The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1859-11-25
A Singular Story.

Many years ago, n wealthy German
merchant residing in Mexico, became tm-
barrassed in his affairs, through specula.
ton; and after an honorable struggle he
failed.
This reverse OF fortune appeared 10 him
irreparablc; no consolatory nope was to
be seen on the horizon Of the blank desert
Of his future life. He despaired. Ills ex-
istence had become an insupportable bur
den to him. and he resolved to be rid it
Still he shrunk from casting .he disgrace
honorable relations, SO he devised plan
which would accomplish his purpose,
wIhou, creating suspicion Of his having
had suicidal intentions.
Over the crater of Popocatapetl hangs
cloud Of SUI phurous vapor which issues
in volumes from the depths of the abyss.
Any near approach TO the crater prcdu-
ces sulfOca!ing sensation on every one
who has ascended so far. \ descent into
the crater, therefore, was considered TO
be certain death. All this was well known
to him, so he mentioned TO his friends his
tintention 10 have trip 20 the mountains,
and he set out for it. On the various
slopes of the mountain are some villages
Of the aboriginal Indians. From the last
Of these he took two guides, with ropes
and poles, and other articles used in the
ascent, and SO reached TIE summit. Here
he ordered his guides TO plant Two poles
crosswise on the bank of the crater, as he
wished to explore Tie interior. In vain
they tried to dissuade him. lie merely
told them 10 wait for him, and on his sig.
nal to haul him up; and shutting his eyes
and COMPRISING his mouth and nostrlls,
he descended by the rope into the yawning
chasm. His senses were in a whirl, his
brain reelcd, and the oppression on his
respiratory organs made the terrors o
death palpable. Sill! he persevered, ant
clutchpg the rode convulsively, he con
tiEued his descent, when 10! on suddel
all oppressivencss vanished--he felt him
sell TO be in pure, respirable atmosphere
and in few moments more he stood oil
firm ground.
He opened his eyes, and he was indeec
in another world. An immense dome o
g!!ttering yellow crystals, forming figures
of infnite variety was lit up by innumer
able pale blue flames, Pickering from cor
nices, from arabesques and deep recesses, o
playing, or increasing and decreasing jot
Of the walls Of this unearhly hall who's
dome was propped by huge huted col
umns Of a CLASSY polish resembling gian
bundles Of reeds. For moment our he
ro, stupeGed and as,onished, doubted tn
evidence Of his senses, that all around hin
! was unreal, shadowy, deluson Of hi
whirling brain. But dim glimpse of tn
distant opening above him, through whic
the white vapors whirled in ascending sp
rails, and thro' which at moments the clea
sunlit atmosphere shone like a diamond
, reminded him OF the world above hin
lie saw that he was in cavern OF su
- phur formation, an inexhsustble mine {
sulpher crystals; his speculative spirit re
vived, for he perceived at glance whf
immense wealth might be derived lroI
what he saw around him. A boundles
horizon of hope expanded in his heart, an
while his eyes filled with tears OF ofgrattud
to his forgiying God, he gave the sign
=. to be hauled up.
He now perveived that only very nef
- the mouth Of crater the vapors becam
compressed and suifocating, and that in
mediately below there was an atmosphei
: perfectly healthy and saiubrious. Th
T mine OF sulphur soon yielded him an i'm
mense fortune and he returned to his ow
country rich, perhaps a better man.
The mine is worked to this day and ar
= pears 10 be exhaustess.
At the brink of the crater, where III
hero of our tale descended, are still to b
seen the two cross-posts by means {
>, which he effected his descent, and whicl
y certainly gave color of truth 10 the ro
nance, as told 10 the writer.