Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-03-29

notch In the long slender poles. As we
stood at the edge of/the wide opening and
eagerly gazed down into it we could dis
tinctly see our two companions and mark
their slow descent by the Pickering light
OF their candles. They toisomely zig
Jagged their way down, the light of their
candles growing smaller and smaller till
all We saw rescmbled two little stars.
Finally the two twinkling stars went
over to the west side OF the shaft and
stopped side by side. A murmuring. as
OF the voices of persons in conversation,
then came up the shaft.
Pay oAt more rope!" shouted Bill from
somewhere far down in the bowels of the
earth
The rope was slowly run out
"All right! That's enough!' cried Bill.
Again hum Of voices was heard then
came the order from Bill Haul up;
haul slowly and carefully! Slowly
slowly-slowly! Hold. Hold on now!
That will do!''
There was more buZzing Of voices, then
Bill called out: Hello, up there!"
Hello" cried We.
81 am going to-bring him up-the
ladders" said Bill, sending his message
up in sections, so that it would not be-
come tangled on the way. . l shall leave
the rope around him Keep the slack
hauled up-but don't pull hard Do you
understands"
''All right" cried /. 1--WE know how
| it is"
They then started up the ladders
| They halted to rest at each platform
Finally, as they approached the top, we
were able to catch occasional glimpses
| lover Bill's shoulders) OF pale face and
black bushy beard. Then, when they
reached the last ladder, sloping up toward
us, there was added to the picture Il pair
OF black and eager looking eyes-hungry-
looking is probably the better expression.
| The man was at last safely landed at
/ the top of the shaft. He was a stranger
to us all. A tall young fellow, apparent
~ about twenty-six years of age-stood
before us. He wore black felt hat and
ordinary miners garb The man WAS
weak, and tottered as he opened the moose
mt the end Of the rope, dropped it to his
feet, and stepped out of it.
| Suddenly he sank upon his knees. We
were about to go to his assistance, think
| ng he had tainted, when he raised his
hands, and we saw by the motion of his
| lips, that he was doing thing we did not
often see done in the mines.
| We took off our hats and stood by in
! silence.
! When the young man attempted to rise
| from his knees he fell over on his side,
and came near rolling into the shaft again,
! for he had tainted Some water from the
canteen revived him, and spoonful of
brandy soon gave him strength to stand,
and even walk slowly, supported on either
| side by one of our men.
| We were all dying of curiosity, and AS
we moved down the side of the mountain
toward my cabin we could not refrain
from asking a few questions, weak and
| sick as the young man looked.
q Your name ISL acob Pritchard?" asked
one of the men.
! g IL is" said the stranger.
Did you write this notey' said |, ex
hibiting the scrap of writing had found
:" did," said the man: but there is
blood on it! How came thats am no;
hurtp'
1T is as found it on my cabin floor,
where you left it," said l.
Where | left it! How could ?" said
the young man, giving HE reproachful
look
"Wcll, /" said | " that is what want to
! know and YOU all the time in the Shaft"
W 40 II itdliN blpuGit W NOui NdulH
GOT course; how else would | have
got 2" said |.
/ :" 1t is miracle," cried the young
man
u But how could you send the note up
ont of the shaft, asked one of the men.
1.-The story is TOO long to be told now;
! besides, what YOU most want to know is so
! simple-I might say so silly-that you
will be inclined To laugh at me wher |
/ tell you. But when | am rested | will
| tell YOU all y
This was gasped out little at a time,
and SO teebly that we all saw that the
young man was in no condition to tell a
long story, such rs his promised to be-
/ B'll, who felt proud of his part in the
business OF the rescue, swore that the man
should not say word until he had swat
lowed something in the shape OF food and
till he felt himself able 10 talk.
AS the two men assisted the stranger
down the steep face of the mountain
much of the time almost carrying him
some of us fell behind To discuss the
words he had let fall. BuI we could make
nothing out of anything he had said.
/ After we had reached my cabin, and
after the stranger had partaken of such
food rs we thought suitable for him in his
weak state, We asked him to tell us his
/ story
81 ought to ask YOU 10 tell me your
story" said he, las there are things that
| puzzle me not "A little, and which you
ought 10 be able To explain. think you
have said you found my note here on the
floor of your cabin"
- have said so, replied, land can.
not understand how twas lett there"
=" The circumstance cannot aStoniSh YOU
more than it does me-" said the young
( man. =" The hand of God is in it, When
| You shall have heard my story you will
| NrOhnhlN be able 10 tell mo how the NOTE