The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-04-25
Within an Inch
of Eternity
New York Herald

~ hfNt ~ NAflfANAh ANNA NlVFAH WINE
blush rays shonc through tho younI
LEAKAGE Of the bloHsominR trees, whioI
swAysd gently 10 ana fro before IN
windows In the Hight brcoEo. Hut moth
Ing whH more remote from tho minds o
our circle, which mot every evening a
n certain table for social discourse, thai
p%OstioAl ideas. Tho club. " which I wa
one. consisted principally Of worthy Cit
znnH. who had a far greater liking foi
bright Easlight than for dim moonlight
and who appreciated the charms Of 4
good supper much more than the spell
Of tho ioyslIeFt spring night The topl,
Of our conversation vas prOsaic towr
gossip. which, ns usual. gradually merged
Into foolish talk about politics or de.
ouEhlunA concerning the government. ths
theAter, high taxes and similar subjecis
ny n connection Of IDEAS which I do not
now recall. the question had arisen
whether II wnH credible that n persons
hair could suddenly turn gray from VIC.
lent mental excitement. Part Of the
company received the anecdotes current
about such cases with slight doubts,
while others most pitiiessly derlded per-
sons who were simple enough 10 believe
such nursery tales
Just 40 tho conversation became most
animated. a man OF unusual height and
horculean frame. whom We had not pre-.
Viously noticed. rose from n side table
and approached ~. His Intelligent feat
ures. which bore the stamp Of resolution.
seemed FpifituaiiEed by the large. kindly
blue eyes. But the most striking 20.
c~ullarity In his appearance was the snow.
white hair and The gray beard framing
his face, which, al the utmost. Indicated
an aRo OF only 50 years.
Pardon me II I enter into YOUR con-
yeraAtion." he said. bowling cour,eousiy.
You ARE speaking Of a subject which
greatly Interests me myself am a
iiyinE proof that terrible mental aglin-
ton really does exert tho physical In.
'nuence which you all doubt"
iiiS words awakened the utmost inter.
est. We mad room for him nt ouI
table. and. after he had taken his seat.
unanimously urged him 10 tell ~ whh,
had caused tho whitcness OF his hair.
The stranger feigned no undue modesty,
but yielded 10 our enircaiies and related
the following story;
~ you have ever paid any attention
10 American affairs. the name OF Auburn
cannot be Unfamiliar: II has about th'
hAAAl' HAhulNNANNt w inc AUltfN hlAftn ~
%ApleiberE has In Austria. You must no
imagine Auburn ~ M immense gloomy
prison. a single large building. but rathei
a whole colony OF criminals. a metropoli,
Of the miserable outcaAts Of society
Enclosed BY enormous walls. which ris,
mcnacinEly 10 n considerable height abov,
tho plain are a great number Of singl,
structures, houses which contain the
cells Of the prisoners. the residences Of
the warden. barracks. hospitals and
workshops, all desolate and drcary. with
here and there a bit OF turf. n bed OF
flowers, n row OF trees. like an innocent
memory OF childhood among the evi
thoughts OF a criminal.
Circumstances which | will not weary
you by ~rccounting had led me. after
completing my education In my native
city. Hamburg. TO America. and after
brief time In New York I found myself
prison surgeon In Auburn. which. M
perhaps you know, Il In the state OF New
York.
II had charge q; q part OF the prison
which contained thu worst criminals
men. or. rather. human hyenas. TO whom
blood had ceased 10 be a very epecial
liquid. as Mephistophelcs terms II. Two
who were condemned 20 lifelong impris.
onmcni In ths institution and were dis.
tingulAhrd among the others by great
bodily strength. cfattincss and intelli'
ecnce. had. In consequence OF repeated
bold and cunning attempts TO escape
bcon placed under more rigid oversight
than tho rest. | had incurred their spe-
cial hate because ] had once caused the
discovery OF several iron tools, which
heaven knows how o~btaincd-they hat
concealed under their clothing. and or
another occasion discovered hat they
were shanming when. on the plea o
illness. they desired 10 be placed In the
hospital. probably because they hoped e
ind the conditions there more favorable
for their plans OF escape. The scoUn
drcis we're separated and heavily chained
but nevertheless one morning one and 9
few days later the other vanished. chair,
and all, without leaving a trace. About
n fortnight afterward ! went 10 CayugF
Bridge on some private business,
1T was noon when | reached the END
OF my ride. and l gaEed with delight al
the sunllt landscape before my eyes
Cayuga Lake. one OF those. which. with
Lake Erie. form the network OF milan,
lakes In New York. lay before me In IL
peculiar lovclincss. Between rugged
rocky shores. confronting each other Xix,
sullen foes, the long. narrow sheet Of
silver extended Its clear surface as 4
striving to reconcile the two enemies
who had stared d%efantly at each othcl
for centuries. Across the lake, which
Is about forty miles long, and, II thi'
point. a mile wide, the railway trains
run on an immense wooden bridge, g
marvel OF American enterprise, which
has a station at Cayuga bridge, an In
significant village.
My business was soon completed, ant
toward evening | set out IN my way
toward home, Are You familiar with
the pleasure Of a ride on u summer even
ing? Cayuga Bridge is surrounded by
extensive oak forests through which
had TO ride a considerable distance. Tn,
huge. lofty trunks cast long shadows
and the tops rustlcd so softly h ono
rather felt thar heard them, As ]
passed beneath these woodland giants,
sweet memories OF my lar-oH home stole
into my heart. Absorbed In thought. ]
looscncd the bride OF my horse, which
trottcd slowly forward. | admired the
bcwitching blending OF colors produced
by the rays OF the setting sun, as they
shonc through the dense, dark green foil
age and seemed to kindlc the edges oil
tho leaves. Suddenly | was reused from
my dreams by u rustlins In the under
brush on both sides OF the road. !
seized my pistol and turned quicdly, but
ut the same time received u terrible blow
which deprived me OF my senses. True,
| opened my eyes once moro and tancied
/ saw lndistinctly, as Il in n dream, one
OF the escaped criminals bending over
me, then darkness shrouded my mind.
ut must have been late at night when
consciousness returned. l opened my
eyes and saw above me In the deep blue
sky u radiant fun moon. A duh, heavy
sensation In the back OF my head made
me try to put my hand on the achine
spot, but | discovered that | was hound
hand and foot. Gradually l collected
my thoughts. remembered the attack by
highwaymen, and n terrible f~oreboding
which made my heart stop beating, dart
ed through my brain. | felt that wa'
laid across two sharp parallel projections
which pressed against me most pain
fully, and, listening intently, l heard. fai
below me, q faint %splashlng noise. Ther'
was no Doubt was lying across TIT
rails OF the Cayuga bridge, tound, un
able TO move. with the terrible certain
prospect OF being cut In three pieces
by the next train.
81 almost lost consciousness again
But / soon recovered my composure
Then l tugged desperately at my BOND