The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1875-01-13

UTILIZING A JACK RABBIT.
The Extraordinary Story toli by a Nom
tdna Miner Useful Fishliaes.
While my friend Clyde and myself were
out In the hills OF the Golden Gate Park,
. Jack rabbit came along, and stopped 10
look I ms. iaH
aIfI had thought to bring my revolver
along we would have Jack op toast for
break fast Tomorrow, l feniarkedi
Not with my consent, he replied.
" What reason can You give for not con-
senting?'
"A rabbit saved my life once, and Ihave
not killed one since, and willanever kill
one again. 1850
How did he manage to save your life?'
Three years ago [ was living In Montana.
A smelter had just been built, and 1t
created demand for silver rock. I owned
an interest In a lead that had been sunk
ON 30feet. Thinking the time had come
TO make It available, concluded to 20
there aud get some ore and have IL tested.
did 30; and rea> 'ed the place just In time
to take shelter In tna inine from a terrible
hailstorm. lighted my candle, went to
the bottom, and went to work. had not
been there Iiore than five minutes when
I heard noise that sounded like cam
non. The ruck over my head shook, and
IN moment the shaft behind me caved.
You can imagine my feelings better than
can describe them, when found myself
buried alive. tremble even at this dis
tant day when think Of that moment.
The roof OF the shaft was rocks, still when
they came down they did not pack so tight
bu. what the air came through. There
was nothing that could do 10 release
myself. Iknew thatifrelief did no. come
from the outside I must perish. No one
knew I had gone there. A rad ran past
the mouth Of the siiaft; but ID. was
not Travelled much, and I was not
likely to attract attention by calling;
nevertheless, I shouted at intervals oil
day. The following morning ! COM
nnenced calling again; and all day, when
ever though I heard sound, ] shouted.
When night came on again all hopes Of
being released had abandoned me. One
thing added great bitterness to my suffer-
ings. 1 owed quite q large amount Of
money, and should my fate remain
unknown, my creditors would think | had
fed to odefraud them, and my name would
be stigmatiyed
81 win not dwell on the agonies en-
dured; am sorry cannot forget them.
The morning Of the fourth day of my
Imprisonment heard something crawl
into my grave. lightsti my candle and
saw rabbit. There was only one aper-
ture large enough TO admit him; 1 closed
II 70 prevent his escape. saw In him food
to appease my hunger. and my hand was
raised 90 Kill him, when thought oc-i
Cured to me thss prevented the blow
from descending. had two fish lines;
their united length would reach to the
road. took OF my shirt; tore Il into
strings, tied them together and on to the
fish line. I wore long, gold watch chain;
/ tied IL on 10 the part Of the line that
would cross the road. then cut several
leaves from my diary, wfote'on them my.
condition, AMI tied them on TO that part
Of the line that would be outside. / then
tied the end made out Of my shirt around
Jacks neck and let him out. He soon
reached the end Of the 8hs, shd ! knew
by the way he was pulling that he was
making desperate attempts TO escape. Soon
the tugging stopped, and knowing gnaw-
ing 20 be Jacks chief accomplishment, 4
thought he had cut himself loose. About
three hours afterwards I felt the line
pulled, and some one called; 1 tried 70
answer, but the hoarse noise I made died
In the cavern. then pulled the line 10
show that I was not dead.
All grew still again, and I knew the
man had gone for assistance. Then came
the sound Of voices; Ipulled IN the line,
aud u brought me food. IL took all the
men who worked In the SHAFT nine hours
10 reach me.
"a very large pine tree that stood near
The shaft had been the cause OF my mis-
fortune. II had been dead q number Of
years, and the storm had blown Il over.
The terrible blow ID struck the ground had
caused the cave.
Jack had wound the line around q
bhsh, and tied himself so short that he
was iniprisohed outside as securely as !
Mad bstn inside. He was taken 10 town,
put In d large cage, and supplied with ali
the rabbit delicacies the market afiordesL
Ne. however, did not thrive, and The boys,
believing that he spined in thought
vsted 10 set him free, He was taken back
sehis old gffdling grounds and liberated
= ye not only saved my life, but becasse
she bsnefsttot Of al the rabbits ip tse
H-ighborhood- od--the miners refralning sosu'
slssoting any, fearing it might be h'as'