unless / wished TO he
up all night, cast a last glance
rich traeery OF the woodwork
prepared reluctantly to turn
denly my eye was caught by a
pn of the carving which seemed
Hand out slightly from the
l put my hand upon
rved head of the apostle Peter
llled it outward. To my amaze
q door opened in the carving,
ing beyond it a dark passage. i
ed forward and looked in. As
the door, which Was hung slant
hpon its hinges in such a manner
|close with its own weight, swung
y back from the position into
had pushed it, and coming I'M
tedly upon me as | stopped for
projected me into the oDeninp
but behind me.
suddenness OF the incident and
tai darkness in which | found
sntombed startled and confus-
But at first felt no positive
attempted at once TO push
he door. but 90 my surprise it
9 yield. Ipushed harder-harder
exerted all my strength, but the
remained imnovable.
Hast. finding all my efforts use
endeagored to attract the at
N OF those outside. raised my
and called loudly for assistance,
same time beating vigorous
with my stick against the door.
paused and listened, in the ex-
non OF being Immediately releas-
But to my surprise and alarm
hinutes passed and there was no
nse.
p a vague terror at heart ] re-
my endeayors. l raised clam
| awoke the echoes of the build
put still no voice replied from
1e my prison, no hand released
lsteniag OF the door. Gradually
pnyiction forced itself upon my
that l had delayed too long.
l bad been try ing to force
be door by my efforts the party
sitors had left the cathe-
either without observing my alb
or perhaps supposins that | had
1ore them. The verger had
up the building and departed.
was no one within hearing to
me.
Transformation at this discovery
pc conceived. The idea that i
lated opass the night IN this
pad narrow prison was one which
eed to entertain. Again. again,
e again | hurled myself against
ooden barrier, with rage. with
Eith despair. Not until | had
ated every effort in my power,
tllevery CLEAN ofhope had van
from my mind, did ! give up the
pit to force bedoor as hopeless,
nrned away from it to examine
narrowly the place of my i'm
Rment. Nothing now seemed
me but to ascertain how |
pass the hours with least dis
r. until ] might expect assist
rom without.
ny assaults upon the door I had
discovered that the place in
WAS enclosed was of yerysmall
pkions. IL was, in fact, little
thaa a recess or deep niche in
asonry, not exceeding three feet
1t would neither enable me
az iull length nor. to obtain any
relist Tor tired limbs than by the
q one cramped and uneasy
fe ior another. The floor was of
pavement. The roof, as stood
!ast touched my head. The
IKE the floor, were of solid
standing close TO one ofthese,
lssng my eyes upward, Imadea
cry which filed me at first with
g, and afteward with extreme
xity.
heen the roof and the wall there