The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1898-11-03
Hartley. Nerve.

indeed one OF the most memorable OF oil
sieess, vas that which the itrirvse sus
tanned from the com mblped tea forces Of
France and Spain daring the years l779
to 1853. The crest .tt,ck on the place
was made on the 18th Of SEP temb,r, 1854,
and oil the resources OF power and science
were exhsutted by the sssailsnts IN the
fruitless attempt.
II was on this day that . humble pri
vste performed 40 act which history has
handed down TO rs. The business OF the
siege progressed. The rock by the
batteries sent forth it's splint,rs TO deal
destruction around 1T every impact OF the
Spanish shot, but the return fire was OF
the most telling description and mott
.tssdily kept up by the British.
But removed from the smoke and din,
n the labratory OF the garrison, surround
ed by the chemistry OF war, sst one man,
a humble privst'. His IL wsf, while bis
comrades worked the guns in the suflocst
ing cssemates Of the covered batteries, to
prepare the shells for the use OF the NOR
t.rs, . dangerous task so dangerous 10
fact that even the examination OF the
missiles is considered sufficiently perlous
on bolrd ship to warrant q stage being
slung over the side to be occupied by only
one or two mer, the others being kept at
diitance. Bot familiarity with peril
robs men OF their fear, and Hartley sat
busily making ready shell after shell, fll
ing them with the explosive composition
and afterward fitting in the iuses, driving
them home and ranging the prepared
shells in cases till they should be fetched
TO be sent in fiery arcs to deal death and
destruction among the enemy.
The laboratory was that time full OF eI
pIosive mate rial, every gram Of which
was OF inestimable value t) the beleaguer
ed G riisor, and 1t bad been accordingly
placed IN position which rendered II im
possible for the shot or shell Of the enemy
TO reach il. But row the danger guarded
against from without threatened il possi
BILE more terrible from within threatened
TO destroy at one blow the whole OF the
explosive compounds stored for defense,
snd this at time when such o loss would |
have been irreparable.
Shell sitsr shell had been filed, the |
grim black spheres, as they lay ready. Civ |
ing but small signs OF their deadly power
the force that should rend them into in |
numersble sbreds OF cast iron, each to
main CT s!ay.
Suddenly, while calmly proceeding
with bis work and driving q fuse into
fresh filled shell, the fuse took FIRE. hiss
ing loudly IS it discharged its rain OF
sparks and burning rapidly away. There
seemed hardly time fer thought. much
less for action, and the fret feelings Of
Hartley we're those OF blank dismsy.
He had seen the dischsr5e and fight
,f shells so often thst he knew he could
,nly reckon upon it's burning for . few
seconds. and then would come Q dire e1
plosion that would act upon the part OF
he fortress whore be was like an eSrth
Iuske, the bursting OF the shell being, ss
il were, but the Hash in the pan thst
would prelude the blowing up OF the
laboratory. But with the csmness Of the
nan whose trade was one which brought
lin daily face TO face with death, Hsrlley
ezed the she'll in both bands, hurried
,ut into the open sir and then with ire
,fi,rt hurled the deadly globe
ar into space, where = couple Of seconds
fter 1t hsrmlessly burst. II was not un
IL some time after that the performer OF
bis during act could thoroughly realize
hf great danger that had threatened him
sitb destruction, aud though the peril
vas past II vac some time after, and then
'nly WITH nnstrung nerves, that he return
d 10 his perilous task.