Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1867-01-03

any foul gas?" But l found that I could
still breathe freely, and by degrees this fear
went off; while, summoning up my cour-
| age, | waded on "splash-splash" in the
echoing darkness, farther and farther into
the mine, always with the water growing
shallower and shalloWer as | receded from
the shaft; and at last stood upon the dry
bottom, but with the water streaming OFT
me.
The place did not feel cold, while as sat
down | could not but wish THAI my clothes
were dry, for they chung to me till /
stripped part of them off and wrung out
the water, when felt on putting them on
again comparatively warm. But what a
position. Trembling there in the midst of
that thick darkness, with a wild magma
ton peopling it with every imaginary hor-
ror, lay despairing, till, with the thought
strong upon me that | was buried alive L
began to run recklcssly about, now dash
ing myself violently against the sides now
tripping over the fragments that had fallen
from the roof till at last the splashing
water beneath my feet warned me to go
back, when, with my head feeling almost
on fire, | crawled back to lie painting
amongst the coal and slate
All at once recollected the tobacco, and
put piece in my mouth, and after time
it seemed to calm me so that could sit
and think, though at times | would have
given worlds to have run away from my
thoughts. How time went | could not
tell; but it seemed after while that [
must have slept for leapt up all at once
pith the fancy strong upon me that heard
ears to listen, there was nothing but the
drip, drip" of the water; while I feared
to call out, for the sound went echoing
along, so that seemed to be repeated again
and again till felt to creep with dread
Many hours must have passed, for
heavy, dull, sleepy feeling oppressed me as
| lay there, numbed bodily and i'll mind :;
but at length | started up thoroughly
awake, feeling certain that i had heard
cry which seemed to have whispered like
in my ear. sat up trembling, when again
there came the shout family heard as it
came along the top of the water, and then
l gave q loud despairing shrek for nelp
three times and then tainted
When ] came to again, it seemed like
waking from dream; and | felt that con-
fused that | could hardly believe that |
was not in my own room at home; but as
| sat up, the thought of where I was came
upon me again, while like faint br,zziDg,
whispering noise, / could hear voices TO
rouse up and give a tremendous shout was
but the work Of a moment when my heart
rose, for it was answered, though but faint
ly, and knew that [ was being sought for,
and sat listening
But soon | grew impatient and began
wading into the water, so as to be once
more nearer to living creatures; and I
waded on and on till the water was up to
my chin and l could hardly stand when I
shouted again, and now L could hear the
reply quite plainly.
After while l saw faint light flash
along the wall, and knew that a piece of
something burning had been cast down the
pitt and then again and again | saw SINH
lar flashes, while / stood there trembling
lest should sink from exhaustion and be
drowned; But now something far more
reviving came, for, like star shining along
the water, / could see the light of lantern
that had been lowered down, as it swung
slowly about at the mouth OF the passage;
while at length close by it | saw something
move, when [ felt choking, as l knew that
a man had been lowered down, and was
swinging beside the lantern while, when
his voice came ringing along the passage
with CHEEKY Where are you mate ~
for few moments my head swami and l
couldn't answer
Cant you get to me?" he says, after I
had answered.
No" l says, "I daren't try to swim
It."
''Then | must" he says; and then. he
shouted out "Slack out" and an echoing
splash came along to my ears GLOW far
is it?" he says.
about sixty yards" 1 gasped; and then
he stopped and called out to me to keep I'D
my heart, and he would soon be back
when shouting to those above, he was
drawn up once more, and it seemed hours
before heard the sound of his voice again
and, directly. after, | could see the lantern
coming towards me- and then I've a recol-
lection OF seeing some one with a light
splashing about in the water, and of hav-
ing something tied under my arms which
foated me UP till | was quashed along to
the mouth of the passage, where Lean re-
collect clinging to the rope made fast round
me; and then | was swinging about and
shocking against the rough sides of the
smart, While voice at my ear kept saying,
:, Cheer up, matey" Then in a sort Of
sleep L heard people talking, and some one
said, Here, catch hold of these life belts p
md it seemed like the voice of the man |
who came down to me. But the next thing
recollect is lying in my own bed, with
some one sitting at theAside as she used to
I'll she could for the next three days; and
old me, she did at last, of her horror when
did not come home, and of the search
next day; but there were no footsteps on
he waste on account of the snow, so that
40 one would have searched there had not
4 boy been seen with my walking stick,
which he had found sticking up in the snow
oy the old pits mouth, just as / must have
eft it when [ fell into the fearful gulf
which held me for two long days
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