The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1858-10-27

laughter was heard in the back part of
the house. In another minute, in come
| Ally dressed up in his fathers morning
gown, pair of spectacles on his nose.
| "My dear" said Mr.. Major, gravely.
That was all--nobody smiled. The little
one looked about in great confusion
threw off the dress aud ran head down,
toward his fathers open arms.
al think we can do something better
than dress up in that ridiculous fashion
to-day, don't you, Allyn asked Mr. Ma
jor.
Yes SIR" the little fellow said, in
subdued voice, still nesting his curly bead
in his fathers arms, In quiet, soothing
voice the father told the story Of little
Samuel, illustrating in its conrse the sweet
obedience of the holy child, and above all,
his regard for God and his appointed ordi-
nances. O! this was better than rebuke,
and the boy young as he was, felt it; and
learned lesson he would not soon forget.
The bells were ringing-Henry had re-
turned, looking fresh and glowing. The
girls were all prepared for meeting.
"Well, my child, have you passed a
| pleasant Sabbath ?" asked the father
Beaminc eyes and rcqdv ins answered
Foar'ul Advorturo ntho Nom
| mo v C1vn r''-. "rtol4t tom ~
r'0 =
Tho hero a. the cxo'oii thus reported
in the Louisville Journal of tcmhor
1lth, is William G. Prentice, the son of
George D. Prentice:
AT the supposed end Of what has always
been considered the longest avenue of the
Mammoth Cave, pine miles from its
entrance, there is pit, dark and deep
and terrible, known as ths Maelstrom.
Tens Of thousands have gazed into it with
awe whilst bengal-lights were thrown down
it to make its fearful depths visible, but
none ever had the daring to explore it.
The celebrated guide Stephen, who was
deemed insensible to fear, was offered six
hundred dollars by the proprietors o f the
Cave if he would descend to the bottom Of
it but shrank from the peril. A few
years ago Tennessee professor, learned
and bold man, resolved to do what no one
before him had dared to do, and, making
his arrangements with great care and
precaution, he had himself lowered down
by strong rope hundred feet, but at
that point, his courage failed him, and he
called allowed to be drawn out. No hu-
man power could ever have indu ced him
to repeat the appalling experiment.
A couple of weeks ago, however,
young gentleman of Louisville, whose
nerves never tremble at mortal peril, being
at the Mammoth Cave with Professor
Wright, of our city, and others, deter
mined, no matter what the dangers and
difficulties might be, to explore the depths
of the Maelstrom. Mr.. Proctor, the en-
terprising proprietor of the Cave, sent
to Nashville and procured long rope
of great strength, expressly for the purpose.
The ropes aud some necessary timbers
were borne by the guides and others to
the point Of proposed exploration. The
arrangements being soon completed, the
rope, with heavy fragment ofrock affixed
to it. was let down and swung to and fro
to dislodge any loose rocks that would be
likely to fall at the touch. Several we're
thus dislodged, and the long continued
reverberations, rising up like distant thun-
der from below, proclaimed the depth of
the horrid chasm. Then the young hero
Of the occasion, with several hats drawn
over his head to protect as far as possible
against any masses falling from above and
with light in his hand and the rope
fastened around his body, took his place
over the awful pit and directed one half
dozen men, who held the end of the rope,
to let him down into the Oimmerian gloom
We have heard, from his own lips, an
account of his descent. Occasionally
masses of earth and rock went whizzing
past. but none hit him.-Thirty or for
ty feet from the top he saw ledge, from
which, as he judged by appearances, two
or three avenues led of in different dir
ections. About hundred feet from the
| op, cataract from the side of the pit.
went rushing down the abyss, and, as he
descended by the side down the water
and in the midst of the spray, he felt some
apprehension that his light would be eI-
tinguished, but his care prevented this.
He was landed at the bottom of the pit,
hundred and ninety feet from the top.