The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1867-02-07
clothing still more tenacious. and counte-

nances perfectly eloquent of heat and
disgust. We pitied them, but our pity
turned to contempt when they threw
themselves under the nearest tree
boughs, and said, "not another step
would they GO for the greatest "natural
curiosity" mother earth could show
'em !" And sure enough nothing avail
ed to move them, and so, looking
longingly back, I made "virtue of ne
cessity" and strobe on after the perse-
vering and expeditions Colonel. If I
was dismayed at the narrow ledge of
rock which projected about five feet
from the mountain-side, and along
which | had cautiously to creep for
some distance, | said nothing. but Ike p
ing my eyes on the cliff above, and my
feet in the footprints Of the Colonel
ahead, managed to reach wide resting
place, without breaking my neck.
" Where is the mouth of the Cave
supposed to be, Colonel 2" I asked, in a
sort of breathless despair, seeing no hole
wherein could creep, let alone my
companion of a larger growth. >
"It was about here, but if that isn't
it-pointing to an opening in the cliff
some ten feet above my head" don't
know where it u.s." With horror | SUR
veyed my own dimensions, about four
feet ten, and then looked up again at
the mouth, "and the rockwall around,
f,.
Struggling shrubs. | took courage to
ask, thus betraying my neglected edu
cation, Z how, pray, will we get in
there 20
The Colonel was evidently in a brown
study, and looking anXiously towards
the rocks, didn't hear me. He solilo-
quzed: :. will climb up those shrubs
a short distance to the right OF the
entrance, and then by carefully lowering
myself L"
"Oh never in the world, my dear
Colonel! Should you fall, you'd GER
tainly 60 down below us a hundred feet;
and even should you succeed | never
could get up there, 1.-THE last ! renem-
Der, said more dolefully, as being the
greater misfortune after SO much effort
on such day.
Where there's will theresa way"
ceeded, after laying Off his coat, to
show me 1.-THE way I had no idea
| that indolent men could be SO supple,
but he swung himself like a cat from
shrub to shrub in the most miraculous
manner, until he actually hung over the
opening in the rock above me. Down
came his shoe-of course | screamea-
women always do, at the wrong time
and then came his hat, and frantically
held my breath and the skirt of my
dress, expecting him bodily every
second, but he didn't come that way,
only slowly let himself from one shrub
to the other, and landed at last on terra
firma, ga sadder and a wiser man.
"a rabbit couldn't get a rod in there!
a0e must have made mistake" made
little grimace at his ire,o and
thought so too.
1t was just ike a man to attempt to
hunt curiosities on such a day. and l
was half-inclined to follow the example
of the lazy "specimens" over on the
hill, but for the honor Of my abused sex |
ut last determined to hold out with the
genus homo, and at least "be in at the
death"
After great deal of marching and
counter. marching, and clambering up
and down, we discovered little worn
path leading down the mountain side,
under the ledge. The Colonel ventured
the wise remark that "the path must
lead somewhere" and so it did, direct
to the mouth of the Cave for which we
had been SO long searching. In vain |
plead for little rest; the Colonel with un-
firing zeal led me on with marvelously
fascinating accounts Of the cool delights
of the inner chambers of this wonderful
Cave, and so soon found myself with
bit of candle, following on hands and
knees in the wake of his lantern: 1t
certainly seemed very long distance,
but it's said to be only few rods over
which we had to crawl before we could
stand upright and breathe freely in q
stable chamber. All my fanciful
visions of glittering cave-chambers fled,
affrighted at the reality of this one.
Black, gloomy and damp it was, and
though we threw our lights wildly
about us-according to guide-books-no
sparkling crystals flashed back radiance:
was disheartened, quite, as followed
the Colonel, who proceeded to lead me