Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1902-02-08

IN the xlightest should be swept To
death. Rslo~ me was the thoussn-
fee, Of steel tube. through which an sr- q
~esissihse torrent was shootings aud
nj It's END was the great wheel revolv-
ing with the swiftness Of light, snc
ready 10 lacerate and msngie VIVA;
ever might be hurled against IL.
The penstock was perfectly
straight. and about eight feet sa diam
4ser. For the frst hundred yards
gradually decreasing portion Gifts top
was above Uroun,t Just where IL dis
appeared beneath the earth was an
omen rnanhole. covered by a hsav, wire
screen. For the remainder OF its
length Il was buried az an Increasing
depth beneath the surface. tai ~ passed
through :he foundation wall OF the mill
and came out in the lowest basement,
10 pour its flood into the wheei-pit-
There was another open manho,e few
feet from the end Of the pipe.
"As chung 10 the grating. with my
face barely above the surface. ] could
see the little twigs and chips drawn
into the current and sucked down the
smooth incline. I tried TO pull myself
up 10 the grating in the hope that
might climb out Of reach OF the water
tina; was dragging me down
But so slight was my hold that
could not get sufficient purchase 70 do
this: and was afraid 20 relax my grip
in the least for fear that I might be
swept a xay before could regain IT.
1T was plain that this state OF az
fairs could not las; very long. The
strain Was in nowise violent or rough,
hrt Al Vas steady. Far behind me down
the long tunnel could hear the water
falling on the wheel. NV fingers were
growing numb. Little by little the
strength was leaving them. could
rot hold on much longer. Would no
one come 20 rescue me? I thought OF
nv wife and children. and chung with
renewed energy. I shouted. But who
could hear me. imprisoned as I was
IN the mouth Of the pipe2
suddenly steps approached outside
and through the top Of the grating
abore me I saw a red-whiskered face
looking down. II was the Scotch en-
-inesr. 7 could see the little beads 81
sweat standing out on his forehead
2 and ixo or three wisPs Of thin red hail
B. piastered down on his flushed skin.
Heaven preserve usi' heard hin
saw. 'I,'s Biekmorel Hold on. man
\ srd I'll save yel'
He waved his hand 20 encourage me
and disappeared. heard him run
ming swiftly toward the mill. The
!. the sound Of his footsteps died away.
"At the upper end Of the CHAINS
that fed the penstock was the heaV
wooden gate. operated from the eT
!. rine-rOom BY a system OF rods an
:, levers knew that Sandy was hurryin
20 close this gate aud cut OF the no
81 the water into The race.
but he had come too late.
-Not Eve seconds after his face oi
- appeared nv numbed fingers lost the
=, grip. su6 was swept ike feath
=. down the Penstoek-
"a ~The stream was only about To-
a. feet deep. and flowed with very lit
e sound or turmoil ! managed 20 ke
= nv head above the surface, and occ
g sionauy my feet touched bottom as
a. was borne along. But 10 stop !
"a. progress was simply impossible I
ne current was TOO strong and too swi
coca sionany was dashed AGAR
.. the iron sides OF the pipe. and involv
:. tsrfiy threw out my hands TO clutch
- them Vain efortl for the sides We
- smooth and shiny; and even had
been able TO arrest my course. my . ?
would have been torn from their sol
- cts BY The resis;less power that v
- hurryiug me along.
- Overhead 4 square OF light fasl
'oD. BY. I had already gone a humid
vards and passed under the open ID
hole. Through its frame / eau
- what ! felt was probably my
-. glimpse OF blue sky. The branch {
- poplar hung above the opening. ar
-. saw its green leaves bright in the 4
"a Then darkness came again.
-, ssOn through the cylinder I rusl
pr 90 not know how long il took M
hi. traverse that thousand feet. II
-,.r probably IN she neighborhood OF
-. minutes. ! remember looking back
;Wrg seeing the round. white. grated me
Of the pens;Ock growing stea
smaller and farther of. And every
S end sht roar al the other end was
coming louder and louder. From
inter darkness in front the roar o.
beaten water doomed up the ma
- tunnel In few seconds al wcul
over
for RE enc came % "oN = p
,h.n n. With a shock that drove the br
/, ra- out Of my body, ! was flung aga
os,.p something rough and sharp and
- something that seemed 20 eiutoi
"a with several arms. bruising
80 woundIng me. knew nothing else
.sfrn Al that moment lost consciousne
-. when came 10 myself was