The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1892-07-13


drive pegs in the side of my prison
and maybe climb up on them. Perhaps
/ could chop spaces there to answer
the same purpose.
Taking the hatchet commenced TO
do 1t, and for a while il appeared |
might succeed, but after rising few
feet in that way gave II up.
Had the we'll been narrow so l
could brace myself by using my gun
against the opposite side think l
should have accomplished tho feat.
Then attempted shooting with
light charge OF powder a bullet from
my pistol TO which / attached my
watch chain fastened to an end of the
rope, thinking it might somehow
catch on bush outside and bear my
weight while | climbed OIL stepping
places should dig.
But that plan proved failure, too.
By this time it was high noon, and
the hot sun was sbiuing for few mo-
ments straight to the bottom of my
awful tomb.
Like Gagged beast was becoming
furious in my vain efforts to gain
liberty and the hardo" l tried the
more difficult grew my task.
kept firing my gun and calling for
help, for now il seemed that that was
my only chance for life.
The afternoon passed slowly away
and night appeared again, and dis
pairing, but not giving up hope, ate
my last bird. drank nearly my last
drop of water, and managed to fall
asleep.
1t came morning at last. had my
gun raised fire to Il signal when | de-
tectcd a something alive pccring from
the ground above me into tho hole.
Could il be human beingp Even
an Indian in his war paint aud certain
to scalp me should have hailed with
joy.
The object showed itsolf again
plainly. 1t was tho head Cf wolf.
Taking a quick aim | fired and hit
il squarly. With howl of pain the
wounded brute plunged forward and
into the hole, landing on my
shoulders.
In moment it recovered from its
surprise and before | could draw my
pistol il was crouched to leap upon
me. lIatchet in hand met its on
slaught. As it jumped with bleeding,
open mouth l ducked my head and be-
fore it could turn lucky blow buried
the blade in its skull and finished it.
Now with its flesh to cat and its
blood TO drink / could exist for q
week, at least. and if help came in the
meantime l wouldn't perish.
For three long, weary days and
nights lived on my providential sup
ply of wolf meat, firing my gun
hourly and yelling till my voice gave
out, but all for naught.
On the fourth day completely de-
SPARED of assistance from outside
and resolved TO make last struggle
to get out of my horrible living tomb.
Willie franctically chopped with
my hatchet at the sides OF the hole
trying to heap up dirt enough to rise
Oh, even though l undermined and
brought the earth to bury me, l re-
mcmbcred picture of tho tower of
Babel that l had sccn in the big.
family Bible at home.
1t had n spiral road running around
its outside on which the workers as.
cended rs the tower was growing.
Why couldn't l cut out a similar
path on the inside of my UNDER
ground, turncd-ovcr tower?
With glad shout of joy and won-
dering why the idea hadn't come be-
fore, | commenced at once the cork
screw road. Starting as high as /
could conveniently work | cut into
the hard, clay wall of the well until /
had dug out a space big enough to
hold me. BY shelving the roof of the
excavation and curving it to the back
part of its eighteen inch widc floor /
prevented the earth from caving.
laid out this open, half tunnel to
ascend on II rather sleep grade SO its
winding road-bcd would bc sufficiently
supported, and after some hours hard
and careful work, finished the first
circle and found that my engineering
calculations promised to be success
ful--providing the earth as it ncarcd