Year: 1862

thas ihev now reached the whole length OF lHe
boiler and extended through the opening
At first In my dreaming refec,ions) it was
a comfortable thought that no one could now
shut up the man-hole without awakening ME.
But soon it seemed as if my feet, which were
on the outside. were becoming drenched IN the
storm which had originally driven NE TO seek
shelter. felt the chilly rain upon my extrem
tiles. They grew colder and their numbness
gradually extended over the body. 1t seemed
however, that it was only the underside Of my
person that was thus strangely visited | laid
upon my back, and it must have been a species
of nightmare that afflicted me. for knew at
last that | was dreaming, yet felt it impossible
to arouse myself. A violent fit of coughing
restored at last my powers of volltion. The
water, which had slowly risen around me, had
rushed into my mouth. | awoke to hear the
rapid strokes of the pump, which was driving
it into the boiler My whole condition-no
not all of tiny present condition, flashed with
a new horror upon me. But did not again
swoon. The choking sensation which had
made me faint when first discovered how
was entombed gave way TO liveier, though
less overpowering emotion. ! shrieked even as
started from my sumber. The previous dis
covery of the closed aperture. with the instant
oblivion that followed, seemed only a part of
my dream. and threw my arms about and
looked eagerly for the opening by which
had entered the horrid place yes, looked for
it, and felt for it, though it was with the terri
bic conviction that it was closed second time
brought home to me, that prompted my fren-
zed cry. Every sense seemed to have ten-fold
acuteness, yet no one to act in unison with
another. | shrieked again and again-implor-
ingly, desperately, savagely. l filed the hol-
low chamber with my cries till its iron walls
seemed TO tingle around me. The dull stroke
of the accursed pump seemed only to mock at
while they deadened my screams.


At last gave myself up. 1t is the struggle
against our fate which frenzies the mind We
cease to fear as we cease TO hope. gave
myself up, and then grew calm.


was resigned to die-resigDed to even my
mode Of death. it was net, thought. so verv
new after all, as to awaken unwonted horror in
man. Thousands have been sunk to the
bottom of the ocean shut up in the holds of
vessels beating themselves against the batten
ed hatches-d dragged down from the upper
world shrieking not for life, but for death only
beneath the eye and amid the breadth of hea
ven. Thousands have endured that appalling
kind of suffocation. | would die as many a
better man had died before me-


could meet such a death. / said sol
felt so-felt so, mean for minute or more
ten minutes it may have been--or but an in
stant of time. | know not, nor does it matter
if l could compute it. There was a time, when
was resigned to my fate But good God
was | resigned to it in the shape in which it
next came to appall? Stranger. l felt tha,
water growing hot about my limbs, though il
was but middng deep. felt it, and in the
same moment heard the roar of the furnace
that was to turn it into steam before it could
get deep enough to drown one.


You shudder-it was hideous. But did |
shrink and shrivel, and crumble down on the
iron floor and lose my senses at that horrid
agony of fear ! No! though my brain swan
and the life blood that curdled at my heart
seemed TO stagnate there forever still | knelC
was too hoarse-too hopeless from my previ-
ous efforts to cry out any more. But struck
-feebly at first, and then srongly-with my
clenched fist against the sides of the boiler
There were people moving near who must hear
my blows. Could not hear the grating OF
chains, the shuffling of feet, the very rustling
of a rope-hear them all within few inches
of me? | did, but the gurglng water that
was growing hotter and hotter around my ex
tremities, made more noise with the steaming
cauldron than did my frenzied blows against
the sides.


Latterly | had not changed nv position, but
now the growing heat of the water made me
plash TO and fro; lifting myself wholly out oil
it was impossible, but could not remain quiet.
| stumbled upon something. 1t was mallet
stray tool that the smith had left there by
accident. With what wild joy did l seize II
with what renewed confidence did ] now
deal my first blows with it against the walls of
my prison. But scarce had intermilted them
for moment when | heard the clang of the
iron doors as the fireman opened them wide to
feed the flames that were to torture me- Ny
knocking was unheard though | could hear
them toss the sticks into the furnace beneath
me aud drive the doors to when the Internal
oven was fully crammed.


Had l yet hope? had, but it arose in my
mind side By side with the fear that might
become the agent of preparing for myself a
more trightlul death. Yes when | thought
of that furnace, with its freshened flames curl
ing beneath the iron on which stood there