Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-10-17
A JACK Rabbit.

iETVH7 nc cuh fFoTc1ScO Golden Era
While my friend CLYDE and myself were out IN
the bills back OF the Golden Gate park, las
week, JACK rabbit came along and stopped &c
look at us.
"If had thought to bring my revolver along
We would have jack on toast for breakfast TO.
MORROW" j remarked.
Not with my consent" he replied.
What reason can you give for not consent
iDg?"
"a rabbit saved my life, and have not killed
one since, and never will kill one again"
GLOW did he manage to save your life?''
"ThTee years ago was living in Montana. A
smelter had just been built and ii created de-
maDd for silver rock. L owned an interest in q
lead that had been sunk on thirty feet. Think
concluded TO 90 there and get some more, and
have it tested. L did 90; and reached the place
just in time TO take shelter in the mine from a
terrible hailst0Tm. lighted my candle, went
to the bottom, and went to work 1 had not
been there more than five minutes when heard
noise that sounded like a cannon. The rocks
over my head shock. and in moment the shaft
behind me caved. You can imagine my feelings
better than L can describe them, when 1 found
myself buried alive. L tremble even at this dis
tant day when 1 think of that moment. The
roof of the shaft WAS rocks, and when they came
down they did not pack so tight but what the
air came through. There was nothing that
could do TO release myself. | knew that ifrelief
did not come from the outside must perish. No
one knew had gone there. road ran past
the mouth OF the shaft, but it was not Travelled
much, and was not likely to attract attention
3
ali day. The following morning / commenced
calling again; and all day, whenever / thought
Iheard sound, l shouted. When night came
again all hopes of being released had abandoned
me. One thing added great bitterness to nv
sutieriDgs. / owed quite large amount of
money, and should my fate remain Unknown,
my creditors would think / had fed to defraud
them, and my name would be stigmatiZed.
will rot dwell on the 6gOnies l endured; | am
sorry i cannot fOIgetthem. The mornin of the
fourth day OF my IMPRISONMENT | heard some
" II m I 1fgrht Al
and saw rabbit. There was only one aper ture
large enough to admit him; | closed ii to prevent
his escape. saw in him food to appease my
hunger, and my hand was raised to kill him,
when thought occurred to me that prevented
the blow from descending. 1 had two fish lines;
their united length would reach the road. took
of my shirt, tore IL into strings, tied tn sm
together. and on to the fish line. [ wore a long
gold W atch chain; tied on to the part of the
line that would cross the road. l then cut
several leaves from my diary, wrote on them nv
condition, and tied them on to that part of the
line that would be outside. L then tied the cord
made out of my shirt around Jacks neck and let
hlm out. he soon reached the end of the line,
ana knew by the way he was pulling that he
was making desperate attempts to escape. Soon
the tuggIng stopped, and knowing gnawing TO
10 Jacks chief accomplishment, 1 thought he
had cut himself loose. About three hours after
ward felt the line pulled, then some one called.
1 uled TO answer, but the hOarse noise / made
died In the cavern. 1 then pulled the line TO
show was not dead. All grew still again, and
/ knew the man baC gone for assistance. Then
came the sound of voices. ~ pulled in the line,
and It brought me food. Ii took all the men who
could work in the shaft nine hours to reach me.
very large pine tree that stood near the shaft
had been the cause OF my misfortune. 1t had
been dead number of years, and the storm had
blown it over. The terrible blow il struck the
ground had caused the cave. Jack had wOund
the line around a bush, and tied himself so short
that he was imprisoned outside as securely as |
bad been inside. He was taken to town, put in
q large cage, and supplied with all the rabbit
delicacies the market afforded. He, however
did Lot thrive, and the boys believing th 1t he
'pined In thought voted to set him free. He was
taken back to his old girdling grounds, and
libeT ated.
"He not only saved my life, but became the
benefactOr of all the rabbits in the neighbor-
hCOd-the miners Tefraining from shooting any,
fearing ii might be him"