The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1900-12-14

and glarinR, Invested the supposed
monster with a full proportion Of un-
holy light
IL would be endless were ! TO merely
hint at all the fancies that possessed
my mind. Every object that was hid
cous aud roaring presented itself TO
my Imagination 1 often thought
that ] was IN a hurricane az sea and
that the vessel ia which / was em-
baflIed tossed under Ine with the most
furious yehemence The AR set in
motion by the swinging 81 the bell
blew over me. nearly with the yio-
lence and more than the thunder Of a
tempest and the floor seemed to reel
under me, as under a drunken man,
But the most awful Of al the ideas
that seized on me were drawn from the
supernatural
In the vast cavern Of the bell hide
Gus faces appeared and glarea down
on me with terrifying frowns or with
grinning mockery still more appal-
ling found / was becoming de-
lirlons aud trembled lest reason should
utterly desert me. I feared lest. when
utterly deprived OF my senses 1
should rise-to DO which ] was every
moment tempted by that strange feel-
ing which calls on a man whose head
is dizzy from staadingon the battle
ment OF a lofty castle, TO precipltate
himself from il and then death
would be instant aud tremendous.
When / thought of this ] became
desnerate caught the floor with
grasp which drove the blood from my
nails, and I yelled with the cry of
despair / called for help, / prayed,
/ shouted. but an the efforts OF my
voice were, oi course, drowned in the
bell AS it passed over my mouth it
occasionally echoed my cries, which
mixed not with It's own sound but
preserved their distinct character
Perhaps this was but fancy To me.
] know, they then sounded as If they
were the shouting bowling or largh-
Ing OF the iiends with which my im-
agination had peopled the gloomy
cave which swung over me.
Ia twenty minutes the ringing was
done Half Of that time passed over
me without power Of computation
the other half appeared an age
Wheh ~ ceased ] became gradually
more quiet, but new fear retained
me. l knew that five minutes would
elapse without ringing, but at the
end OF that short time the bell would
be rnng for a second time for five
minutes more | could not Calculate
time A minute and an hour were
~ equal duration ! feared &c rise
lest the five minutes should have
elapsed and the ringing again be COM
menced, IN which case l should be
crushed before could escape against
the walls or framework Of the bell.
Therefore still continued to lie
down, cautiously shifting myself
however. with a careful gliding, so
that my eye 90 longer looked into the
hol ow. This was of itself a consid-
able relief
Tie cessation Of the noise had in
a great measure, the effect of stupefy-
ing me, for my attention being no
longer occupied by the chimeras had
conlured up, began TO Gag. An that
new distressed nae was the constant
expectation OF the second ringing for
which, however / settled myselfwlth
a kind OF stupid resolution. ! closed
my eyes anu ciinched my teeth as
firmly rs if they were screwed In a
wise
At last the dreaded moment came
and the first swing Of the bell cx-
torted groan from me, as they say
the most resoute victim screams at
the sight Of the rack to which he is
Cor the second time destined. After
this, however ! lay silent and
lethargic without a thought
When it ceased / was aroused a
little by the hope Of escape. I ala
not, however decide on this step
hastily but putting up my hand
with the utmost caution, / touched
the rim Though the ringing had
ceased it stili was tremulOu- from the
sound, and shook under my hand,
which instantly rocoiled as from an
electric Jar A quarter OF an hour
probably elapse before ! again dared
TO make the experiment and then 1
found it at rest determined TO
lose no time, fearing that 1 might
have lain then already too long, and
that the bell for evening service
would catch me.
This dread stimulated me, ard /
slipped out with the utmost rapidity
and arose. / stood, sup 0se, for a
minute looking with silly wonder on
the place Of my imprisonment pene-
tfated with ioY at escaping. but then
rushed down the stony and irregular
stair with the velocity Of lightning.
and arrived In the bell-ringers room.
Ny hands were torn and bleeding; MY
hair disheveled ana my clothes tat
tered
leaned against the wall. motion
less aud deprived Of thought in
which posture my companions found
me when. in the course Of a couple Of
h0uys. they returned to their occv-
patton. --Blackw0Od's Magazine.
Browninef- Courtesy.
Mrs Andrew Crosse tells in 40
c0rrent numter of Temple Bar an