Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1892-09-12

L
fonnd something worse than noun
tain lions. The oak on top of the hill
had been torn up and hurled down
the slopes against the bowlder, which
it had rolled over the hole, thus i'm
prisoning me.
Hastily I climbed up the sloping
wall and strove to roll the stone away,
though I knew we'll a dozen men
could not stir it, All in vain. Daniel
in the lions den was not more seri-
ously Gagged than I. His cave was
sealed with the seal of King Darius,
while mine bore the seal of the storm
king.
Giddy and sick at heart I climbed
down to the floor and looked up at
the skylight. Part of the tree lay
across the hole and limb hung tempt
ingly inside as if to taunt me with an
offer of help that was several feet be-
yond my grasp. [ was mouse in a
jug.
AS stood there gazing wistfully at
the mouth of my jug, my ear caught
the sound of running water. [ hur-
ried to examine this new feature, re-
Numbering that I had not yet explor-
ed my cell. 1t was quickly done. |
was in cave about twelve feet each
way, with neither stick nor stone to
build a scaffold to raise me to the OPP
ening in the roof. A goodly stream
of muddy water was pouring in at the
side of the cave next to the little gull
ly which I had noticed. I found
crevice in the rock by which the wa
ter entered, but it was not nearly
large enough to allow me to escape.
The wind had died away as sudden
ly as it had arisen, and rain was pour
ing in torrents. Soon I noticed that
the water was coming in much more
rapidly than it went out. Here was
new horror. Not only was | mouse
in jug, but some one was pouring
water into the jug.
Feeling suddenly faint, I sat down
on the wet rock and tried to realize
my situation. I was young and life
was full of charm for mellow could
I give it up? And in such a miserable,
ignoble way! I was not coward;
had faced death in the form Of wild
fierce beasts and fiercer men and had
never hinched; but to die in hole,
with no effort to escape, no hope-it
was horrible!
Soon the water had risen to where
[ sat. I was almost driven mad by it's
demoniac laughter. Chuckling, gurg-
ling, fairly shouting with fiendish glee
it came dancing about me, seeming to
rejoice that I was so helpless-that
was mouse in jug. Frantic with
rage at it's hollow hooking mirth, |
dashed again up the rugged wall and
strove to roll the stone from my tomb.
In vain. Hercules himself could not
have done it.
Higher and higher rose the water
and more and more frantic were
my efforts. I prayed, / cursed,
I laughed and sang, and anon
burst into childish tears, but the wa
Ter never ceased it's chuckling and
rose steadily all the while. I could
not cling long to the wall and the wa
ter was soon up to my armpits. A
little longer and it was up to my chin,
aud L could hardly keep my footing.
By this time was calmer, for my
panic had worn me out, and the icy
water was fast benumbing me. When
it lifted me from my feet strove to
-lo oH FOL CT
over me and struck out mechanically
to keep myself afloat. For some time
I kept up the effort until, looking up,
the thought occurred to me that if I
could only keep afoat long enough
the water might lift me within reach
of the limb in the skyight.
The water now rose more slowly,
for it had risen to the hole by which [
had entered and some was escaping
there. Though hope renewed had in
creased my strength for the moment,
I realized that was fast failing, and
the effort must come soon or I should
be unable to draw my cramped and
chilled body through the opening.
Sinking low in the water, I leaped
with all my strength toward the limb,
still some feet above my head. Fall
ing short, dropped back and went
completely under. AS rose to the
surface, taking advantage of the mo-
mentum already acquired, made one
supreme effort and seized the limb.
Even now marvel at the strength
still retained, enabling me me to climb
safely out and fall fainting on the
ground.
1t was almost fortnight later when
I regained consciousness. I had ar