The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1906-01-26

ing and the sound of many feet as
cending the stairs below The door
swung open presently, and we were
led in where l could see no sign Of any
light. They took me alone across q
wide bare floor, where they set me
down on some sort of platform and
left me, as | thought. Then | could
hear the whispered challenge at the
door and one after another entering
and crossing the bare floor on tiptOe.
Hundreds were coming in, it seemed to
me. Suddenly deep silence fell in
that dark place of evil. The blind
fold went whisking off as if a ghostly
hand had taken it. But all around
me was the darkness of a pit. l could
see and | could hear nothing but
faint whisper, high above me, like that
of pine boughs moving softly in a light
breeze / could feel the air upon my
face. | thought | must have moved
out of door by magic. 1t seemed as VI
| was sitting under the trees alone.
Out OF the black silence an icy hand
feeling 1t move slowly downward over
my shoulder. could hear no breath
ing, no rustic of garments near me.
In the dead silence | got a feeling
that the hand touching me had no body
behind it. / was beyond the reach of
fear-I was in a way prepared for
anything but the deep, heart-shaking
h,, hot l. L
damp touch of those fingers. They
laid hold of my elbow firmly, lifting
as if TO indicate that ! was TO rise.
l did so, moving forward passiyely as
it drew me on. To my establishment
| was unable to hear my own football
or that of my conductor. | though5
we were walking upon soft earth.
Crossing our path in front OF me
could see, in the darkness. a cleaning
line. We moved slowly, standing still
as our toes covered it. Then suddenly
light flashed from before end below
u.s. cold sweat came out upon me;
| staggered back to strong hands that
were laid upon my shoulders. forcing
me to the line again. BY that fash of
light could see that | was standing on
the very brink Of some black abyss
indeed, my toes had crossed the edge
Of it, The light came again, flicker
ing and then settling into a steady
glow The opening seemed to have a
grassy bottom some 10 feet below. In
front of me the soil bristled on that
lower level with some black and
pointed plant: there were at least a
score of them. AS I looked l saw they
were not plants, but a square Of bay
onets thrust, points up, in the ground.
A curse came out of my hot mouth,
and then a dozen voices Knocked it.
going fainter, like a dying echo. A
tall figure in a winding-sheet. its face
covered, was leaning over me.
ITO hesitate is to die" it whispered.
Courage may save you"
Then a skeleton hand came out Of
the winding-sheet pointing down at
the square of bristling bayonets. The
figure put its mouth TO my ear.
Jump" it whispered, and the bare
bones OF the dead fingers stirred i'm
patiently.
Some seconds of brief silence fol-
lowed | could hear them slowly drip
ping out of eternity in the tick of
watch near me. l felt the stare OF
many eyes invisible to me. A broad
beam of bright light shot through the
gloom, resting full upon my face /
started back upon the strong hands
behind me. Then l felt my muscles
tighten as began TO measure the fall
and 10 wonder if | could clear the
bayonets. / had no doubt | was TO
die shortly, and it mattered not TO
me how, bound as | was, so that it
came soon. For breath of silence my
soul went up to the feet OF God for
help and hope. Then | bent my knees
and leaped. SAW much as my DO
went rushing through the air an