The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1888-05-18

and he went about a furlOng blind
iy, then stood still snOrting with
terror. | strove to urge him on,
but he refused to obey either whip
or spur Seeing no reason for my
horses fright or stubborness l
spurred him sharply, and urged
nm with angry voice to obedience.
His wonderful obslinacy compelled
me at length to diSmount, and with
drawn sword IN my hand, prepared
for highwayman or Gootpad,
dragged him onward by the bride.
Upon this he made one hasty
plunge forward, then stopped, and
at the same instant the earth went
from beneath my feet, and | fell
Tell l knew not whittier, down,
down, into deep darkness unfath-
omable, terrible as the great pit. |
can scarcely say whether thought
as | fell, yet knew | was going to
death-knew | was descending one
OF those unused shafts that lies on
many Cornish moor-knew that
my bones wonld be unthonght of
in its depths forever.
But even at that instant my flight
was arrested, and | hung in mid
air, clinging by my hands, TO what
| knew not. 1t was my sword,
which had forgotten that held.
BY miracle it had thrust itself as
l fell between the earth and the
rocks in the side of the shalt, and,
jammed fast, 1t held me up.
| cannot explain how this occur
red. | only know that it was so.
AS the cry for mercy escaped my
lips the mercy came. My sword
caught in the interstices of the
rock, and | was held up, my feet
dangling over the abyss, my hands
cllnging to the hilt OF my good
blade. 1t was firm as a wedge l
could feel that in spite of my trem-
bling; yet still my position was
horrible. To remain thus, to hold
on, was torture unutterable, but to
yield, even for a moment, was
death. There was no hope for re
lief Of posture there was nothing
but strong endurance and courage
to carry me through. l waited, |
suffered, prayed.
1t was a night to me Of fire. The
winds blew and the snow iell, but
the cold touched me not. | had
fallen too deeply in the shaft for
that, even if my tortured blood
could have felt it.
Morning broke at last, and hope
grew with it. At intervals l had
called aloud through all the night,
but now, with scarcely any inter
mission, | raised my voice in cries
for help | did this till WEAKNESS
stopped me, and rested in agoniz
ed hope of a voice in reply. There
was none. No sound reached me.
| was in my grave alone, and called
again, again, again. | husbanded
my voice, and drew in breath and
shouted with the sterngth Of de-
spdir. There was no answer,
There the sun Travelled upward,
and knew it was high noon, though
to me me the stars were visible
likewise; yet the midday rays
shone somewhat into the shaft and |
showed me how | hung. The pit |
here was quite perpendicular; it |
sloped slightly from my feet up.
ward, and had found rest for one
foot on a ledge of the rock. o, the
ease 10 my anguish from this mer-
ciful restl Tears sprang to my
eyes as | thanked God tor it.
The sun had shown me that TO
climb out OF The pit unaided was
so | called for help
again, and called again TILL my
voice tailed me. l ceased 10 cry,
md night fell down again.
AS The hours crept on kind of
madness seized me; phantoms
prang up from the PIT and tempt
ID me TO plunge below; horrible
ives glared on me. But worst of
ii was the sound of water-a purl- !
ng rill flowing gently in my very |
ars, trickling drop by drop in S
weetest music, horribly distant. I
Water! To reach water l would I
die, but l knew it was q
badness, so / resisted the fiery
hirst that would have me release s
ny hold and perish. Water! Yes, {
here was water at the bottom of
he shaft, fathoms deep below my l
Pet, but | could only reach that to j
lie; and there was water on the
air earth, fathoms above me-wa- a
er / should never see again. 5
grew dizzy-sick-blind. 1 j
hOuld have fainted-have fallen !
led; but as | leaned my head a
gainst the rock lelt as though a {
old, refreshing hand we're laid up :
n it suddenly. t
II was waterl It was not mad
ess-it was wafer. A tiny stream !
through the bare wall of
Dck, like dew from heaven.
eld forth NV parched tongue and
aught the drops as they fell and {
5 drank my strength was renew
d, and hope and the desire for life
rev warm within me again. And t
Ell on this the second night Q
my imprisonment 1 cared not b
} passiOnately-I looked not so 4
lgerly for succor. Ny limbs were Y
my brain deadened life i
as ebbing toward death a shad-
" at times Tell over my eyes, and v
l held still TO The hilt Of my a