The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1873-03-13

40 ODlecI, Us u SeAOAoA AuhO,
the superintendent answered. "There
are plenty of people here who would
like nothing better than to go down
there and stare, if they were allowed
to do so; but, of course, with you,
Mr.. Tyrrell, it is a different matter
I'll send a man down with you if you
wish to 60"
Tyrren reiterating his desire, the
man was summoned, and they pro
ceeded together into the mine. It
was strange, wild scene, and thor
oughly novel to the man of the upper
world, upon which they entered. The
dark galleries opening away in differ
ent directions, with here and there
the light of miners candle cleaning
in the subterranean atmosphere, the
smell of fresh earth from the fallen
wall, the force of men working with
shovels and pickaxes by the light of
lanterns and torches. AS Tyrrell
came up, an inanimate figure was
drawn forth and carried past him to
the upper air. jackson" he heard
the men saying to each other, and
then somebody added, "Stone dead"
"You see they are still taking out
the men on whom the earth fell,
his guide said. "Theres something
like half a dozen missing yet. If you
are not afraid to come through this
way, you'll find the place where they
are looking for Mr.. Churchill"
Fear did not chance to be word
in Roland Tylrells vocabulary, SO he
followed the speaker, through an
opening in the fallen earth, to where
the advance portion of the mining
party had been found. Itwas the very
end of the excavation, and men were
working here eagerly, expecting every
moment to find Hugh Churchill, as
they had found the others. - q
"Heu never. come out alive" Tyr
reIls guide said, gloomily. "Not but
that-steady, boysl what are you after
now?"
They were after another inanimate
figure, upon which they had stumbled,
and which they were almost sure
would prove the one so anxiously
sought. "Hold up, there!" they cried
to the men who were working with
pickaxes in front, Gooishly enough,
since the end OF the excavation had
plainly been reached); but these did
not seem to hear, for, just as the 9th
ers were lifting up the unconscious
face for Identification, their axes went
suddenly through into another and
unsupported excavation beyond-there
was quick rattle of falling earth-a
crust-ike wall gave way-and blast
Of air rushed but which proved its
noxious qualities By extinguishing ev-
cry one of the lights.
The panic which ensued was Meth
ef so unwise nor SO unnatural as
might at first appear. If the men
threw down pickaxes and shovels to
fly for their lives, it was because they
knew well that their lives were at
stake-since, of all dangers which
the miner has to dread, the most
deadly by far is the subtitle poison
known as mephitic air. Tyrrells
guide had sufficient consideration to
seize him by the arm, and hurry him
away at such breathless pace that
he scarcely knew what had happened
until he found himself beyond the
point where the first earth had fallen
Even here the panic had spread
and the men were retreating. "Alls
up now" they said. 'ENo hope fol
any man left in there when that gets
at him. The devil himself couldn'
live in foul air!'
'Where's Mr.. Churchill?" demanded
Tyrrell, as soon as he could be heard
Then, as an ominous silence followed
the question: 'For Gods sake, yor
don't mean to tell me that you arr
men, and that you have left a MAJ
who could not help himself, to per
ish in there! Is it possible-has i
been done?"
It had indeed been done. No ont
had thought of him. Each man haC
blindly rushed from the danger, an(
left the unconscious one behind
sHe is dead" some of them said
by way of excuse.
''No man k'ao'0s that, Tyrrell an
swered. 'No man can dare to sa.
that he felt either his heart OF hi
pulse. The presumption is that h
is alive-and I call upon you as brav'
men to go back with me for him. "
. There was dead silence. Brav'
enough they were, the most of them
but not SO brave as this. They ha(
faced danger from the falling earth
but they could not face certain dealt
from mephitic air. Nobody stirred
Most of them were silent; only on
or two murmured that there had beel
deaths enough, and that they hac
their families to consider.
every well, said Tyrrell, scornful
ly, 81 Will go alone. Give me Ian
, tern-something that cannot be ez
tinguished easily; and I will shoy
you whether or not you are set Q
pitiful towards. Only"-he stoppe'
moment and considered-I an
: afraid I could scarcely bring him on
| alone. Is there any one here VIII
can be bribed to do his duty by
thousand dollars? II SO, let hir
e,,ool, OF onoa Tbara iSnot q eacon