The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1888-04-28
IMPRISONED IN A TOMB.
A Machinist Endures Hours Of Agony and
Horror.

Day When He Was "a Years Cld-Saved
by a Friends Dream
Charley Barber is SO years old and
his hair is gray. Twelve years ago.
when he was "a years old. his hair was
silyery white. 1t turned white in
day. Mr.. Barber Is one of the pro-
prietors of the saloon known as the
House OF David" In his youth he
worked at the machinist's trade in
Emira, N. Y. He was born in
Schuyler County. his father being a
wooden miller. Old Caleb Hill. father
of Gov. Hill, of New York. built the
mill.
One day Charley Barber was sent by
his employer to the Elmira cemetery
TO place brass hinges on a vault door.
The vault was large. 1t contained be-
tween twenty and thirty bodies. 1t
was built In hillside. Barber finished
his work about o'clock in the after
noon. The day was warm. The
atmosphere of the vault was cool and
inviting As he expressed it. she
wanted to make half day of it." so
he went inside the vault and lighted
his pipe. leaving his tools lying on the
graveled walk outside. Half an hour
later the door of the vault suddenly
closed silently. The wind had blown
it shut The new hinges had been
oiled and worked easily. The KEY was
in the lock on the outside The lock
closed with n spring and Barber was
imprisoned. HIS first thought was that
some one was playing n joke on him
somebody had closed the door to
frighten him. But he was killing time
for the afternoon. He didn't care. He
smiled and pulled at his pipe. IL can
stand it rs long as they can" he
thought. They'll come back and open
the door after awhile.
An hour passed and no one came TO
open the door. Barber grew frighten-
cd and uneasy. He chung to tho hope
that somebody had closed the door and
would seleaso him. He dared not
think that no one knew of his imprison-
mcnt There were horrors in that pos
sibility. For long time he stood
close TO the vault door listening
with strainIng senses for footsteps on
the walk. None came. His nerves
became strained to their highest ten
sion. He could take no account OF
time. Moments were like hours. His
brain worked until il seemed To boil.
The vault was cold. but sweat ran down
his temples. He knew that he must
wait. He knew that to fight was use
less; but ho could not wait-he must
find relief in fighting against the inn
pregnable. Hc shouted for help. The
terror in his voice frightened him-as.
founded him. He shrank down and
covered his face with his hands. And
then he felt that he was weakening
that he was giving way 10 his terror.
He was a strong man. Without being
able TO define IL he 70 1t that his fright
must never be allowed to reach the
point of helplessness. He must figh
to keep his mind. He sprang to his
feet. He seized the heavy handle o.
the heavy iron door and wrenched will
all his power. lie shouted continually
..Helpl Helpl Helpr' With frenzicC
strength he kicked against the door
until he burst his heavy boots anC
bruised his feet. He struggled unit
he was exhausted. He sank TO th'
ground. He was getting wild and Ia
knew it. He must calm his red-ho
frame. He pressed his hands to Iii
head. The panorama OF his life pass
oil before him like whirlwind. How
quickly and how clearly and distinctly
he could recall every act OF his life
And how calm and happy seemed hi
life. But now he would surely die. liz
would waste away. He would becom'
, crazy with suffering. He would starv'
, TO death. Ho imagined himself break
} ing open a coffin aud tearing with hi
/ teeth nj the cold. dead body. He shud
dered and wept. He could see hlmsel
, mumbling. grovcing maniac. Ill
fright became frenzy. Now h
> screamed instead Of shouted. and bea
r his hands and bleeding feet against Tia
stone walls OF the vault His hea'
seemed bursting. He fell unconscious l.
the ground He dreamed. And wit
: his outward senses numbed. natur
4 tainted him. In contrad ction TO hi
horrible position he dreamed that b
y .uan a hoa AMIN M The old hnmn 1