The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1872-04-20


well as he could, he searched about I'M
til he found an opening leading down
to the floor below. Descending by
means of his rope ladder through the
opening, he passed under the cave, and
after wandering for time in the dis
NAL, reeking place in which he found
himself, he came upon an old rotten
ladder, up which he crawled to the floor
from which he had descended, thanking
his stars that he was again tree
He now started to find the mouth of
the incline and was congratulatlng him
self that he had recovered from his
former childish fears of COLLINS, when
upon elevating his candle above his
head to peer as far as possible into the
narrow passage in advance, there sud
denly rose before him most frightful
apparition. Uttering helpless, smoth-
cred shrek, which seemed to be an,
ewered by still more despairing shrieks
from every cavern i'll the mine,-he
dropped his candle. Standing squarely
| before him in the middle of the pass
age, he had seen tall man of most
venerable appearance. His hair and
beard were of snowy Wilderness, and
| the latter reached far below his waist
his flowing robe was also white, but
his face was black as ink. In the in
voluntary act of covering his eyes to
shut from his sight the fearful thing,
the candle was dropped, and it was
some moments before he could gain
courage to remove his hands and again
look before him. When he did SO he
was more frightened than before at
what he beheld. Tie apparition was
still there, but ten times more terrible
than before. 1t appeared living,
glowing flame except the face, which
was, if possible, blacker than before
More dead than alive, he stopped and
CROPPED about till he found his candle i:
then, with trembling hands, he lighted
it, never once looking toward the awful
object till his light was fairly burning,
when, with a forced resolution which
be felt to be little short of impudent,
he boldly faced about and held up his
candle. His ghost was gone, but in its
place stood timber which had pitch
ed from above, and which was COM
pletely clothed IN the white fungus he
had seen so much of in other parts of
the mine. He examined it infinitely,
| 'iiNt was ttStOhiohStl IlIdt 1t StIOull HtNc
given him such fright; but then it
stood alone, and in place where he
did not look for a timber of any garb.
By shading his candle he soon discov-
cred that the fiery appearance it had
worn in the dark was owing to IA phos
phorescent light given out by the reek-
ing fungus. These discoveries did not
give him the courage that might have
been eXpected-on the contrary he had
quite enough of the old mine, and be-
fore he reached the old incline he again
had the feeling of beng followed, and
the dripping of the water sounded in
his ears much like the distant shouts
of fiendish laughter.
Going up the incline was slow and
hard work, and more than once he was
force to seat himself and rest his tremb.
ling knees. At such times he was
again overcome by the silence Of the
place; and, did he happen to cough, look
ed about expecting to hear an answer
or to see leering face peering out at
him from the next side opening above.
The rats, too. frightened him. His
rambling below seemed TO nave started
them up from the old chambers, and
one which was scampering above hap.
pening to fall upon his arm, he shook
and brushed his sleeve most frantically,
then gazed about and above him shud.
derlngly, expecting a whole sack of the
vermin to be emptied down upon him.
When the top of the incline was reach.
ed he fervently thanked the Lord. and
seiZlng the largest rock he could find,
hurled it down the black chasm, listen
ing with exultation TO the noise Of It's
bounding and crashing its way toward
the CHASTITY, fungus breeding caverns
below
Another fright awaited him. After
his extra display Of bravery In defying
The ghosts OF dead men, COLLINS Coball
and all, by hurting rock down the in
/ clDe, he al at once thought, as he
walked away from the place, that il
would have been better had enot done
II though Why, il would be foolish to
think. He was now on the tunnel level
and fast nearing the tunnel itself, when
his way would he straight and not be-
: set by yawning chambers iuto whose
depths he could not see, and out OF
which at any moment might stalk a
thing IN he knew not what blood-freez-
ing shape. A cold blast moved past,
causing the flame of his candle to stream
forward. Something might be coming,
but it would be childish to look behind.
The candle fame fattened down more
and more, and behind HIM was uttered
a deep sigh. Facing about and hold,
ing his candle aloft, he saw nothing
While he was bordering upon what
|. could have made the noise, his ears
were assailed by a shrill, piercing, I'M
mlstak able scream. In the stiffness il
seemed tar beyond the power of human
lungs to have uttered such an rinearthly
shrieh.
Our hero owns to having answered
this by trembling 'boo-o 90! ~ which
was all that came of what he intended
should have been fierce and defiant
yell. Again the awful scream rang out,
utterlng the single word "Hor-r ror y
Our terrified explorer of forbidden
ground now, for the first time. felt his
han at work inside of his hat. He
held his candles above his head and
peered into the three great galleries
yawn1ng near, but could see nothing.
He pushed his hat down upon his fore
head to settle his hair, whirled sudden-
ly round and held his candle down to
: examine stick which had snapped I'M
der his heel, Strengthened up. coughed,
then once more took q survey OF his
limited horizon. As far as he could
see stood CHASTITY rows of timbers.
draped or rather furred over with white