The state herald., 1894-11-09
A SWEET DEATH.
Narrow Escape of Lad Ffdai Drown
ing In Molasses.


Tho 1S-ycar-old son Of large
wholesale grocery merchant OF Hagers-
town, Md, met with an accident that
came near equslling that Of the col
ebrated Clarence, who IL said to havo
becH put to death by drowning In a
i, butt OF Maimsley wine. The boy was
amusing himself BY ltaping from the
head OF one hogshead to another Of q
group placed in the rear Of his fathers
store. All at once as he leaped upon
one the head gave under his weight
and let him down into three feet OF
holasses.
Fortunately for the lad he fell on
his feet, sinking slowly into the thick,
gluey mass, which, receiving him.
however, was most reluctant to give
him up again The rnolasses came
up to the boys chin, a.id 1t was only
by holding his head well back .hst he
kept IT from entering his mouth. He
managed with some difficulty to raise
his arms from the heavy liquid, al
most MS unyielding as pitch, and
grasped at the sides OF the hogshedd,
but 1t was impossible to gain hold on
the curved, concave walls. The top
was also beyond his reach, clogged as
he was by the molasses, which rem
derod leap upward impracticable.
So tho unlucky prisoner was reduced
to calling for assistance. But the
hour was noon, and the town was
dining. and passers-by were not fiu.
merous.
Tho adjacent store was abandoned
save for sorpe laborey h who were load
Ing goods in the front, and tho clerk
who was directing them, so minutes
passed ind the prisoner found the
position n precnrlous one. for fatigue
rendered the task OF holding his
mouth and nostrils out of the liquid
around him most trying one, while
weighted as he was his limbs seemed
failing him. At last n negro passing
by heard his cries and proceeded to in
vestigate the. noise. After searching
some time no az hast sprang up and
looked over into the hogshead; hut tho
lads head being dark and all that was
visible OF him, he did not perceive him,
and dropped back to the ground. Tho
boy gave. Another shout. which,
muflied us II was by the close sides OF
the great wooden vessel. and coming
from what he thought he had Just seen
held nothing but black molasses,
aroused the superstition OF the negro
He sprang back with yell and went
tearing into the street yelling that
there was chant" in the fesr of the
store. A crowd collecting he told
what he had heard in the hogshead.
and while some passed on laughing
others remained TO ferret out the mys-
terry,
| a man ieaped up TO the top OF the
nearest hogsliead and peered into the
suspected one, but ON seeing white
face peering up IL him was nearly as
frightened as the negro had been. A
weak voice pleaded with him for sue.
corr 50 active measures were ut once
taken to get the boy Gut. A strange
figure he presented when brought Ia
view, dripping with concealed sweet.
ness, his clothes unrecognizablc as
sucii. II has been necessary to shave
the back Of his head, as the hair was
SO cakcd with molasses rs 70 bo wholly
unmanageablo
A few more inches Of tire molassc.
and some distiller would have beer
surprised to find In his next shipment
d boy preserved in II. as in all proba
bility had the molassos concealed hin
in tho hogshcad without examination
would have only been reheaded ant
shipped.