Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-01-30
4 NIGHT IN
..THE..
IRON CHAMBER.
From the German. .


the last visitors TO the door and began
TO put everything in order for the
night. He passed through the cells of
the prison vault. arranged the rusty
chains and thumb-screws. longs. and
other implements of torture which had
been left in his care by the fathers Of
the town.
He was slender young man. with
grave face and clear but restless eyes.
He lived in his books so entirely tina;
the doctor had warned has father
against the sons exaggerated hent
for study. But. the boy earned a5G0
crowns by taking charge of the old
castle. and the money was welcome.
for his father was not rich. and besides
he had cousin in the army who need
ed assistance.
Three days before the opening Of
this story Martin had lived through an
experience more grewsome than usual.
He had suddenly had the hallUcinaiion
that the sinister room was full of vic
Tins. He saw agonized faces and heard
the death groans CT the prisons. Sud
denly. however. his fear changed into
a devilish joy. He imagined that he
was himself the executioner and MAS
torturing the victims with his own
hands. Then he suddenly came to and
found himself alone with his books.
He told nobody of this experience.
but while still under the Impression os
II he vowed 10 give up his study of
the Middle Ages When morning came.
however. lie laughed at his terror and
continued his work and his studies. as
before. For three days he hardly left
the dungeons.
The evening on which this story OPP
ems. his cousin. Paul INLAND. who was
at home on furlougn. became anx-
ious over Martins prolonged absence;
and when. late in the evening. his
cousin had NOT come home. Paul went
to the prison. The guard al the gates
LEI him in. and he raped on Martins
door several times before il was
opened. and Martin beckoned TO him To
come in
MY dear Martin. what is the mat
ter?" he cried. startled by the CLEAN
In his cousins eyes. Why do you
look al me in this way? Are you liz
Wait. while go for a doctor"
Martins only answer was 10 shut
the heavy door and lock H. Paul was
not surprised: he was used to his
cousins silence. and followed him TN
suspectingly through the hall INTO the
vault. where in the middle ages I'M
thinkable horrors were practiced. Here
he again asked. What is the matter.
Martin? You want TO say something
70 me?"
The answer Was ? long. waiting cry.
II seemed 10 Paul like the howl OF
wild beast and he knew at once that
his cousin had gone raving mad. Paul
INLAND. however. was not afraid.
Though the scene was grewsome-thc
dark prison lighted by q single lantern.
far from any living being-it did not
occur to the young soldier that he was
in danger You are i'll Martin" he re-
peated; come hcme with me-
His cousin did not answer. but paced
up and down like Gagged beast. NUT
tering the long forgotten names of
prisoners who had been tortured to
Leath in the chamber centuries age.
Once he stopped a, the rack. bending
over IL. and a fearful howl of JOY ech-
oed through the vaults.
Then Paul made a fatal mistake. He
tried 10 take Martin by force and carry
him home in his strong arms. But the
mailman sprang upon him with super
human strength and they rolled over
on the stone floor.
Paul was dragged over the floor
toward the iron chamber and then the
intention of his cousin began to dawn
upon him. The awful thought para
iyzed him: he tainted where he lay aid
Martin could do with him what he
pleased. When Paul INLAND regained
consciousness he was bound hand and
foot so firmly that he could not even
move his head A faint strip of light
coming through a door showed him
where he was-loc ked UP in the iron
chamber He still hoped. however,
that Martin only wished to brighten
him and tried TO wheedle his cousin
into letting him ont But ne received
no reply and the fun horror of the sit
uation was soon clear TO him. He knew
the secret of the iron chamber-that
the door would close inch by inch in
the course of an hour. or 20 hours. ac-
cording TO the regulation of the mech
anism. He heard his cousin breathing
heavily and understood that Martin
was lying in an apoplectic fit outside
the door of the chamber. Giving q loud
schriek of terror Paul began TO cry
like a child. for he was young and in
the town was a girl waiting for him.
IL no one heard his cry. and Martin
should recover consciousness. the hour
was not far of when the iron door
would close i'm Upon him and spear
him on the long daggers which would
enter his brain. heart and eyes
He shouted again and again. bat the
cries died away in the vault, unhcard.
He had never lived through minutes so
long He saw that the sharp steel
points had drawn nearer. and with 4
shrek of agony he again tainted. and
fnew nothing for several hours
When he came TO a ray of daylight
was creeping in between the boards of
the trapdoor in the floor of the cham
her. and through the cracks he coald
see the river glittering far benAth
him. The big door was almost shut.
The steel points were approaching
..stsr~-.r.- - -g....f.. tt.u4 -. .<s..ys