Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-01-31

eyes stared at me from visl-
ole deep gloom; long white bony
fingers grasping at nothing made
signs to me of warning or menace. Then
very gradually. there dawned upon my
sense of vision cloudy red mist like
stormy sunset, and from the middle OF
the bloodlike haze huge black Hand
descended towards me. 1t bounced
upon my chest-it grasped my throat in
It's monstrous clutch, and held me down
with weight of iron. / struggled vio-
lently-I strove to cry out, but that ter
rife pressure took from me all power OF
utterance. I twisted myself to right
and left in an endeavour to escape-but
my tyrant Of the sable Hand had bound
me on all sides. Yet l continued to
wrestle with the cruel opposing force
that strove to overwhelm me-little by
little-inch by inch-so! At last! One
more struggle-victory! woke! Mercl-
ful God! Where was l? In what horri-
bic atmosphere-in what dense dark
ness? Slowly, as my senses returned to
me, remembered my recent Illness. The
monk-the man Pietro-where were
they? What had they done to me? BY
degrees realized that l was lying
straight down upon my back--the couch
was surely very hardl Why had they
taken the pillows from under my head?
A pricking sensation darted through my
Veins-I felt my own hands curiously
they were warm, and my pulse
beat strongly, though fitfully.
But what was this that him
dered my breathing. Affair! !
must have air! / put up my hands
horror! They struck against hard
opposing substance close above me.
Quick as lightning then the truth
flashed upon my mind! l had been
buried-buried alive;--this wooden
prison that inclOsed me was o coffin!
A frenzy surprising that Of an Infatuated
tiger took swift possession Of me--with
hands and nails tore and scratched ut
the accursed boards-with all the force
of my shoulders and arms l toiled to
wrench open the closed lid! My efforts
were fruitless! grew more ferociously
mad with rage and terror. How easy
were all deaths compared to one like
thisl was soffocating-I felt my eyes
start from their sockets-bloOd sprang
from my mouth and nostrils-and icy
drops OF sweat trickled from my FORE
head. / paused, gasping Tor breath.
Then, suddenly nerving myself Tor one
more wild effort, hurled my limbs with
all the force OF agony and desperation
against one side OF my marrow prison IL
cracked-it split asunder-and then-a
new and horrid fear oeset me- ana /!
crouched back, painting heavily I'LL
Iwere buried In the ground-so ran my
CHASTITY thoughts-of what use To break
open the coffin and let In the mould
the damp wOrmy mould, rich with the
bones OF the dead,-the penetrating
mould that would choke up my mouth
and eyes, and seal me into silence Tor
ever! My mind quailed at this idea-my
brain tottered on the verge OF madness!
laughed-think OF it!-and my laugh
sounded in my own ears like the last rat
tie in the throat OF a dying man. But
/ could breathe more easily-even In the
stupefaction of my fears-I was consci-
Gus of air. Yes!-the blessed air had
rushed In somehow. Revived and en-
couraged as recognized this fact, felt
with both hands till found the crevice
l had made, and then with frantic haste
and strength pulled and dragged at the
wood, till suddenly the whole side OF the