The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-05-13
A Grim
Experience
The Way a Tourist Was
Shut Up In a Church
By HOMER woRrHINGroN

We were on our wedding journey IL
Europe, doing picture galleries and
churches l will not assert that this
is all there is in that elderly country
for tourists TO see. but il is tie prin
cpal part of tho matter. Lucia and
were one morning visiting Roman
cathedral several hundred years o.G
looking at pictures hanging on the
walls, some OF which must have been
painted for the purpose of soaring
away the devil; at ghostly marble fig.
ures lying on their backs. with their
hands clasped over their breasts;
Straining our eyes In dark chapels to
see hideous frescoes. the principal part
of which had been Clipped off. when
we heard the clock above us strike the
hour Of noon.
At the moment we were looking at
statue, wondering whom IL might
represent A gentleman-rather a sim
gular looking person he was-hearing
our remarks. politely told us all about
the marble and of another much older
and more curious i'm n different part of
the church. offering TO guide us to IT..
Lucia said she was tired and would
go to our hotel and rest before lunch
con.
/ would rather have gone with her.
but the stranger was so urgent
that / should sec the curious statue
| that ! consented 10 remain with him.
told Lucia would be with her with
in half an hour. and she left me. Then
/ started to another part of the church
with my guide.
He showed me the statue, told me its
history, beginning back in the twelfth
century and ending in the eighteenth,
when. after having been stolen. buried,
resurrected, lost its nose, one of its
ears and both hands, IL had been mirac-
ulously set up in its present position in
the middle of the night, when the
church was locked, with no one inside.
AS he proceeded thought | had new
er met person more voluble. Why
he took so great an Interest in me |
could not divine. Instead Of listening
to what he said l was taking in his
personal appearance.
lie was rather small, wore a little
bell crowned hat. which. of course, in
the cathedral he carried in his hand;
had coarse dark hair standing straight
upon his head and short stubby
beard. His coat was dark blue
cloth, fitting tight at the waist. with
full flowing skirt. His trousers were
checkerboard and tight to the skim
The most remarkable feature in his
face was his eyes. which twinkled like
pair of stars in the heavens.
When he had told me all about the
statue and the archaeological disputes
as to just where 1t had lost its nose
and the other features / thanked him
( for his kindness, bid him good morn
ing and was about to leave him when
he said:
There's something far more curious
in this church than thls-the bones of
st. - Il have forgotten the name),
that have come down to us through
800 years. 1t will require but a mo-
by to show them to you"
THANK you very much" said. "but
my luncheon hour is at hand, and /
must rejoin my wife"
II will not detaln you FIVE minutes"
he replied and looked so anxious that
1 should enjoy a sight at these old
bones in which he seemed to take such
n hof 4 Il
them. Taking me to the forward part
OF the church on one side. he opened
door that judged to be about five
feet hlgh-at any rate, one must bend
to enter it-and told me to step in
side. after you," said, but he stood
holding the door open so deferentially
that / went in. The only light there
was in the place came in at the open
ing through which had entered. and
even that was shut off Immediately.
for / heard the door close and click
In the lock- My companion had re-
manned outside.
1t required n few moments FOR me
TO realize my situation, to become
frightened. Then turned to the door
"'' 'iiNu w huu ~ hHOD ny WHICH 10 1
open 1t. There was no inside knob.
hammered on the door. but Il was
OF iron and made OF several plates.
so that my thumps were not likely to
he heard. listened eagerly for the |
door to be reopened. Perhaps it had |
closed OF itself aud sprung bolt. In
this case my guide must find some |
one to enable him to open IL and |
might have gone away for that pur-
pose.
Then remembered that starry look |
in his eyes. and became terror |
stricken. Suppose he was insanel If
so he had doubtless shut me up in n
dark room, seldom opened, and at
some future time, instead of the be IS
OF saint, my own skeleton would be
found there. I felt around the walls
OF my Enclosure and was horror strIck-
en- to find that it was but about 2 by
4 feet. / could not lie down in II.
looked up and could see llght-It SEEM
cd lar above Neon the four sides of
the ceiling, as though let In by a mar
row strip OF glass. Reaching up.
even standing on my toes or Jumping,
N