The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1879-08-16

L..
SO we set out together.
1t was bleak, dreary night,
A strong breeze was blowing, and
sable clouds vailed the stars
from view.
We searched the Swan Dig
gings carefully, and more than
once were in danger of precipita-
ting ourselves into the deep shafts
which gold-seekers had sunk, and
finally abandoned as non -aurifer.
GUS.
Vance at last became so excl.
ted as apparently to lose all con.
troi over himself, as he wandered
backward and forward, from one
hole to another, in a manner use
less and absurd.
''Let's IT,, fuI ther to the right.
It's pretty certain the girl isn't
IL any OF the holes hereabout,' l
said.
But my companion insisted that
1t was absolutely impossible that
Maggie could have Strayea so far
a road that she was familiar with
and would noc allow me to pro.
ceed i'll the direction | indicated.
A bright idea suddenly dawned
upon me, and l proceeded to put
1t into execution forthwith.
l Iquitted Vance and ran back
to the store, where l found Mrs.
Hyatt crying bitterly, aud evi.
IDENTIFY much perturbed at the
non-appearance of her eldest
child.
Have you got a pair of old
shoes belonging to your daugh
ter g asked.
'Of course-lots of 'em :; but
Whist do you want with them q
sobbed the anxious mother.
Il will show you if you will
bring thpm,' | replied.
Mrs. Hyatt fetched pair of
weil-worn CATERS. ] took them in
my hand and called my dog.
Find her, Pip, old fellow l
said. as 1 place. the boots before
him.
He shifted them, raised his one
intelligent eye to my face, wag-
ged his tail, as if he fully under
stood what was desired of him.
and walked toward the door.
[ followed him out; and with
his nose close to the ground. he
led the way to the Swan diggings.
There he lost the trail for awhile
and seemed somewhat confused ::
but he suddenly gave vent to a
shrill bark of satisfaction, and
Set off on a quick trot exactly in
the dlrectOu in which Vance had
declared it was useless to search.
l had some difficulty in keeping
up, for the ground was rugged
and uneven; but at length he
halted on the brink of a large
sinking, and set up a piteous
howl.
By means of a cord, l lowered
the lanteln | carried down into
the hole. and by it's dim light l
was enabled to discern the object
of my search, lying, half immers-
ed in water, far down at the bot
tom of the pit.
Leaving the lantern to serve as
a guide to the shaft, I ran az
quickly as possible to the nearest
and told four miners who
were occupants of it, that l re-
quired their services. ...
Australian diggers are natu
rally impuIsive and energetic, and
those fellows proved no excep
ton to the rule. They procured
ropes and started off with me at
once.
The light in the lantern l had
left to mark the sinking had APP
pareatly gone out, for it was not
but Pip, at a word from
me, conducted us to the hole. and
[ prepared to descend at once. 1
hitched Il rope under my arms,
and my compaiions lowered me
down the shaft.
The water at the bottom was
only about foot deep, and the
girls head had fortunately es-
capped immersion. | fastened the
rope around my waste, and with
my disengaged arm held her
firmly. She was quite uncon>
scious, and hailed the willing
hands above to 'hoist away.'
AS they lifted us from the mud
dy pool, my foot struck against
something lighter than a stone.
STOPPING / picked out Of the wa>
ter a lantern. .--
She's not dead, and | guess,
amt much hurt, after all,s said a
rough bearded fellow, feeling the
pulse of the inanimate girl.
MATES, there has been some
l.. NIL. A. Jo,,