Rock Island Argus., 1902-04-22
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY.
PASSED OUT
OF EXISTENCE

1 am going TO take the risk of telling
the story under an assumed name.
Years ago. when not far out OF my
teens. l was sent abroad to travel.
Full OF a desire to explore mysterious
paths. was foolish enough TO spy up
on n band of what are now called an
archists. Having been told by'a young
German that he suspected them of
meeting in a deserted barn near his
house, l went there one night, peeped
through n crack and was discovered,
but ran so fast that l congratulated
myself my identify had not become
known.
\ few weeks later 1 was doing"
cathedral in one OF the principal cities
on the continent. / do not care TO
name the place. l was irreverently
poking my nose into all the corners
and crannies | could find when | was
uccosted by a young man. who asked
me II l would like TO see Il very curious
closet l told him that | would be
glad TO see anything curious, where
upon he invited me TO follow him. He
led me to a dark corner, where door
not over four feet high stood open.
''If you will stoop and enter there.
ne said, "you will be repaid for your
trouble"
/ did as l was bid and entered n
closet not much too large TO hold my
body Then l heard the door slam and
the bolts in the lock shoot forward.
My sensations are not only indescrib-
able. but. If 1 could give any idea OF
lao
painful TO the listener. / had not been
locked up a minute before it occurred
to me that the band upon whom | had
spied had tracked me, discovered who
I was and taken this means of putting
me out OF the way. There was moth
ing beneath me but q cement floor,
nothing about but four stone walls.
Therefore i looked up to see what
there mignt be for n ceiling. Far
above l saw what appeared TO be Il
rectangle of light. / Gazed at it long
while, trying to determine what il
was, but my mind was not in n state
to deliberate on anything, and | made
no headway.
After awhile / fell into sort of stu
pOr, owing doubtless to my terrible
mental condition. During this time,
1 presume. | gained some rest from
my sufferings, for my consciousness
was restored. Since there was moth
Ing to see except above, | cast my eyes
again upward
The rectangle had doubled in size.
Again | fell TO thinking as TO what
it might be. and this time. in order to
occupy my mind and thus relieve the
mental strain, l gave way to all sorts
of speculation. The cathedral clock
struck. and l counted nine strokes.
had been shut up ever since 4 in the
afternoon l was thunderstruck, hav-
ing supposed that I had not been there
an hour.
Presently I saw something dangling
from above. After watching it for
some time l was able to make out that
1T was a rope. Then discovered that
1t was coming toward me. Lower and
lower, nearer and nearer. it came till
at last L was able to grasp it. Then 1
remembered that had my box of wax
tapers for lighting cigars in my pocket.
and. striking one of them. / tossed it
upward. For an instant l could make
out the ceiling. 1t was Of iron. and i'm
its center was an iron ring. from which
the rope was swung Lighting several
tapers in succession, / held them above
my head and at last could see the CELL
ing as long as n taper would burn
Horror OF horrorsi 1t was coming
down to crush mei
Again. from sheer agony l became
unconscious. ! was revived by the
clock above striking 10. Every stroke
seemed to toll my knelI The ceiling
was now so low that could touch it
with my hand. In half an hour all
would be over.
Then / heard. far above. n sound as
Of the rubbing OF metal against metal.
l listened and could distinguish the
noise of cogwbeels running together,
and oh, blessed sight The ceiling
was rising,
Then it occurred to me that I was
I'm the clock tower under the weight.
which was now being wound | would
not be crushed. | would starve. There
was one chance for me. Seizing the
rope. tied it under my arms. As
soon as the slack was taken up he
gan to rise-ten. twenty, fifty. n hun
dred feet. There was more light
looked above. Between me and the
weight were arched windows. Might
not get through one of them on to Il
roof? l got up n swinging motion and
when I reached the window clung to
the easement and unloosened the rope.
Breaking the glass. looked out The
roof was twenty feet below. jumped
and landed safely on my feet.
In the east was a streak of dawn.
but I did not stop to take note OF it.
going here and there till / found
door by which to descend. found
myself in the body of the great cathe-
dral. All the irreverence of the previ-
Gus day was gone. fell on my knees
before the altar. Then, exhausted. |
staggered to one of the cushioned pews
and fell asleep.
was awakened by the sexton whom