The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1875-09-13
eagerly, but, in iargon quite uuintelli-

eagerly, but IN q larSon quite nnintelh'
gible.
Presently the hole darkened. Some
thing had been phshedup intothe mouth
OF it. At first Billy thought that the
blacks were stopping it up but mo-
ment alter an ominous cracklings accom-
panied by a smothered roaring, ,began.
The natives had placed n fire at The en-
trance OF the burrow.
1t flashed to Billy's mind that lie had
heard that the natives captured wom-
bats by smoking them out. An agony
of terror seized upon him. Ten times
rather would he have preferred race on
the open plain, with the whole tribe
after him. ..
At first very little smoke worked back
to where lie lay, and he hoped that he
might yet escape suffocation. Mean
time, he could hear the blacks shouting,
singing, and beating on the rock with
their waddies, to frighteu ont the won.
bats, probably, for they evidently had
no idea that there was larger game in the
burrOw.
As soon as the first bundle OF leaves
and grass WIS burned out, another was
brought. Billy now thought Of driving
out the wombats, and Of saving himself
by sacrificing them. But on his trying
to seize the animals, they retreated into
smaller holes leading of from the main
den, where il was impossible to reach
them.
Gradually the smoke found its way
back into the burrow; yet by holding
his face close down to the earth, Billy
managed to breathe. But it grew more
dense. His eyes began to smart, and it
was difficult for him TO breathe. A hor-
rible death stared him in the face.
Under ordinary circumstances I am
sure that Billy seldom prayed. But he
thought he was at DEATHS door. Suffo-
cation had its fearful grip on his throat.
80 Lord" he cried out, his nose
pressed into the dirt, "take pity on me!
o, dear Lord, put out that fire, and
drive away those heathen niggers !'iand
then, fairly beside himself with terror,
he repeated it over and over with oil his
strength. W..
The effect Of this petition on tho
blacks outside seems to have been in
stantaneous. The iabbering and shout
ing ceased ut once rs il by magic. There
was n moments silence, then scamper-
ing. Ia
With his mouth to the ground and his
eyes tightly shut, Billy lay and listened.
An utter stiffness had taken the place OF
the noisy iollifcation. Tho fro Of dry
grass burned out, and tho hole began to
clear Of tho smoke. But for while.
Billy had no thought that the natives
Ind gone. He know nothing Of their
superstitions. He lay quiet and waitel.
The wombats came out OF their leth-
argy and commenced to sneeze prodigi-
ously. They even tried to creep out
past him, but Billy drove them back.
An hour or two passed, and the boy
was about mastering courage to crawl
out, when slight noiso on the rockcon-
vinced him that some Of the blacks were
still near the place; so he waited two or
three hours more, as ho thinks, then
very cautiously crept down to tho mouth
Of the hole. ag
There was no nativo in sight, and
after watching and listening for long
time, the boy yentured to come forth.
CHANGING guardedly backward over tho
rock, ho saw, set on it, broad wooden
platter, well loaded with fried tadpoles,
another containing bulrush roots, and
large piece Of scorched kangaroo meat.
1t is quite evident THAT the blacks had
taken Billy's voice for Tint Of some sort
Of divinity, whom they thought it was
best to propitiate with generous meal,
and then lie i've to his own devices.
Without attending to- the savage
offerings, or in the least understanding
them, the boy first assured himself that
the coast wns clear, then took to his
heels, aud soon left tho rock far be-
hind.
That this singular deliveance was in
answer to Billy's prayer, may perhaps
he questioned by some people; but all
readers will agree, think, that -physi.
cnlly, mt least, it WIS good thing for
him that lie prayed for tlelivemnce.
Without prayer he certainly would not
lavO escaped.
lie wandered abont III the scrub until
it WIS nearly night, when he fortunately
heard the guns fired by party OF the
stockmen, who were ont searching for
him. They had become alarmed ut his
not coming in, aud still more by Blink
er's coming home riderless late the pre-
vious evening. 81
So Billy escaped unframed at Inst +;
but either the fright or the smoke, or
perhaps both combined, brought Oh n
feverish attack which listed fortnight
or more. Ultimately, however, he re-
covered his health, and, 1 am sorry to
say, celebrated his conyalcscence by Civ
ing Blinker most outrageous beating.
SO, while his prayers saved his life, it is
very certain his almost miraculous es.
cape produced no beneficial effect upon
him otherwise. Did he deserve his mer-
ciful escape ~ lOuth's Companion. .