American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1859-11-24
Al siIp,gularstorv

: Many years ago, wealthy Germen |
merchant residing in Mexico, 6ecame en-
bsrassed in his affairs, through specialization
and after an honorable strugel Il. ,tte fsfisf. 4
.FbisTeverss Of fortune appeared to him
iTrepaitable; no corsolatOry hope was to |
be seen on tie horizon Of the blank desert |
OF his fVture life. He despsired. His ex.
istence had become an ibsur portable bur.
den 10 him. and he resolved to be rid Of it.
Stillhe shrsnk from casting the disgrace |
Of suicide on a name borne at home by |
honorable relations, so he devised plan, 4
which would accomplish his purpose with
out crsatir G suspicion Of his having had
suicidal intentions. sDo .sisai .1a'ts'
p Over the crater Of Popocatapel hangs
cloud Of ulphurous Vspor which issues in
volumes from the eadepths Of the abyss
Any near approach to- the brink of the
! crater producesa suGocatioDg sensation on
everyone who has assembled so far. A
descent into the crater. therefore, wascon
| sidered 10 be certain death a,All this was
well known to him, so he mentioned To-
his friendsI bis intention TO have a tIip to
the mountains, and he etsout for it. On
the vafious slopes of the mountain are
some villages ofthe aboriginal lndians.--
1 From th''last of these he took two guides,
with ropes and poles, and other articles
usedsin the ascent, and so reached the
summit. Hete he ordered his guides 10
plant two poles cross wise on tlie bank Of
the crater, as he wished to explore the in
terror. lu vain they tried to dissuade'
him. He merely told them 10 wait for
him, and on lis signal tohsul him up: and
shutting his eyes and mouth, and com
pressing his mouth and nos,rils he, de.
scended into the yawhirg chssm. His
senses were in whirl, his brain teeled ).
and the oppression on his respiratory Or.
gans mEde the tarrcrs Of death p ipable.-
Sill he persevered, and clutching the rope
convulsively lie continued the descent,
when 10! on sudden all oppressiveness
vanished-he felt himself to be in pure
respirable atmosphere. and in o few mo-
men,s more he stood on firm ground.
lie opened his eyes and he was indeed
in another world. An iInmen dome of
: yellow glitlering crystals, forming figures
OF infinite variety, was lit up by innumer1 :
: able pale blue flames fickering from cor
; nices, from nrabesques. and deep recesses
or increasing. and decreasing jots Of the
wall of this unearthly hall whose dome
was propped by huge fluted columns Of a
CLASSY polish, resembling giant bundles OF
, reeds. For a moment cur hero stupe6ed
and astonished, doubted the evidence of
his senses, that all around him was unreal,
shadowy, deluson Of his whirling brain.
But dim glimpse Of the distant opening
above him, through which the white vapor
whirled in ascending spirais, snd which at
moments the clear suit atmosphere shone
like diamond, reminded him of the world
{ above him, He saw tha: he was in cav
ern OF sulphur formation, an inexhauslitle
{ mine of sulphur crystals: his speculative
spirit revived, for he perceived at glancs
5 what immense wealth might be derived
from what we saw around him. A hound
less horizon Of hope expanded in his hear
D and while bis eyeswers filled with tears o
gratitude to his forgiving God, he CAV,
) the signal 10 be hauled up.
g He now perceived that only very nea
| = the mouth Of the crater the vapors be
4 came oppressed and sufocaling. and tha
Immediately below there was an atmos
J phere perfectly healthy and salubrious.-
/ This mine Of sulphur soon yielded him al
immense fortune, and he returned 10 hl
q q country rich, perhaps better man. Th,
q mine is worked to this day, and appear
70 to be exhaustless.
70 At the brink Of the crater, where tn
+ hero Of our tale descended. are still to b
= seen two cross posts by means of whicl
Is he effected his descent, ,and which certain
'e ly gave color Of truth to the romance a
told to the writ,r. -