Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-11-04

When they had entered the PIT with
their lights, and were full of confidence,
the distance appeared short, but now in
the pitchy Egyptian darkness it seemed
as if they, cold never find their way out.
Minutes seemed heightened into hours,
and still they walked, and seemed no
nearer their destination. At length
Meta's delicate frame succumed to the
unwonted exertion, and she exclaimed (:
"Papa, l can go no further; leave
me, and seek a light; I will remain un-
til you return.
:" I cant, my child" he replied; 1
will remain with you, but Baccup can
go and bring assistance.
At this moment he felt Baccup's hand
gently draw his on one side, and voice
whispered in his ear:
g. | don't like to alarm Miss Wood
ward, sir, but I'm afraid we have wan
dered into the old workings, and if so,
we are lost.
ss -" No, no; that can't be, replied the
now terrified father; for we couldn't
hardly have got in when all the breaks
were closed"
Il heard the men say at the pits
mouth this morning that there had been
a great break in the night, but l did not
think we. should have come this side, "
replied the man.
I" God forbid weshould bein these work
ings butt if so, they will miss u.s. guess
where we are, and search for, us. y
How can each separate party know
but that We have gone up with the 9th
er 1t will be onl ly when we are miss
ed at home that they will think what
can have become of us, and before then
it will be too late. y -.
Mr.. Woodward felt the full force of
all this, but he would not give way so
he said aloud to Baccup.: $50.
1t won't do for US to separate, l
think, after all so you and I will man
age to carry my daughter between us,
and reach the shaft. !"
The man complied, and, raising the.
young girl between them, they. again
essayed tosfnd their doubtful way. But
soon the read became rough and bro
ken, and they could now realize that
they had indeed wandered from the
right track, and were lost in the old
galleries. At length, the strong men
could go no further, and, laying the
young girl down, the father seated him
self by her, andsaid:
"Meta, darling, We have wandered
from the right track. Itwould be use
less going further in this darkness, as
we don't know but We may be only wan
dering farther from the aid and assis-
tance that will be shortly seeking us. -
: 81 don't know now it is, papa, but L
feel firm conviction that / shall never,
reach home again. I pray that you
may be spared, for it was my folly that
brought us all here
The father gently child his child for
feeling SO gloomy, and comforted her
as we'll as he could for he felt all the
time black despair settling at his heart,
for now, for the first time, he realized
the peril they really stood in.
Hours passed, and still no signs. Of
the promised assistance. Their strength
began to fail for where is there any.
thing that robs one ofaall stregthsof
purpose and OF body as when the bright
goddess Hope takes her departure ? TT
was Just at a moment when Mr.. Wood
ward felt his senses leaving him with
anguish, that Meta exclaimed: -.
Papa, is that star I see shining in
the distance p 7.s@t sd -
They looked, and beheld faint glim-es
mer of light. Hope immediately sprang
up again IN their minds ~ -
They raised a feeble. shout, but, far,
from expediting the assistance they.
stood so much in need Of, it seemed to,
have contrary effect, for the ighl i'm
nediately disappeared. sss'9'e - :
1t can only be the effect Of imagi-
nation, sighed Meta.
Hush" said Baccup; keep silence,
and see what comes of it.
Shortly the light began to glimmer
again, and presently they could per-
ceive figure approach thcm-it was
that of man almost a skeleton. His
black locks hung down to his waist,
while in his eyes the fire Of insanity
cleaned and flashed. -
"'Tis Black Jack" whispered Bac-
cup.
And then they heard the madman
exclaim ri ~
Who is it thatinvades my lasthome,
when, after taking all I held near and
DEAR drove me from the earth, and even
in hell can't let me rest 2
He approached, and suddenly his
eyes fell on Meta, laying on the ground
inscnsible.
Mary, my darling, are you return
ed to comfort me? You come back to
-Ha! ha see the halo round her
head. Men nor devils shan It part us!
and, rushing forward, he raised the
fainting girl in his arms, and fled swift
ly away.
The two men followed as well as they
could, guided by the sound of the ma
MACS footsteps and the occasional glim-
mer of his lamp; but, after their ex-
haustion, they were no match for the
frenzied speed of the madman. They
gradually lost him, but, still keeping on
in the same direction, they saw gleam
of light, and presently arrived at the
foot Of an old, disused shaft To the
side of this shaft there had been fixed
ladders, by which the miners in the
olden time ascended, as well as descend
ed, into the pit; but they were decayed
and frail Nevertheless, it was evident
that up this ascent the maniac had fed
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