Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1906-06-27
The Last Resort.
BY RALPH RECORD.

AZ beSmeu DIS IL Tie next bIep must "
my last, but kept on--running, run
ming, running-till my legs felt like two
brittle sticks likely to snap under the
weight of my weary body. tried tc
throttle, with my hand, the sharp pain
In my side and wondered, half-con-
sciously, how long my heart could stand
the fearful strain.
1t was not my crime that sent me
stumbling, breathelessly, along that
stony road at two o'clock in the morn;
ing, with a crowd of angry farmers fol-
lowing a quarter mile behind. | was
not guilty, but might as well have
been.
Thank Heaven! l had a good start,
but of what good is start when man
is almost dead from fatigue? If could
find a way out, trick to deceive them!
My brain worked madly as | plunged
ahead, with my lips wide apart and
painful breath kissing between my set
teeth. AS | rounded a curve in the
road, saw a dark shadow ahead, and
knew it was tho little wayside sta
ton. ! prayed to God for a freight
train. | looked up and down the track
for some friendly headlight, but all was
darkness.
Automatically looked for hiding
place long, narrow pine box on the
platform caught my eye and shud-
dered, thinking that tomorrow perhaps
that box might enclose a corpse Sud-
denly an idea flashed across my mind,
made light by fear.
| touched the handscrews on the
cover; they turned very easily.
pulled off the top and looked in. Heav-
ems! 1t already held coffin. slid the
nd from the black coffin and stood,
shuddering at sight of a still, white face.
! drew back hastily. Up the road saw
the lanterns of my pursuers and desper-
Aation scattered all computations, all re-
spect for the dead.
Dazedly, scarcely knowing what did.
l reached down and pulled that cold,
shrouded form from its coffin. He was
heavy, that dead man, and was tired
and weak, but false strength seemed
come to me. With tremendous effort,
dragged him across the track and
threw him into the lake,
The lanterns were bobbing up and
down, nearer and nearer; but | smiled
as l moved the box cover half way up
that l might manipulate it from the in
side. l crawled into the coffin, drew up
the cover and lay on my back my clasp
knife in my hand. Some insane in
stinct caused me to draw the coffin lid
over me. l even laughed deririously as
] cut hole in the side of the coffin and
through the outside box. Then wait
ed feverishly for the coming of the
furious men.
l had not long to wait heard them,
Jumping, one by one, onto the platform.
One of them cursed; one came to the
box, and he must have held a lantern
up, for l heard him read the label:
Henry Donnelly, Jackson City, Iowa"
Here's that Donnelly's corpse, wait
in for the three o'clock" he said and
then-I tainted.
A dim, indefinable sense of rumbling
noises, like the regular roll of machin-
cry seemed to sing to me. 1t lulled me
seemed to carry me higher and higher
till began to wonder if should fall.
Was it the air that made breathing so
hard? What was that dark spreading |
gloom that appeared suddenly and
seemed to be racing with me? / |
strained every muscle-and then-a
nameless horror awoke every sense.
That black mass was coffin top, the |
whirling wings were wheels, and I |
was on board train, alone in a car
a supposed corpse-Henry Donnelly,
of Jackson City, Ia.-bound for a
grave. Oh, God! Why did you not
let me dream?
Again, tried to shove the lid away.
but my hands were held down.
sought for the knife had held in my
hand, but it was gone pressed my
mouth to the hole l had cut in the
side and drew in my breath. Why
was 1t could not get more air? At
last guessed it; the satin lining was
keeping the air out. tried to raise
my hands to the place but the lid held
them down. In determination
gnowed the lining with my teeth and
then l cried out with all my strength.
No answer. My voice seemed almost
inaudible to myself.
Again attacked the lining with nv
teeth, and thought little more air
came in, but it was such little. /
was growing weak and faint again,
The thought that If it overwhelmed
me, might not awake, till 1t was too
late-till earth covered me six feet
Ideep-made me fight against that
faintness with all my might. set
my teeth and clenched my fist, fight
ing OF the fatal flight of sense 1
iwrenched flercely ut the satin lining,
but 1t nauseated me. thought Of the
dead man that had lain there and It
made me sick-sick of heart and sick
of soul. Then prayed that / might
die. All my life had dreaded death
NOW / prayed for it..
/ For yesterday l was not to blame
Bad company and weakness did ii
because an old road companion had
asked for shelter in the farmhouse
where lived, and tried to work hon
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