The Progress., 1894-11-10
A SWEET DEATH.
Narrow Escape OF ~ Lad From Drown
Ing In MOlasses.

Narrow Escape OF Lad From Drown
Ing in Molasses.
The 13-year-old son of large
Wholesale grocery merchant OF Hagers-
town. Nd, met with an accident that
came near equalling that of the col
ebrated Clarence. who Is said to have
been put to death by drowning in
butt of Malmsley wine. The boy was
amusing himself b. leaping from the
head of one hogshead to another OF "
group placed in the rear Of his fathers
store. Ali at once as he leapcd upon
one the head gave under his weight
and let him down into three feet OF
mOlas5eE.
Fortunately for the lad be fell on
his feet. sinking slowly into the thick,
gluey mass, which. receiving him.
however, was most reluctant to give
him up again. The moasscs came
np to the boys chin and it was only
by holding his head well back that he
kept it from entering his mouth. He
managed with some difficulty to raise
his arms from the heavy liquid. al
most as unyielding as pitch. and
grasped at the sides OF the hogs]1eed.
but it was impossible to gain hold on
the curved, concave walls. The top
was also beyond his reach. cloggcd az
he was by the mOlasses. which rem
dcred leap upward impracticable
SO the unlucky prisoner was reduced
to calling for assistance. But tho
hour was noon. and the town was
dining, and passers-by were not n'l'
merOuS.
The adjacent store was abandoned
save for some labOrcrs who were load
inc goods in the front, and the clerk
who was directing them, so minutes
passcl and the prisoner found the
position prccarious one, for fatigue
rendered the task of holding his
=, mouth and nostrls out of the liquid
/ AROUND him most trying one, while
y wcightcl as he was his limbs seemed
y failing him. At last negro passing
d by heard his cries and proce >1ed to IN
vcstigatc the noise. After searching
8 some time he at last sprang up ont
Is looked over into the hogshead, but th'
lads heal being dark and all that wa
II visible of him. he did not perceive him
and dropped back to the ground. Th
- bov gave another shout which
mnfled as it was by the close sides
=, Ne great wooden vessel, and comln
~ from what he thought he had just see
held nothing but black molasses
aroused the superstition of the negro
lie sprang back with q yell and wen
u tearing into the street yelling the
u there was "h ant" in the rear OF tn
store. A crowd collecting he toI
III what he had heard in the hogSheat
f. and while some passed on laughin
II others remained to ferret out the my
II terry. -,
d A man leaped up to the top of tt
he nearest hogshead and peered into IL
a. suspected one, but on seeing viii
face peering up at him was nearly
frightened as the negro had been.
= weak voice pleaded with him for s'
cor, so active measures were at on
taken to get the boy out. A stran
figure he presented when brought
view, dripping with CONCEALED swe'
- ness, his clothes unrecognizable
d such. 1t has been necessary to sha
u the back of his head, as the hair "
so caked with molasscs as to be who
" unmanageable. {,
IN A few more inches of the molas
." and some distiller would have be
y surprised to find in his next shipm''
boy preserved in it, as in all pro
bility had the molasses concealed h
. in the hogshead without examlnat
" would have only been reheaded
shinOed.