The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1894-08-23

cau>el a feeling IF sickeniny fear TO
creep over me. 1t seemed to ne that
two railway trains had come together
with terrible violenc, in dark tun-
mel. and that was one OF the Injured
passengers stretched at full length be-
meath the debri, of the wrecked coach.
In an agony OF anxiety to escape death.
| put out my hands to r. ach for some
thing to lay hold of. Solid walls shut
me IN and held ME vise-like. With a
cOnvulsive start | attempted to sit up.
My forehead struck against solid sur
face. There could be no doubt of it:
was completely impriso ned by the
walls Of rock from the top and sides Of
the fallen tunnel. The gloom was i'm
pene; rable, AMI the air began to be-
come vitiated by poisonous gases from
the engines. | was sci ed with a tit of
choking, while alternating flashes of
cold and heat shot through my body.
Suddenly my dream was over. I came
fully to my senses. The terrible truth
dawned upon me that had been buried
alive. and m, hair stiffencd and a cold
sweat distilled on my brow and ran
trickling into my eyes.
At last the tit had passed over. My
move and | could speak, for |
cried out first in dull, husky, mut,Ied
tones which frOze my very soul:
Buried alive. buried alive"
groanel. ON, mercifui heaven, am
buried alive"
This parOXy>m. however. served to
set my blood in circulation. and could
feel the warm liquid cour.ing gently
and soothingly along M limbs. warm
lag and strengthening me, and ena-
bling me to collect my scattered
thoughts and consider calmly the aw-
fu position that was in. for now it
seemed to me in reality that the air
was fast becoming un rea1hable. and
that ia a few moment, hould strangle
to death. nil that moment my heart
had be- still. my blood had chll ed in
my veins. and there had been no neei
now that l could 1eel my heart rise
and fall and catch the faint throb of
my awakened heart. | would need air,
and at once. too, and enough of it to
Eeep m, blood sufficiently purified to
support lie.
And now another terror seized upon
ne. 1t was fear of freezing. fear of
being overtaken by that insidious de-
sire for Sleep caused by intense cold,
q sleep which knows no awakening.
ut while | lay there suffering all
these torments my mind continued to
get her Str ensth, and | was at last en-
abled to quiet down and ask m ,self the
question, is there absolutely no
chance for to escape from this liv-
ing tomb? Must lie here till true and
veritable death come, upon me-"
Gradually my mind cleared up. and
with one hand locked in the other,
began to make test of my knowledge
concerning modes of burial, and after
a few moments reelection | reached
the conclusion that beyond all doubt
was buried in tive-year concession.
This thought almost set me in delirium
again. for mad my burial heen effected,
as in the trenches of Potter Field at
Nantes, where | had noticed that as
lnterments were constantly taking
place. the ends of the last collins we're
always lett cutie uncovered until fresh
burials occurred. there would have
been some slight hple of escape for
ME. In that case. it would only have
been necessary for me to burst off one
of the boards OF my coffin: while, if
was. a, | had every reason to believe,
buried in Il zeal grave, tn re was at
tat moment a thick bed of earth be-
tween me and the outer world. l hal
read somewhere that it was quite COM
mon in Paris to dig graves six feet
deep. How could | Ger hope to burst
through such a mass If even succeed
ed in bursting the lid of my con II, would
not the earth sift down upon me, filling
my eyes ana mouth a terrible sutfOca-
ton, a drowning in mud: Every way
my thoughts turned death in some
form or other met them However. |
began to make a careful survey OF my
narrow house, feeling every inch Of it.
1t was so large and roomy that could
move my arms with perfect ease.
There was no crevice in the lid, and
the boards of tho sides, although
planned. were firm and solid.
| raised my arm to examine the other
end, and there | felt a knot, which,
after had worked at it TO-. some time.
became so loose that wa, able to push
it out. Thrusting one finger through
the opening, | could feel wet, heavy,
.ayey soil.
ITO BE CONTINEEDl