Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-09-20

sfustafe himself Nom t<-and then death
would be instant s1d tremendous.
Whee tho0ght OF this became des-
perate. esoghs the aoor with grasp
which drove the blood from my nails.
and yelled with the cry Of despair /
called for help. prayed shouted. bat
al the Efforts II my voice were Of course
drowned IN the bell AS IL passed over
my mouth it occasionally echoed my
cries, which mixed not with It's own
sound, but preserved their distinct char
acter Perhaps this was 6ar fancy. To
NE, know, they then sounded az If they
were the shouting. bowling or laughing
OF the fends with which my magma
ti0n mad peopled the gloomy cave which
swung over Lac.
Ia twenty minates the ringing was
done. Half Of that time passed over me
without power Of computatiOn-ths
other half appeared an age. When 1t
ceased became gradually more quiet,
bur new fear retained me. knew
that i've minutes would elapse without
ringing, bat AZ the end OF that short
time the bell would be rlng second
time for I've inmates more. / could not
calculate time. A minute and an hour
were OF equal duration feared 20 rise
lest the five minutes should have elapsed
and the ringing DO again commenced.
IN which case should be crushed before
/ could escape against the walls or
framework % tho bell. therefore still
continued 10 lie down, cautiously shift
ing myself. however, with careful
gliding. 50 that my eye no longer looked
into the hollow. This was Of itself
considerable relief
The cessation OF the noise had in a
great measure the effect of surveying
me, for my attention, being no longer
occupied by the chiIneras had conjured
up. began 10 flag. All that now dis
tressed me Was the constant expectation
Of the second ringing. for which, how
ever. settled myself with a kind Of
stupid resolution. closed my eyes and
clinched my teeth az firmly as if they
were screwed ia vice.
At last the dreaded moment came, and
the first swing Of the bell extorted a
groan from me, as they say the most res
dilute victim screams al the sight Of the
rack 10 which he Is for second time
destined. After this, however. l lay
silent and lethargic, without thought.
When it ceased was reused little
by the hope of escape. | did not, how
ever, decide on this step hastily, but
putting up my hand with the utmost
caution touched the rim. Though the
ringing had ceased it was still tremulous
from the sound and shook under my
hand. which instantly recoiled as from
an electric jar. A quarter OF an hour
probably elapsed before | again dared TO
make the experiment. and then / found
it at rest. / determined to lose no time,
fearing that | might have lain then al
ready too long and that the bell for
evening service would catch me.
This dread stimulated me, and
slipped out with the utmost rapidity and
arose. stood, suppose. for a minute,
looking with silly wonder on the place
of my imprisonment, penetrated with
Joy at escaping, but then rushed down
tho stony and irregular stair with the
velocity of lightning and arrived in the
bell ringers room. Ny hands were torn
and bleeding; my hair disheveled and
my clothes tattered.
leaned against the wall, motionless
and deprived of thought, in which pos
ture my companions found me when in
the course of couple of hours they re-
turned to their occupation.-Black-
woods Magazine.