The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1898-03-12

| to venture into some unknown place.
would probably have gone TO nay room
and procured a candle had not this fear
some sensation come over me. laughed
at myself for experiencing
Testing every step before trusting
my whole weight upon IL, lest the tim
give way and precipitate me headlong
to the depths below. went slowly
down into the Egyptian darkness. Ny
hand rested on the rude balustrade all
the way, and when il came to the end
knew was standing on the last step.
am probably no more of a coward
than most men. and had never been
afraid of darkness; but this was the
blacklist night had ever been i'm
mersed In. Really there was a lesser
degree of darkness when closed my
eyes, for then the sensations of the
glowing western sky still fingered.
Standing there on the bottom step, an
unnccountable fear came over me.
Probably il has been perceived from
this history that Impotence regarding
things which seem TO have a bearing
on the supernatural is one of my char
acteristics. To feel a sensation of fear
when there is no apparent reason for
IL, causes disgust ut what / consider
an objectionable weakness.
So then determined to chastise my
cowardice by keeping on and explor-
ing that dark hole. would not allow
myself to beat an ignominious retreat
simply because q sensation OF fear in
clined me to such course.
/ took the last step, and my feet
rested on what seemed 10 be loose
plank, which gave way few inches
under my weight. From the feeling
of insecurity this brought TO me,
thrust out my foot to feel my way be-
fore proceeding farther.
Before / could take a step forward,
however, from somewhere in that tomb
like darkness, in deep. solemn tones,
sounded voice:
Another step means death. Pause
before you take it'll"
To say that / was simply startled
| would not be true. / was paralyzed
with fear. My hair bristled up, my
heart began a trip-hammer action, and
the blood surged To my head in fierce
tide.
Back. for your lifel" again sounded
the voice, this time in sterner tones.
Back, for"
But / stayed not to hear more. Never
had that stairway been assembled in
greater haste. / fairly tumbled up.
using my hands as well as my feet.
Pausing not to close the cook-house
door, made wild rush for my room,
intent on the one only purpose of
escaping from the unknown terror of
that horrible voice. closed my bed
room door after / had entered, and
bolted IL. Then / threw myself into
the nearest chair and covered my face
with my hands.
For some time / remained so, limp,
powerless and completely unnerved.
The night had fallen when / again
looked up, and my room was shrouded
In gloom. Darkness was horrible; SO,
staggering to my feet, fumbled about
| for some matches, and in feverish haste
lit the two lomps and the candle
which were in the room. The window
1 was ODtus tlOSCu luG buubbtIo anu
bolted them. The door leading into the
parlor where my grandfather's body
had reposed in the coffin waiting for
burial, SO many years ago, was also
open, and in my wrought-up magma
| ton specters of the dead seemed TO pass
before IL. There was no bolt to this
| door and, not feeling satisfied in having
IL simply latched, by great effort 1
showed tall chest of drawers against II.
Even thus barricaded there was no
feeling of safety. There was no know
ing what fearful mystery might come
up through the floor from the walled
up cellar beneath.
The experience just passed through
was enough TO brighten anyone. But
Ii was not that alone which caused such
| n complete decentralization of my nerves
and 30 absolute n terrorism of all my
faculties. There was something more
than the demonstration just encoun-
tered, something from within myself.
Looking back 10 the time now real
ize how true IL is that often coming
events cast their shadows before.
After awhile began 20 realize more
and more that the intensity of the fear
which had swept over me was not
! wholly caused by the sound of the
voice OF the attendant circumstances.
secuted all idea of a supernatural orr
gin; but, then. what was IL?
The season of the year had arrived
when the farmers had about completed
the garnering OF an abundant harvest,
and therefore feeling Of content
abouDded. The countryside was over
run by tramps, the members of the dus-
ty fraternity well knowing that food
was never denied hungry man by the
welLproyisioned farmers. Perhaps the
cook-house cellar was a rendezvous for
number of tramps. was so eager TO
arrive at some explanation Of the event
which would have wholly materialistic
bearing that the absurdity Of n man
seeking n resting-place in damp foul
cellar, when a much more comfortable
loJ ,nfrht Ia oocurod ont NJ tho harr