The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-05-13


cathedral. especially In that dark hole.
Il They would infer that 1 had left tho
place and gone elsewhere. thought OF
i the many cases where persons have
started forth on some ordinary errand
and had never been heard of again. r
remembered tile old story OF the bride
/ playing hide and seek" during ber
wedding festivities. getting into a chest
with spring lock and not being found
for years. when the chest was opened
and her skeleton taken out. Then
gave way TO uncomfortable terror.
| heard directly above me the stroke
OF bell. ! listened for more, but no
more came. This enlightened me upon
my position. l must be in the clock
tower The clock had struck the hour.
Looking up again Mt the rectnngle Of
| light the terrible fact thrust itself upon
me that the dark space within it was
the bottom of the weight that moved
the machinery and the hands. The
weight was slowly descending aud
would crush me. AT the thought my
legs gave way beneath me, and l sank
in heap.
Then 1 arose and renewed my knock.
ing on the door. ] hammered with my
| fists aud kicked with my feet. But,
since the substance on which l bella
bored was a very poor conductor of
sound ana produced but little effect in
side. what could expect of it without?
During our inspection we had seen very
"a, nd hod oil In,
the body of the church. Besides, the
entrance to my dungeon was reached
by a narrow winding passage.
/ heard the clock above me strike
the hours one after another and count
ed them as one condemned TO death
counts those before his execution. My
thoughts were confused-a tumble.
Now l would think OF Lucia, of her
fright at my absence, and what she
would do i'm hunting for me. Again 1
would dwell upon the horrible death 1
would suffer when the life was being
crushed out of me by an iron mass
probably weighing several tons. Then
a hope came to me ut remembering
that the clock would not be allowed to
the weight had killed me. l wondered
IL when it came SO low that i could
brace myself .. inst it would be able
TO support its great weight till it was
wound up.
1t was past noon, as | have said.
when / went into my prison. When
the hour of was struck the weight
70 frwa
feet above me, though / had no means
except sight of judging the distance.
IL occurred TO me that there would be
a special hour for winding, and this
would be at q o'clock in the evening.
The crisis for me was due in about an
hour.
That hour was the longest, the most
horrible. of my life. l sat down on the
floor, looking up at the coming mass
descending so slowly that l could not
see 1t move. IL came so near that
standing OH my feet 1 could touch it
with my fingers. 1 held them there
and could feel it move. When it came
a little lower placed my palms under
It to see il / could hold 1t up. The
only way could tell If it was sinking
in spite of me was by the slowly chang
ing position of my hands. knew that
they We're giving way under the weight
and lost hope of saving myself by this
means.
Slowly came the weight till when 1
stood erect It touched the top Of my
head. Then / was obliged to stoop.
then get down on my knees. Lastly
1 sat on the floor. Surely the clock
weight would not be permitted TO sink
20 the floor before being wound, for
this would necessitate the stopping of
the clock. If i could be spared two
feet by lying on my side with my
knees drawn up I might live.
And to this position was reduced.
/ felt the bottom of the weight press
ing against my side till finally 1 lost
But not for long. The pressure was
removed, and l heard the winding Of
wheels, the click of cogs. up In the
tower. The clock was being wound.
! was spared for twenty-four hours.
Soon after the hour of 10 sounded
heard click at the door, which was
thrown open, and the glare of lamp
showed me number OF excited faces.
Found was shouted joyfully, and
Lucia, pushing forward, tainted in my
arms.
Shutting me mp In the clock tower
had had peculiar effect on the luna
tic who had done the deed. He kept
his secret till night, when he accosted
n man passing the church and told
him that the devil In human form had
been following him to drag him down
TO hell. But he had triclked Satan.
having put him under the weight In
The clock tower. and he had doubtless
by this time been crushed. The listen
er broke away from him, but, think
ing there might be reality In his story,
and, meeting searching
party, had led them TO the tower.
/ brought my bride straight back to
America. where we have contented
since our memorable expe-
Hence. She Is full OF reverence for
holy things and considers my being
hut up In clock tower punishment
ipon us both for our heathenlsh be-