The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1879-02-13
THE DEATH MOAN.


By Sam Davis IN San Ffanci-co Argunaat
He was an engineer working IN the Bel
cher. He was noted for his grit, attention
to business, and superstitions. One day a
comrade was passing. and Mark called
him up with: "Jack. do you hear that
noise-a sort of grinding sound tina,
comes and goess Hark. can't you hear it
now"
Its Just like any machinery makes"
mo. no, Jack; it doesn't belong to the
machinery; it : voice, tell you from the
other world. I've heard that sound for
two days now, and it means death, death
close at hand, and no power on earth can
stave it off.
"Oil the engine little, old boy, and it II
be all right
The other passed on and went down the
shaft. Mark meanwhile bent his ear to
the machinery, and out Of the Indistin-
guishable din Of a dozen sounds caught
this strange noise which had such an IN
fiuence upon him. heard it constantly
above the clank OF levers, the roar Of the
wheels, and the hiss Of steam. Presently
bell sounded at his side. 1t was the sig
nal from the 1900 level to hoist the cage.
He pressed the lever, and the great reel
began to whnl the cable from the lowest
depths. His eye followed the long finger
of the indicator as it slowly pointed out
the stations passed. The cage had almost
reached the top when the horrible grind
ing noise, like moan from the grave,
came from the machinery 1t his side. The
sound made his veins melt. He turned
his head toward the spot shuddering,
while his hand that ciasped the lever was
liAe child $. Inc cage shot up from the
shaft mouth; ne grasped the lever ana
threw his whole weight upon the brake
loo late; the cage rushed INTO the
"sheaves.
Inc moor OF the cage became vertical as
IL struck tne *heei. Inc eaoie stretcneu
under the fearful strain' ana then shapP-
to the smart mouth. Inree OF us occu,
pants had leapea upon tne tlnoer, ana
hung suspended; the other TWO had mace
the same ieap' put their nnsers snPpeu
from the SHINY timoers' maze SO oy .he
long contact WIN tue 'apors ,roni she
mime, ana they ieli one ai'er 'he o'hei
headlong down the smart.
Meanwniie, Marx mao s'oppeu ms en-
gine' resunheu us coat, anu s,aeseieu ou'
OF the works. On sIcn occasions an en-.
glneer Is CONSIDERED discharged wnhout
notice. ne actually ceases 10 pe IN the
employ OF the company when 'he cage
strikes the sheaves anu sucn an ace,-
dent makes his discharge perpetual Win
every mime on the Sonstock.
FOR the next week OF Two NE Wandered
about the town IKE man oareiy IN ms
senses. lie hnaiiy got work uhder gr9una
but was oftener found somewhere ABOUT
the hosting works. near the machinery.
~ ne woula q. . . 81. .oi MUS xa' nnr
'ie WIN y. ms se n AZ ussaath IS a.,
siohaiiy t"inh's 'oM"iu 'iie niou'u VI .",
gave WIN q snuuug1' anu i" I'LL T .hS
..S ne"u " .:'o u; "n n nJ III ' ho
uea.h , nlvan =, ' 'o'"' "'' s"'' 'e
was li.'.e on. .o,
one uay t.e S WIZ III Ia' ena . I'm In
'eisa,aoi WIN 'i"i' i''' suP'''''''o' nav
not ..i ieit nm, ana, l.. .I..o s,,,;oa
~ .ou, - s.N,,,,J
e.ci Inns "yo - 80 e.. a.,
anu o .nI ~ 80, sc ayar,,,h;n,
Sless .ahI d Inee : VIC" y, ;rs.
iou iauSu u MI mi. W "n an - .s
waning VI u. ~; ~" .a,, '' .ppm ~,
nla.iiihi! .ns 'n N ~
Una, ,ia' IL has " f.hi 1 III a., -
ING man. iir' "i'u an
ois mar. via. 'nIoos an q. =:
mas lts ,atleues rum 9'eiMS W. AZ III i.t,
u Mhi,is 'Heiln., anu Mn IN .o'
ing .heh ~ siV.s anu iaso az
WIo. =, - ' oa, e,oaa.J nth .scala;
"hcn ,'s 'unks go 49,: -. -
We III VIZ" =, I'M n;na - ia 'i nj
~ VIC" aeai'i. 80, -. az
ioars' s,ngs' e,oahs; laughs, anu 'o'e IA
.u.h. men s - = =. al, 'In ~
hetisli suen d "o"s ''ohi "e'" anu o,',
The dark levels beiows US are idii OF
mysteries. i learn more ana more OF It's
secrets every year lou remember now
jack heniy oied. ne ialnped on the
Ophlr cage, ana went down the smart
lew days before IL J notlced' as ! WORKED
beside him, how the flame OF his candle
pointed directly Toward MN IKE mari
ners needle. Wherever ne moved the
flame hollowed: lie didn notice H. out
did, and IT had a waSy, uncertain no.
ton Tor day or so. ohe DAY u became
steady, as steady as II carved IN stone, i
knew the Crisis was not lar on; we came
upon the cage: as we passed the hrst sta
ton the flame burned iow' anu al the
twenty-n itn station IL was Almost gone.
Suddenly, 1t went out; JACK reeied back
against the timbers, and was twisted I'M
der the cage at once. IL was but a mo
ment. l hearc MS dreadiui cry ring out
as his bones were crushed between the
stage floor and the timbers, and his body
shot down the shaft.
Hawkins, who used to Work Tor
Joe Cowan. had the same KIND OF warning.
Wherever he worked a shadow kept close
TO him on the rock. His lantern made
one shadow. but this was deeper and
darker one. and had separate notions. and
II seemed TO get blacker every shit he
worked till blast tore away his chest, J
have seen man light blow out ana, IN
a sort Of will-o- the-wisp, keep right over
his head. Such man had better leave
the mines at once.