The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-08-27

Suck rs 1t descended. l might as we'll
nave attempted to support a falling
avalanche.
Then an idea occurred to my mind
which brought with tia gleam III hope.
thought itpossible that by applying
my strength to the weight itself, /
might be able to impart to it by slow
degrees q swinging motion, like that OF
a pendulum; and this being continued,
might at length bring the ponderous
mass i'll contact with the door, and SO
burst it open. Raising myself from the
fioor OF the cell, upon which l had
again sunk down, Iapplied my strength
to the weight, and by exerting all my
energy III q succession OF rythmical
impulses | gr adually succeeded in inn
parting to it an almost imperceptible
movement. Gradually this increased:
and but for an unseen circumstance
the scheme might have been suc--
cesstul. But l presently found
that the weight did not hang
exactly in the centre of the shaft. The
consequence OF this was that it struck
the wall opposite the door before it
reached the door itself. The extent
OF it's swing being thus checked. my
utmost efforts failed to bring it into
contact with the door. The attempt
had therefore to be abandoned, and
hope again died within me.
Hope died within me. And now NV
sensations were those of extreme hor-
ror and dismay. for the first time
felt the certainty OF my fate A dead
~ sickness seized me. In u paroxysm
OF despair flung myseltup the floor
OF my prison, and lay there without
motion.
l will not dwell upon the long hours
that followed-those hours OF more
than mortal agony tfmind. Ithappen-
ed that had lately been read.
ing an account OF traveller
who had perished in a quicksand. The
time OF the accident was on q summer
evening, when the sun was sinking,
and the lonely shore was bathed in
rosy light. The spot where it occur
red was well known to me-and after
reading the account Ihad endeavored,
in that unreasoning spirit which some
times leads the mind to dwell on hor-
rors, to realize in fancy the sensations
OF the victim, ss inch by inch and
foct by foot, in full sight OF the free
ocean and the glorious sun. the treach-
erous quicksand drew him downward
-downward-to his doom.
What the sensations attending such
a death must be l could then but feeb.
ly realize. know them now.
l know them now. The sensations
OF those who have stood face to
face with death for long hours,
watching with starting eyes his
slow approach, are to memo mystery.
But the mind OF man has mercifully
been SO ordered that agony prolonged
beyond certain point ends in be.
numbing the power of feeling. Thus
it is that criminals condemned to exc
cution often sleep soundly and eat
with appetite; fact which seems
amazing to those who consider how
comparatively slight a degree OF men,
tai distress has power torob the night
OF rest and to turn the daintiest food
to poison. They do not reflect that
mental agony in its extremity ceases
to be felt. But thus it is-and thus it
was with me.
l believe also that the air of the
shaft must have acted upon me
with some SIMPLIFYING or bewildering
influence, like that OF the vapor which
often gathers at the bottom of old
wells. The agitation of my mind
gradually gave place to strange feel
ing OF Indifference. The peril under
which lay ceased to trouble me, and
at last no longer occupied my
thoughts.
l began instead to be curiously dis
turbed by another circumstance, very
trivial in itself; by sound, which
reached my senses from somewhere in
the stiffness; sound low, muifled,
throbbing and mysterious, like the
beating OF my own blood. Had my
mind been clear could not have fail
ed to recognize it for what it was.
The sound seemed in my ears; but this
was merely owing to my position in
the shaft. In reality it was the tick
ing OF the great clock, far above my
head.
For hours sat there,
listening mechanically, half un-
consciously to this monotonous
sound, broken at intervals by
the notes OF the deep-toned bell. At
length, probably owing in great meas
ure to the heavy effect OF the air upon
me, | must have passed into q sort of
stupor, which lasted very long.
When came to myself was con.
scious of a very singular sensation.
The pitchy darkness was about me,
and OF course 1could see nothing. But,
in some unaccountable manner, OF
which fear it is impossible for me to
convey notion, / was aware that
during my trance the weight had de-
scended q great way, and was now
close above my body. could feel,
though nothing touched me, the huge
and threatening mass brooding over
me in the darkness. With mighty
eftort-for like person in nightmare
l seemed to havelost power OF motion
Il raised my hand, Ny expectation
was a correct one. My hand struck
against the under surface OF the weight,
at an elevation ofless than three inches
from my face! At last-after an eter-
nifty of unutterable suspense-at last
lit touched me.
1t touched me. At first lightly;
then with a perceptible pressure;
then with pressure which grew dis
tresslng. In vain sought relief; in
vain sought to writhe my body into
the narrower compass. Slowly, stead
lily, the mass descended, crushing me
against the floor.
The last minute OF my life seemed
come. l breathed prayer to heaven
and resigned myself to die. Still a |
space the weight descended; my brain
swan; my breathing became difficult;
l believe that for some brief |
seconds ! bore upon my fainting form
the whole burden OF the ponderous
mass. Tho blood rushed in torrents
to my head; I felt that my senses were
leaving me.
Very suddenly the pressure ceased.
was conscious OF a welcome relief. 1 (
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