Year: 1865




use Of an axe for one half hour. ] would
willingly have given for il all i was worth


in the world. struck against the door
with my fist, and threw my body heavily
against it; but only to discover lis mas
sive solidity, and to know that, without
some implement to work with all my ef-
forts to escape would be worse than vain
that might as we'll sit down and wait
my appointed time.


But perhaps some tool might be found
in the vault-left there by mistake -
some Ratchet, hammer, pick, spade, crow
bar>-something | searched everywhere,
as well as l could by the dim, ghastIy
light, but found only two things that /
could possibly use-a large spike nail and
a pebble-stone weighing over pound.
Oh, how precious did even these seem.
No miser ever clutched bis gold and dia.
monds with such intense and heart felt
10y, as l did the possible keys Of the liv~
ing world.


There was portion of the door SO de.
cayed that with the use of the nail and
the stone, | believed | could work hole
through it large enough to admit my arm
and as this place was near where the bolt,
if a single one, would naturally be, l had
great hope might be able to reach and
slide it back. With this idea ] COM
menced at once, with all the earnest en-
ergy OF man in my situation and for
hours | labored neutrality-suspicious.
ing, prying, and getting off splinter by
splinter, till at last | found could pass
my arm through the aperture. 0 what
wild emotions of hope and fear thrilled
me then Itrembled from head to foot,
my respiration became gasping and diff
fcult, large beads of perspiration seemed
to start from every pore, and, sinking
down on my knees, / prayed God to
have mercy on me and restore me to the
world of life. Then ! arose slowly, thrust
my arm through the aperture, and felt
around for the bolt. My hand touched
Iit-with trembling eagerness / workedit
back-and then the heavy door came
slowly open, harshly grating on its rusty
hinges. Oh, Heaven! what moment
was that Perhaps / was about to be
delivered from that awful sepnlchre -
The very thought was an overpowering
joy, which my nervous system, so long
wrought up to the most intense excite-
ment, could not bear, and tainted and
fell at the foot of the stairs which led up
ward from the charnel-vault. When
consciousness and strength again return
ed to me, went slowly and trembliDgly
up the damp, dim and narrow stairs, till
came to the flag that shut in the whole.
On my power to raise this depended
everything Life was above it--death
below it put my shoulder against it,
and pressed upward with all my might.
Gracious Heaven it did not move! l
was doomed / uttered wild piercing
shrek, and fell back in despair, the most
wretched being in existence. AS / sat
there, on one Of The cold, slimy steps, in
an agony of mind that must soon have
deprived my burning, throbbing brain Of
reason, fancied heard steps above me.
What human life so nearl and | to be
doomed to death in a sepulchre? mol
no no / sprung 10 my feet, with the
fierce determination and strength of a
man and, putting my shoulder to the
stone, sent it upward with force that
turned it over with a crash. Fresh air
and light burst in upon me, / saw was
beneath the roof of church, and, leap
ing upward from the pit yelled forth my
Joy.


1t was an early hour in the morning,
and the sexton had come into the house
to put certain things 10 rights. Seeing
me spring upward from the tomb, with
such an appalling yell, he insanity fed
with shrek of terror. He soon return
ed, however, with halfa-dozen excited
spectators, and found me on my knees,
giving thanks to God for my wonderful
deliverance.
| scarcely need add that my friends
family were astonished beyond measure
to see me back among them living man.
The next day / had the pleasure OF TAX
ing my friend himself by the hand and
giving him an account Of my death buri-
al and resurrection. As had been ar
ranged, be went home with my body, but
not with my corpse. Since then, l have
never travelled alone, for fear of again
being buried alive. The doctors after
wise consultation, pronounced mine a
singular case of catalepsy.


/