The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-05-08
WITHIN AN INCH.

-, and the brilliant full moon, whose
,Ilnuerinq blush rays shonc through
~, Young LEAKAGE OF the blossomlng
trres. which swaycd gently to ana fro
h,torc the windows In the light breeze.
mn nothing was more remote from the
minds OF our circle. which met every
.v.plnc at n certain table FOR social In
tsr,Oursc, than poe,leal ideas, The club,
a, which was one. consisted prin-
cinaIIv uf worthy citizens, who had
Ear greater liking for bright Easllght
'han FOR dim moonlight and whO apprc-
lated the charms OF good supper
mach more than the spell Of the love-
Isst sprlng night. The topic ot our con-
,,rrsat0n was proslic town gossip.
which. as usunl gradually merged into
t,olish talk about politics or discussions
concerning the government. the thcatce,
bIrh taxes and similar subjects. BY a
connection OF ideas which ! do not now
yssan tho question had arisen whether
h was credible that persons hair
could suddenly turn gray from violent
mental excitement.
Ius, as the conversation became most
animated man Of unusual height and
Herrulchn frame. whom he had n1t
OBVIOUSLY noticed. rose FROM side Ia
bls and approached us His intelligent
features, which bore the stamp Of reso-
intlcn. seemed spirltuallEed by the
large. kindly blue eyes. But the mos,
striking regularity In his appearance
Vas me snow white hair aud the gray
hand framing his face. which. At the
utmost. Indicated an age OF only thirty
Pardon me- n I enter into your con-
v,rsat.nn." he snid. bowling courteously.
You axe speaking OF a subject which
rraatIy Interests me. J myself. am q Nv
ins proot that terrible mental 0Witation
RAILS does exert the physical influence
which you all doubt
Tae stranger felEned no undue nod
.,'y. but Welded 20 our entreaucS and
related the following story:
N YOU have ever paid any attention
"a American affaiFs, the name OF Au-
bura cannot be unfamiliar, II has about
~ anne Significance IN the United
states as Splelberg has in Austria,
circumstances which / Viii not
vsa-y you by recountiug had led me,
aser completing my education In ms
natiyc city. Hamburg. to America, and
after a brief time tn New York. l found
myself prison surEean in Auburn which,
AZ perhaps you know, IS In the state Of
New York.
II had charge of plrt u the prison
which contained the worst criminals,
men. or rather human hyrnnH, 10 whom
blood had ceased 10 be a very special IL
0gId. rs MephIstophclcs terms Il. Two,
WIZ were condemned To lifelong impris
onmrnt IN the Institution. and were
distinguished among the other by great
biAly strength. craftiness and iuteili-
Ctrrr had. w consequence OF repeated
b0ld and cunning attempts To escape.
been placed undo. more rigid oversight
;han the rest, had Incurred their
special hate because ! had once caused
tie discovery Gf several iron tools,
wh.ch-heayeR krows how Obtained
they had concealed under their cloth.
inr. and on another occasion discovered
that they were shamming when. on tnc
plea Of Illness. they desired to be plac-
"a In the hospital probably because
they hoped 10 md the conditions there
more favorable FOR their plans OF es-
care The scoundgcls we're separated
and heavily chained. but nevertheless,
one morning one and few days later
tho other vanished, chains and all.
without leaving a trace About a fort
niEht IfisrwArd | went 90 Cuyuga
B-idGe on some private business.
1t was noon when I reached the end
of my ride. and gaZed with delight at
the suniit landscape before my eyes,
Cayuga Lake, one Of those which. with
Lake Erie, form the network OF Inland
lakes In New York, lay before me in Its
peculiar lOveliu.ss Between rugged
rocky shores. confronting each other
like sullen foes. the lOng, narrow sheet
Of silver extended ia clear surface as II
striving 10 reconcile the two enemies
Who had started dehan,ly at each other
for centuries. Across the lake, which u
about forty miles long, and at this
point a mile wide. the railway trains
run on an immense wooden bridge, a
marvel OF American enterprise. which
has a station at Cuyaga Bridge. an
insignificant village.
NY business was soon completed,
and toward evening / set out on ms
way home Are YOU familiar with the
Measure OF ride on q summers even
Ing. CayuGa Bridge Is surrounded by
extensive oak forests, through which !
had 20 ride considerable distance.
Absorbed in thought, ! lOOsened the
bride OF my horse. which trotted slow
Is forward. / admired the hewitchlnG
blending OF colors produced by the rays
Of the setting sun. as they shHne
through the dense. dark green FOLIAGE
and seemed TO klndle the edges OF the
leaves Suddenly ! was reused rom
my dreams by a rustling In the under
brush on both sides or the road. ] seized
ny pistol and turned quickly. out az
,he same moment received a terrible
blow which deprived mc OF my senses
True. opened my eyes once more ana
fancied / saw Inlisunctly, "a II In a
dream. one OF the escaped criminals
bending over me; then darkness shrouh-
ed my mind.
1T must have been late AZ night
when consciousness returned, / opened
my eyez and saw above me In the deep
blue SKY radiant full moon. \ dun
heavy sensation In the back OF my
head made mc try 20 put ms hhnd on
the achlag spot. but I discovered that
was found hand and foot. GradnaIiS
collected my thoughts remembered
The attack BY highwaymen. ANA a Ter
rible fdrebodings. which made my heart
stop beating. dartel through my brain
,Clt that was laid across two Sha'p
parallel projections. which pressed
against me most painfully. and listen
Ing inteGtly l heard, Ear below me-
faiat pIaahing noise There was no
doubt I was lying across the falls OF
The CaVunl bridge. bound, unable 10
move, with the terrible certain prospect
OF being cut into three pieces oy the
next train.
u shuddcrcd and lay still. but not
long The light Of tn" large. % me
fca'iglly brilliant moon. the splishing
OF the water below, the wind blowing
so',ly, then the deathllke silence again.
rarely Interrupted by The distant note
n a bridal became uncomfortable ana
inspired me with unspenkablc terror
Aud tho rails, The rails Nv senses tor
fIr'd me, / could not escape them.
The wooden beams Of the bridge trcm-
bIei almost lmpcrcepubly from the
washing OF the water I Imagined ] tclt
Nn approach Of the train and my hair
briatled, The wind sighed little loud.