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

There followed a long drowsy time
of stiffness and shadow ! seemed to
have fallen in some deep wen Oh
delicious oblivion and obscurlty.
Dream-like images stiIl fitted before
my fancy-these were at first undern-
able, but after awhile they took more
certain shapes. Strange futterlng
creatures lowered about me-lonely
eyes stared at me from a visible deep
gloom: long white bony fingers grasp
ing at nothing made signs to me OF
warning or menace, Then-Very
gradually, there dawred upon my sense
of vision u cloudy red mist like a
stormy sunset, and from the middle OF
the bloOd-like haze huge black hand
descended toward me. II pounced up
on my chest-it grasped my throat IN
its monstrous clutch, and held me
down with weight Of iron. ! strug-
gled VIOLENTLY stroye to cry out
but that terrific pressure took from me
all power of utterance. ! twisted my
self TO right and left In an endeayor to
esCape-but my tyrant Of The sable
hand had bound me in on all sides.
Yet | continued TO wrestle with the
cruel opposing force that stroye to
oNerwhelm me--little by little-inch
by inch 50, At last, One more strug-
gle victory, | woke Merciful God!
Where was /? In what horrible atmos-
phero-n what dense darkness Slow
~, as my senses returned to me, ] re-
membered my recent illness. The
monk the man pietro where were
they? What had they done to me-?
BY degrees / realized that | was ly-
ing straight down upon my back-the
couch was surely very hard? Why had
they taken the pillows from under my
head? A prickiug sensation darted
through my veins felt my own
hands curously they were warm, and
my pulse beat strongly. though fit
fully But what was this that hin
dered my breathing? Affair." | must
have ART put up my hands-horror!
They struck against hard opposing
substance above me. Quick rs light
ming then the truth flashed upon my
mind! had been buried buried alive.
this wooden prison that inGlosed me
was n coffin! A frenzy surprising that
OF an infuriated tiger took swift pos
gession OF me-with hands and nails
| tore and scratched at the acCursed
boards-with all the force of my
shoulders and arms | toled to wrench
open the closed lid My efforts were
fruitless! ! grew more ferociously mad
with rage and terror How easy We're
all deaths compared to one like this!
was sutfocating--l felt my eyes start
from their soCkets-blood sprung from
my mouth and nostrils and icy
drops OF sweat trickled from my fore
head. | paused, gaspng for breath.
Then, suddenly nerying myself for one
more wild effort, | hurled my limbs
with all the force of agony and des-
peration against one side Of my narrow
prison. 1t creaked-it split asunder!--
and then-a new and horrid fear beset
me, and | crouched back, painting
heavily. lf-if ! we're buried in the
giCtnd-so ran my CHASTITY thoughts
of what use To break open the coffin
and let in the mold the damp wormy
mold, rich with the bones of the dead,
the penetrating mold that would choke
up my mouth and eyes. and seal mo
into silence forever, My mind quailed
at this idea--my brain tottered on the
verge of madness, | laughed think of
Hl-aud my laugh sounded in NV ears
like the last rattle in the throat of a
dying man Hut / could breathe more
easily even In the superaction of
my fears 81 was conscious Of air Yes,
the blessed air had rushed in somehow
Revived ana encouraged ms recoc-
ni2od this fact. felt with both hands
till found the rreyiro had mad, ana
then with frantic haste and stropotb =
pulled and dragged M fine wood ru
suddenly the whole side M ,ne =, nm
gave away and WAS .,bl, fn ,,r,o nm,
che lid strot,he5 ONT NM, arm. ,n
weight of earth imnede5 tbsi,, move.
,,,rts fft ,.,,..