The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1900-02-08


mol at once. for when 10 the Indies with
my father ! had experienced Il. il wa
not caused By The earth shaking from tho
rolling uf heavy thunder, for jass then the
voice of the storm was confined to the r0er
Of terrific downpour Of rain. IL was an
earthqnake-a rare phsnonenon In this bat
iiudr. and its rarisy, iiA severity. and it's re-
suits hrfac my syru, triaing az were thssa.
woke nae from my trance and again gays
full play 10 any wits.
Fascinated and partly stunned a. ] had
been by the hendish lace Of my enemy and
the full significance Of the evil fortune into
which bad suddenly fallen, liks hin, ]
cot through the e5mmotion. Every anim-
portant detail about him, from the broken
pearl button on his shirt fFsnt down TO the
grains of powder In the pistol pan and the
fine edge Of the fini "a the lock, found a
force Of attraction 10 the eye Only known
TO those who fall into snddea hopslcssnsss
or deep depression.
But with the dancing Of the tableware
quick idea shot through my brain. and
showed me q last desperate chance 10 ca
ineato myself from the coll about me.
Natural pheuomcnoa In the shape ef
breeze had saved me from the khiis nf the
negro, and noN 'twas an earthquake that
might open a way for my dsiivcranos by
splaahinR water from pitcher.
Straining my nerves TO conceal the new
hops that had sprung 10 lie. began 10 act.
Never had felt my muscles knit Armer or
been leas in need Of atsmulaat than when,
sinking back as u at last overcome by the
combined shock Of his words and the con
vulsion Of nature, which had ROW pAssed,
said sloW,y and as though dssed:
u am bat prisoner Of war. Air. was
forced for my own safety 10 come 10 New
York. am uo-apy-~i win eo--but--yon--
let me drink. feel lax ARd-diaxy."
You have hcae Of the Indian In you,
you palelivered aneaki" he answered.
Drink, then, and gather your upank and
legs for action. Beat me with the Cat Of
your swordl Fore Godl But wait till
can shift my eye from youl Drink, and then
move before we have smother quake, and the
walls about us-'twili be your ixst dram"
With apparent effort raised myself,
reached for the bottle, and poured out q
still measure Of liquor, which drank on (;
then taking the pitcher, made az though 10
fll the glass, but a. tipped Il, with a sud.
den movement whirled full half gallon
Of water over the pistol. drsnchine the
prining and making the weapon useless
With this action sprAng 10 my feet.
Sesmmell was quick. but not quick
enough. The water had boa reached the
powder when heard the snap Of the de
sccEdiug hammer, and saw his FIRST mo-
tion 10 gain his legs. but, following up the
drowning Of the fre-pan, lifted the heavy
table and overturned Il ON him. pushing
him backward. where 20 the fioor went man,
furniture, and eroekery with terrific crash.
At that moment there came vivid fash of
lightning. aud hard upon II an appalling
peal Of thunder. Though almost blinded
and deaiened by the bolt. sprAng round
the overturned table, and ssising the first
thing coming TO hand, which proved 60 be
the water jug still unbroken, srasped the
struggling tory By the throat and with al
my force brought down the heavy eaFthsn-
ware on his uncovered head.
The pitcher flew 10 frzgments, leaving
but the handle In my grasp. while Scammell
became limp and collapsed.
This action took place during the Interval
al which the thunder was the loudest. and
was probably the reason that caused the
noise Of the fall Of the table 10 he unnoticed
by those below. But. a. though Il had been
insufficient, another violent t0nvulaioa fol.
lowed, which came and went with the
suddennsss of the explosion Of a park Of
artillery.
had but gotten 10 q standing position
when a conclusion rocked the house 70 its
foundation. II sprnng not from the earth
below thia time, but from the air above.
H. s=tt.-.Nf..a - ssLaaL 4aakaA H. kaw.-
ing giass from the wall and caused the win.
dow panes 10 tiy in pieces into the room. u
was not of the nature OF an earthquake,
still less like thunder near or aiAr; much
II resenlbled the blowing up Of magazine.
though nof until aftcrwsrd did | come TO
know this an the solution Of the matter.
The assh that had lighted my attack on
seammeil had struck a powder ship Just
from England ss alr lay at anchor Of Wall
street. and no ye=tiss 0! |. OF .hc=s aboard
was ever discovered. rThis combination Of
intense heat, violent storm, earthquake,
and explosion actually occurred In Esw
York city. Sunday, August s, i77s.l
The vicious nature Of the shock was IN.
liks the gradual coming and going ef the
earthquake, and that II had occasioned
more slsrm | soon knew By the shouts that
came from beneath my window. RashinR
TO Il. through the shattered panes hskeld
men running frum tho opposite houses,
while in the yard below was the squad oi
sOldisrs, which had rrssari from the tavern
In panic when Il seemed tina, the bald
ing would fall
My safety sfiil demanded immediats &c
tion, for should curiosity or distrnat impel
the guard 20 come upstairs, | would be un.
done. That move would drive me 20 bay,
and either obsise mo TO finally surrender os
die like a rat Ia hole.
but ] bad determined . course OF pro
eednrs by the time had fnishsd geisine
into my clothing. Hastily setting the table
upright, l stopped ever the body Of Seam
NELL sxpectsd 10 find him dead. and was
surprised 10 discover that hs WINS stili o'
this world. the thickness Of his curly hair
and a possible crack In the jug having
saved him from crushed skull. lie was
complesely stannsd, however, and with
little ado dragged him into the closet and
shut the door.
Ny sole chance Of escape now ley In srt
ting TO Clinton and procuFins pass. which
might be used ere hue aud cry was raised
after me, and | fanried tks hour was mol
far from tha3 appointed Tor the NESTING
II was possible that Clinton had been Ia
formed Of the faEsity of my nanae, thczxh
srxaed u athsd been thsn seammsli wosld
never have appresehed me IN the manner b.
had done. Al al events. sks risk must b
taken.
At first sishs there seemed no sneMns q
leaving tho house save by tho stairs or |
drup Of twenty feet or racFe FROM zay sid,
window; but, upon investigated, dis
covered p<nt ROOT beneath the wiadow'
Of room near ths cod of the hall. xnd upos
eoiex into the eharAbsr | sxw tks npert
nent was prphshly the qaArtsrs oecspies
By ny lste ssaaiIsat. upoa the bed tsy I
military hat cost. and axAU. vhile from
hook hung ioag sloak ssea " asvazrl
officers.
Approgristinx ths ;sttev. ! sespped fruu
the window 10 The rsef, ereepizg 70 The cave
which esim< 10 within ten fssz u thu sroand
aud from khesf dpppE%d
80 fff bad besh uBnhmsfvsl, asd Il tool
ma nos many lEonents - ert into th- stree
and bsisw the tevefn, H0f&inG frcm tke<x
roundabuuk caurae thFouxh ~ ssnt nide =
~ tpwn " until ! dared " eons aut =
the Iifemd~Ny
/ VA li.tis sssr a innsdists puruuat :
usee INV neiten I'D q nklias e a
mis6ien 4. GIetea, 81 khl& witA ~ -
yxlszr exei>4ng13 n " ~ oun1Ml1l