Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1890-02-03

dungeon, and by reaching out 1 could
feel that the rest of him extended down
ward. l, therefore, seized his BODY in
my arms, threw myself out of the aper-
ture and began to slide down.
I'm very short time found that I
had reached the snake portion of the
creature, and, throwing my arms and
legs around it, l endeavored with all
my strength to prevent q too rapid de-
see but in spite of all my efforts my
downward progress was faster than I
would have wished it to be, but there
was no stopping, l must slip down.
In these moments of rapid descent
my mind was filed with wild anxiety
concerning what was likely to be the
ratio of diminution of the serpent-like
form to which l was clinging. / re-
membered in flash that there were
snakes whose caudal extremity dwin-
died away suddenly into q point. This
one might do 50, and at any instant 1
might como TO the end of the tail and
drop from q great height upon the
Jagged stones below.
'Calculation after calculation of the
ratio OF diminution flashed through my
mind during that awful descent. My
whole soul was conferred upon one point:
When shall this support end? When
shall drop?
fortunately, was Oh the leeward
side OF the tower, and l was not swung
about by the wind. Steadily descend
ed, and steadily the diameter OF the
form | graspei diminished; soon J. could
grasp 1T in my hand, then, with q terri
hf d glance, l locked below. | was still
at sickening distance from the ground.
l shut my eyes. ! slipped down, down,
down. The tail became like n thict,
rope which l encirclcd with each hand.
1t became thinner and thinner. 1T grew
so small that could not hold it, but a :
1 felt it slip from my fingers my feet
rested on a pile OF stones.
''iicwildered and almost exhausted.
I stumbled over the ruins, gained tho
unencumbered, ground, and ran as far
from the tower as [ could, sinking
down at last against the trunk CT tree
in neighboring field. Scarcely had
reached this spot when the fury OF the
wind-storm appeared to be redoubled,
and before the wild and shrieling blast
the tower bent, and then fell with a
great crash upon the other ruin.
The first thought that came into my
'AA4iAo " liz IL btiiSlo Vic uitdul u spec
tacle concerned the creature who had
twice saved my life. Had he escaped,
or was he crushed beneath that mass of
stones? l felt on either side to discover
if he was near me, but he was not. Had
he given his life for mine?
Had I been stronger l would have
searched for him; [ would have clam
bered among the ruins to see if could
discover his mangled form. If could but
reach his faithful head ! would stroke
and caress it, living or dead. But excite
nent, fatigue and want of food had made
nc 50 weak that 1 could do nothing but
SIT upon the ground with my back
against the tree.
w lille thus resting l perceived that
the whole of the tower had not been de
moiished by the STERN. Some of the
rooms in which wo had lived having
been built at a later date than the rest
OF the great edifice, had resisted the
power of the wind and were still stand
ing.
''from tho direction OF the uniniured
portion OF the castle I now saw APP
rroaching q light-colorcd object, which
seemed to be floating in the air
about foot from the ground. As it
caIue nearer saw tnaJ 1t was Il basket,
and Immediately understood the situa-
ton. My faithful friend was alive, and
he w&s bringing me- some REFRESHMENTS
On came the basket, rising and fall
ing with the bounds of the dog. It was
truly an odd spectacle, but very vel
come one. In few moments the ba5-
ket was deposited at my side, and 1 was
csressing the head of the faithful dog
In the basket found Il bottle of wine
and some bread and meat, which the
good crea ture had doubtless discovered