Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1897-06-17

lasted some hours, might have fallen
into a trance-died-as those around
me had thought, somewhere about
noon In that case they would certainly
have buried me with as little delay as
possible-before sunset at all events
Thinking these points over one by one,
| came to the conclusion that the bell
/ had just heard must have struck
midnight-the midnight OF the very
day of my burial. | shivered; kind
of nervous dread stole over me- | have
always been physically courageous,
but at the same time, in spite Of my
education, | am somewhat superstiti-
cus-what Neapolitan is not? it runs in
the southern blood. And there was
something unutterably fearful in the
sound of that midnight bell changing
harshly on the ears Of man pent up
alive in a funeral vault with the decay
ing bodies of his ancestors close within
reach of his hand, | tried to conquer
my feeliLgs-to summon up my forth
tude | erdeavored to reason out the
best method of escape. | resolved to
feel my way, If possible, to the steps of
the vault, and with this idea in my
mind | put out my hands and began to
move along slowly and with the ut
most care. What was that? stopped;
| listened; the blood curdled in my
veins! A shrill cry, piercing, pro-
! longed, and melancholy, echoed
through the hollow arches of my
tomb. A cold persplration broke out
over my body my heart beat so loud
! ly that | could hear it humping
against my ribs. Again-again-tha
weird shrek, followed by a whir and
/ flap of wings. breathed again.
| ut is an owl" | said to myself,
ashamed of my fears "a poor innocent
| bird-a companion and watcher of the
dead, and therefore its voice is full of
sorrowful lamentation--buti it is harm
! less and ! crept on with increased
caution. Suddenly out of the dense
/ darkness there stared two large yell
/ low eyes, glittering with fiendish hun
ger and cruelty. For moment | was
startled, and stepped back; the crea-
| ture few at me with the ferocity of a
| tiger-cat fought with the horrible
| thing in all directions; it wheeled
round my head it pounced toward my
| face, it beat me with its large wings
! wings that / could feel but not see; the
yellow eyes alone shone in the thick
gloom like the eyes of some vindictive
demon! | struck at it right and left
the revolving combat lasted some
II oments--I grew sick and dizzy, yet
| battled on recklessly At last, thank
Heaven! the huge owl was yanqushed;
it luttered backward and downward,
apparently exhausted giving one wild
screech of bafiled fury, as its lamp
| like eyes disappeared in the darkness.
Breathless, but not subdued- every
nerve in my body qulyering with eX-
citement-I pursued my way, as
! thought, toward the stone staircase.
4 feeling the air with my outstretched
hands as | CROPPED along In a little
while | met with an obstruction-it
was hard and coda stone wall,
surely? felt it up and down and found
a hollow in twas this the first step
of the stair? | wondered; it seemed
very high. | touched it cautiously
/ suddenly | came in contact with some
| thing soft and clammy to the touch
! like moss or wet velvet. lingering
this with a kind of repulsion, ! soon
| traced out the oDlong shape of coffin
| Curiously enough, | was not affected
! a 4
self monotonously counting the bits
of raised metal which served, as
| judged, for its characterization. Eight
bits lengthwise-and the soft wet stuff
between-four bits across: then a
pang shot through me, and | drew
my hand away quickly, as | considered
whose coffin was this? My fathers
Or was | thus plucking. like a man in
delirium, at the fragments of velvet on
that Cumbrous oaken Casket wherein
lay the sacred ashes of my mothers
persisted beauty? | reused myself
from the apathy into which | had
fallen. Al the pains | had taken 20
find my way through the vault were
wasted; | was lost in the profound
gloom, and knew not where TO turn.
The horror OF my situation presented
itself to me with redoubled force.
began to be tormented with thirst, !
fell on my knees and groaned aloud.
God of infinite mercy" | cried.
Savior of the world! BY the souls OF
the sacred dead whom Thou hast in
Thy holy keeping, have pity upon mel
Oh, my mother! if indeed thine earth
ly remains are near me-think of me,
sweet angel in that heaven where thy
spirit dwells at rcst-plead for me and
save me, or let me die now and be
tortured no m0re,"
uttered these words aloud, and the
sound of my wailing voice ringing
through the sombrc arches of the vault
was strange and fun of fantastic
terror to my own ears | knew that
were my agony much further prolonged
should go mad. And | dared not