Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1901-11-22
A TRYING ORDEAL

We had descended into the crater OF
Vesuvius and were starting back. The
rest Of the party had gone on, but I
walked to the center Of the basin for a
souvenir I spent much time hunting
for what 1 wanted and was at last
startled by wild yell from the guide
who came rushing toward me, bis face
distorted. his mouth open and his eyes
flaming and Of that disagreeable green
ish color.
I stood looking at him, not knowing
the cause Of his strange actions.
Was the volcano about to commence
another eruption and crisp us to Gin
der?
By this time he had reached my side.
and before 1 knew 1t he had grasped
me by the throat and borne me down.
another sacrifice to offer to my
charming queenw he cried as he COM
menced dragging me toward the steep,
smoking cone.
It was some time before recovered
from the surprise which this unexpect-
ed maneuver occasioned.
But at last did and struggled to my
feet.
"Come," said. "you have carried
this joke far enough"
"Ha, ha, ha" he laughed, fighting
desperately to force me up to the cone.
"My pets think 1t is capital joke!
Don't you hear them growing for
food? Come, 1t is your flesh, and 1t
alone, that will appease their hungerv'
His ffendish eyes glared into mine,
fakes Of foam dropping from his livid
lips.
1 saw it in an instant
I was in the hands Of raving ma
MAC.
To plead or argue would amount to
caught; nothing but strength and agil-
ity could save me from most horri-
BILE death, for 1t was his intention to
throw me into the mouth Of the cone,
there falling into the seething, boiling
ocean Of fire and fame beneath. I
should be burned to crisp in q Sec
ond Of time.
I struggled desperately, shouting the
while in hope of Gaming back my
friends to my aid.
But all my shouting was useless
lost in the mighty surroundings and
the ever shifting clouds Of smoke and
mist, rendered their seeing me an i'm.
possibility.
My only hope was to overpower my
assailant.
We We're now within few yards of
the base Of the cone and the heat was
almost insufferable.
Clouds of smoke and fame, followed
by huge pieces Of blood red scoria,
were vomited from the black funnel.
like peak
l was gradually forced nearer and
nearer.
The persplration started from every
pore, and I became conscious that !
was growing weaker and would soon
have to succumb, my physical strength
being no match for his-fged on by a
flendish purpose, the product Of a dis.
eased intellect.
The earth was quaking beneath our
feet, the air was sitting and deeply
impregnated with the fumes Of gas.
My face and hands had already COM
menced to blister under the intense
heat.
And while l was slowly losing my
strength he appeared to have his aug.
mented at every step.
I could not fight much longer.
Death, in one of its most horrible
forms, would in a few moments be my
fate.
My sight grew dim; my brain seemed
to be pierced by hot irons; my limbs
refused to move.
"God help me" 1 murmured.
The prayer had hardly left my lips
when I felt a sudden fash Of intense
heat, and the same instant the hold of
the maniac guide was loosened.
1 opened my eyes. A mass Of redhot
scoria had in its descent crushed him,
a charred, shapeless heap, to the earth.
By great effort of will I regained
sufficient. strength to stagger off and
reach the precipitouS side of the basin,
when all became black, impenetrable
void.
When I again opened my eyes, I
found myself lying in bed, with my
friends bending anxiously over me.
They informed me that they did not
miss me until they had reached the
top Of the crater, and there my nonap-
pearance was attributed to my explor-
ing propensities, and as had, as they
supposed, an excellent guide, they felt
no fear as to my arrival in due sea-
son to accompany them back to the
city.
But as hour after hour rolled by and
I was. still absent an underlined, vague
feeling for my safety ran through
them and finally took such hold that
they determined to once more descend