The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-03-21

II have been studying the manner IN
which those iron shelves are fastened,
and to-day I again examined the screws.
@Only screws keep them in their places,
and knife would surely aid me to un-
screw them; then I could push them
over, and as know the workings OF the
panels, could soon be free.
ITO be sure I am chained!
@But knife would also unloose this
chain, sever these bonds.
"A knife! A knife! God grant me Q
knifel
"Such is now my daily wish, my cry.
"A knifel A knife!
@June 6, 1s-Something terrible has
happened to my brain. I am wild! am
undone! I can remember nothing!
"Who am I? Where am I?
@Ah, yes; I have it! was peer; I
am so no longer.
81 an poor minister Of the gospel,
confined here for the sake Of religion.
~ am, in short, Rev. Edwin c. Stiles.
@How strange that am here! I can
remember nothing.
aBut I have Bible, and I read and
preach long sermons, and pray contin-
nally.
eyes; some day I shall, think be re-
leased, by Gods power, and then l shall
devote myself to his cause.
u shall preach the gospel.
"How strange my head feels! Some
times I think am going mad!
81 pray that may not be mad.
@July 1S.-I am preaching and pray
ing constantly. Night and day plead
.,,;&L roJ ~ sopI va Dnffo
@Will my prayers be granted? Shall !
ever have knife? Can / ever cut my
way out of this weary prison, out to lib
erty, and preaching Gods holy word?
aHeavenly Father, set me free, and
my whole life shall be given to Thy
work, Thy cause.
"July l9.-Glory be to God! Halle
lujah! Amen! "
any prayer is heard! A knife came to
me with my food; sent me, I presume,
by accident 1t was forgotten, and now
it is mine!
Accident did I say? No, no; it was
sent by God in answer to my prayer.
II shall write no more. shall In
stantly get to work; I shall soon be a
free man.
"But these pages, written as it were,
with my hearts blood, l shall never once
leave out of the reach Of my hands.
81 am Rev. Edwin c. Stiles, minister
of the gospel, and these lines are my
diplomas, my badge Of Office.
"Ha, ha; knife is mine; my ownl And
now shall work myself free!"
Elfenstein paused and passed his hand
over his forehead in deep thought. A
sudden idea had seized him; it was this:
Ethel Nevergail and he must have
been in the corridor when this poor crea-
tuEe escaped
Yes; poor creature! These last lines
told that he must have been insane, or
nearly so, at least, when he escaped.
But he had no time to think; q few
more words remained to be read and his
audience were eagerly waiting. These
were written in pencil and the letters
were crooked and feeble, as though done
in great weakness
august 1s, - I am sick, dying per-
haps! ., JOY if this should prove to Do
death!
81 am weary, tired, worn out, but 1
thank God am again myself.
aNow I know l am Sir Arthur Glen
denning. Lately have been confused
and thought myself q minister.
"My brain, my poor brain, was un-
strung. At last am myself.
"a knife came to me and l took out
the screws from the shelves, opened the
panels after pushing the shelves aside
and escaped from my prison.
"In the corridor I came upon q young
girl and a man.
strangers; knew that at once. Both
were strangers. Yet feared recapture.
Il rushed forward, dashed the light
from them and then another frenzy
seized me and my poor head nearly burst
with pain.
u uttered cry in my agony. Then
another, as rushed through the we'll
known ruins.
aMy God! had those cries betrayed
me?
sWouid Reginald pursue and drag me
back? vowed not I would be wary
would utter no more cries, even II
died in suppressing them.
sThe night air revived me.
sBlessed air. had not felt its cheer.
ing influence, drawn fresh mouthful OF
outside air, in twenty-five years.
II opened my mouth, expanded my
chest, drank it all in.
@What cared for the storm, the howl
ing wind, the falling rain.
alt was delight, it was rapture! wal
| free! was free
II knew not where to 60, but spec
away, away, and rested not, until l wa:
/ hidden in the cave in Demons wood.
"There I slept and rested. There
quieted my overwrought nerves, anc
| thanked God for the blessed knife tina
He, and He alone, had sent me.
"Morning came, and again l tried II
think.
@My brain seemed heavy, and coule
scarcely remember my own name.
"But it came to me after while. Rev
Edwin c. Stiles, q minister OF the gospel
But how could preach in these thread
bare clothes? l must get suitable gar
ments I had money; always had hat
money. had it in my pocketbook whel
cast into prison. My prosecutors did no
rob me.
$50 took the cars and went to Liver
pool, where bought suit OF clerica