The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1904-08-11

the lake, they there bound up my
wounds, staunching the flow of blood,
which until then they had allowed to drip
as 1t would, then turned and noiselessly
bore me 10 lonely cave, situated In the
heart Of Demons Wood--a place never
frequented, and, | presume, the existence
Of which was unknown.
"This place had been prepared for my
reception, and after fastening me hrmly
TO staple with a chain they had III
readiness, they left me, gagged and help
less, then alone, for two days and one
night. Twice they both came with food,
and, while one stood with pistol over
my head, to prevent word, the other
fed me.
ION the second night they visited me
about midnight, and, merely saying:
"'All Is now ready for your reception,
rise and go with us, they placed me in
wagon as before and took me back to
the Hall
'Leaving the wagon concealed outside
the grounds, they between them carried
me to the ruined part, and, entering,
conveyed me into this, my prison, which
they had secretly arranged for my use.
| was not brought here at once Ii seems,
because on the very night Of their daring
outrage they had discovered that some
revolving iron shelves they had fitted to
the entrance could not be securely fast
ened as the large screws to be inserted
were too short. Not wishing to postpone
the horrible business, they had hastily
prepared the cave, and held me there un-
til other screws could be procured.
Now all was ready and here, Just
eighteen years ago, was thrust and kept
prisoner by means of a long chain fast
ened from my ankle to an iron bolt in
the wall. / was securely fastened, then
the gag was taken from my mouth, and
the ropes from my limbs.
"From that hour have seen no human
face, heard no human voice! These walls,
| know, are several feet thick, built so
that no sound can issue from them. Not
movement can be heard, unless the pan
els nre open, and then but family.
"Oh, innocent, ruined brotherl Oh,
forgetful Constancel When shall cease
to think of these twof"
Earle Elfenstein paused when he
reached these last words, and large tears
Of sympathy still rolled over his cheeks,
as they had often done during the read
Ing, while every one Of his intent listen
ers were similarly affected. Conquering
his emotion by IN effort, he again read
on:
MAY "a, 1S--Nenrly seven years
since | last wrote on these pages. Not
once during that time has there been a
change In my lot until tonight.
"To-night different hand opened the
panels. knew instantly that 1t was not
Reginald's. Something certainly must
have happened to him. The jerk was
wanting.
"a soft uncertain way Of pushing
them apart attracted my attention. There
was a longer pause, seeming study of
the modus operandi Of the revolving
shelves, and a sllghter push made them
turn more slowly. Yes | am sure a
stranger has been let into the secret of
my confinement and that stranger,
think must be timid woman.
"Iune @, 1S---Something terrible has
happened to my brain. am wild! am
undone can remember nothing! Who
| hln w htIN ulh hn, yNbt huNC ~
| was a peer; am 10 no longer.
~ am a poor minister of the gospel
confined here for the sake of religion.
am. In short, Rev. Edwin Q. Stiles. How
; strange that am herel | can remember
D nothing.
but have Bible, and read ant
preach long sermons, and pray continu
ally. Yes, some day shall, think
be released. | shall preach the gospel
1 How strange my head feels Sometimes
| think | am going mad!'
/ July ISL am preaching and pray
0 ing constantly. Night and day | pleat
with God to send me knife. viii m.
5 prayers be granted2 Shall ever have
/, knlfe2 Can ever cut my way out O.
i this weary prison, out to liberty, ant
4 preachingp
r July l9.--Hallelijah! My prayer Il
3 heard A knife came to me with M!
J, food; sent me, | presume, by accident
Q II was forgotten, and now II is mine
: | shall write no more. | shall Instant!
3 get to work; | shall soon be a free man
a "But these pages, written as II were
T. with my hearts blood, shall never ono
leave OUT VI Nlt IthNA VI MY HAHubs
n am Rev. Edwin G. Stiles, a minister o
q the gospel, and these lines are my dlplo
2 mas my badge of office. Ha, ha; knit
/, is mine; my ownl And now shall worl
4 myself freel'
!, Efenstein paused and passed his han,
:, over his forehead In deep thought. A
sudden idea had seized him; II was this
8 Ethel Nevergal and he must have beer
/ in the corridor when this poor creature
, escaped! Yes; poor creatureI Thcs,
: last lines told that he must have beer
insane, or nearly So at least, when he es
: capped.
But he had no time to think; fey
r more words remained to be read, and hi
Y audience were eagerly waiting. Thes
! were written in pencil and the letter
!, were crooked and feeble, as though don
In great weakness,
, august Isl am sick, dying pc
A. hapsl o JOY! if this should prove to /
Ig death! ! am weary, tired, worn out, bt
| thank God | am again myself.
m "Now | know | am Sir Arthur Glel
10 denning, Lately | have been confuse
m and thought myself minister. My brai
l. my poor brain, was unstrung, At la
T. | am myself.
D. "A knife came to me and took OF
the screws from the shelves opened Il
f! panels after pushing the shelves asid
ne and escaped from my prison
OF lin the corridor came upon your
e. girl and a man. Strangers; knew tht
er at once, Both were strangers, Yet
| feared recapture,
ne Il rushed forward, dashed the ligl
from them, aud then another frenzy sci
Id ed me, aud my poor head nearly bur
to with pain. | uttered a cry in my agon
tn Then another, as | rushed through Il
well-known ruins.
s. "The night air revived me. | had n,
felt its cheering influence, drawn fres
r! mouthful of outside air, in twenty-fS
~ years. opened my mouth, | expande
ht my chest, drank il all in.
y, What cared for the storm, the how
v ing wind, the falling rain2 1t was d
is light, 1t was rapture! | was freel
was freel
or 81 knew not where to 90, but spe
st away, away, and rested not until Wa
pc hidden in the cave in Demons Voc,