Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1869-03-27

rclafncJ to Sbe buiV, lvsfIed t1e bushes, lre-
vealing , dark aperture N tho fadeof the rock.
Iund disappeared within II, his light giving
back yellow glare for II second after he had
The camp revsiry went ON, the cooking pro-
grcsscd, the minutes passed, and Jones did not
rcappear, -
oil tbri fellow had found gold mine in
there &c wouldn't call one eof us" groNled the
illouager who had before spoken "I wonder
] ishat Jones has found. I'll Jest take a look. as
\ dinner isn't ready, : = y -
He arose lazily, abstracted n stick of burn.
ing wood Tor terch, proceeded to the cavern
entrance, aud Disappeared from view.
| "Probabiy,' said Hubert Sthert's large
cavern under that Hill. IT we had time, IL
might pay to explore il Under the present
circumstances, L am like Brown and prefer my
dinner TO scientific explorations"
The meal seemeti 10 be nearly really for the
rattling of tin cups and dishes began to lie
heard (; tile lieutenapts small cnmp-chest was
unpacked, and the cooks shouted to the stroll
ers TO come In.
Hp~Fave Jones and Brown came back =. asked
the iieutenant as he rose to a sitting position,
and glanced towards the cavern = = -r-0T'
The man replied In the negative. t..t...
Go after them then, King and hurry them
up" said the officer awe must r.sume the
march after dinner, and cannot aft Jrd to waste
time here yf irJHf Ufl H ',Tt'~. ~
King, finc young soldier, took torch, and
entered the cave. =. . .'
The dinner was dealt ont hot snvory steaks
and rossis--thc coffee mca. Lrcd, and tie meal
commenced, but none ot the men who hud en-
tered the cave lhato their appearance
How singular y eio .ulated Brydgcs. testify
and imraticntly. "Wnat can keep these mcng
King has been gone .en minutes. Here, Ser
gcant ialscy, hurry those men M r.
| Tho sergeant, a brown, strong iiiNns of mid
die age, hcsi;atpd, and rentured to stammer,
II beg your pardon, Lieutenant, but think
there's sJmcti.ing wrong inside the cave
There's three men in tlicrc-4alI hungry and
knowing that dinners ready Surely they'd
cJtnc lack III they could. Perhaps there's
wild beasts, or some strange kind OF gas that
smcthers en-, or"
Nonsense, Sergeant" interrupted the lieu
tenant, ifOwning. II give you five minutes to
bring those men buck. Cor .rr
The sergGants face paled but, without an
other word, he lookup II torch and entered
the cave, disappearing from the gaze of bis
friends. ." I. 'i'D '..
The minutes passed, the lieutenant and the
men ate their dinner mechanically, awaiting
anxiously the expected return yet none Of
the four came back. .. ..
e The words OF the sergeant had made deep
impression on the minds of his hearers 4
general gloom fell upon the camp, aud the incn
J cast frequent and fearful glances in the drcc-
iiOn of the cavern. Even the lieutenant and
; Hubert felt strange depression creeping over
=
"What can I've the matter 7" mt length de-
, ninnded the officer. The scrgennt's in trouble,
should judge, by this long absence There
can't be gas in the cave or If so, he would pro-
badly have had time TO cry out. There can't be
, wild beasts, for those four men were ar well
armed; md would ut least have fired. Which
of all you men will so into the cave and learn
what Is the matter =" .. .f .
There was a general shrinking back. Eve
ry soldier was brave in an Indian fight, but not
one dared 10 fnee mysterious and unknown
AsDgcT. Not onu wished to risk the complete
and total Disappearance from earth mud hu-
bian knowledge thai had beiallcn his comrades
: whoever will venture in search of the miss
ing men shall receive from me hundred dol
lars In gold ?! exclaimed Hubert, IN his clear,
ringing tones, "WhO speaks first for the
; money ~. .It. I.... .. l., ........ .... .
The offer wns tempting :; bu, it was not ac-
cepted. Not IA word of reply was made to it,.
Hubert hcsitatcd giving brief thought TO
siiriam, his loved and waiting Miriam! His
face then glowcd with heroic light and he
said, In tones that did not falter ~. q..,.
Il will go In search of the men; Lieutenant
Bridges. Only, your party is now small, and
If do not return In twenty minutes, sou may
resume your journcy,pEH uspil grf 5hf
"But, Earle" exppstulated thc Lieutenant,
this is positive madness You must not risk
your life. We will wait u whfGc, and If the
men do not return, we VIII move On ~ p '.
:
steadily. "Ihcy may bate cnc@untcret---wcll,
God knows Whist, can't imagine, II | fire
my rii'e COME to me. II fail to Te.urn with
In the time appointed, move on ~
lie went mp te the ncnres, kfc, picked up ia
blazing stick, arranged his rifle fDr instant use
appronShc! the mouth Of the cave, peered into
IL cautiously, ard lis,eDed inenlly for some
sound OF life wit. ~, .......-...
No sound came. .tH was ti'las death with,
In the cavern. s.li I.lg -..H
% The noxt instant Hubert ',ad vaTifIsel thcrc,
inIlj 17ifr' .rti O.. fau 'uJ ..i.., ,f..rf
All was now breathlcss suspenRF., ........
The lieutenant and his men g;.the. ed aro'ilIi
To listen for tile report OF the rifle .TiG MIN
utcs passed, bnt IL came not Fiyc ni.Euies
dragged fifteen, and still no soa.d
rcached their cars They could see briei
space into the cavern, by the light of th?r
own torches. but nothing hut rocky walls ana
no0r met their gaze,
Twenty minutes were thns passed. The
tnle was up, and Hubert had not returned
The mon looked at one another with palid
faces, AS if turnv1 10 stone, they stood I'm
awe.stricken group about The cayers mouth,
until the minutes hau more tha2 made up an
hour-and still they iingerJ>L
During this time they had cleared away the
bushes from the mouth of the cave. They had
tried ugain and again 10 peer into the dark
depths OF tho opening, hut oauld not The lieu.
tenant had called repeatedly To Hubert, but re.
tie rope around his waist and descend into
the sinister abyss, but Ills men objected unani.
mously. l'i.' 'I' Nra U.II
! WHATS The nsc ~ asked one. There's
something here that no mortal man can con.
qucr." '7 .f"s ~ DOB Hu' 'H.f H.' H
We cunt risk your life, lieutenant" said
another. just think how few there are of us"
The time continued to drag on. ~ ''
~ Inst, when two full hours had passed,
Lieut. Brydgcs staggered To his feet and said
This ls horribie-terriblc beyond expires
sion| We have lost four OF our comrades and
this noble Young sirnngcr, whom loved IA "A
brother. This fearful cave must hold Inc scl
crcs OF their fate, be II what it may. Let us
Without word, but with wliin hcrs-in
SORT oi mute terror, the men m0unled their
horses and resumed their Journey The ntuyo
is oil Of this story that win he pnblishcdia our
columns, The continuation Of II from where
i leaves of hero ctn be found only in the New
| York Ledger, which Il for sale 1T All the hook.
/ stores and neNes ngtYDfs I'd al, n,r nun,l,n,