Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-11-11

buildings, at and about the shaft, were crush
ed in by the heavy falls Of snow, which occur
in that elevated region, and soon all about
that place went to ruin.
Such was the old Maldanado shaft at the
time l found the note Oh my cabin floor.
Nothing was left at the place but few stakes
about the old blacksmith IS forge, and section
of stake roof that had fallen across and COW
cred about half the mouth of the shaft. 1t
was a lonesome, dreary old place.
CHAPTER H..
Arrived at the top of the hill and at the
mouth of the shaft, one of the men said {:
''Well here we are! Now to make known our
presence to the man in the shaft-to Jacob
Pritchard -
''Well, call down to him. said another,
laughing for, now that we stood at the mouth
of the shaft, we felt quite silly, and half ex-
a tree or rock, and 'raise the laugh' on us.
The man who had first spoken stopped over
the shaft and shouted "Jacob, are you down
there?"
Almost instantly there came up from the
shaft faint cry, that was half moan, half
shout We all heard it, and were thrilled and
startled.
Most of the faces about the shaft suddenly
grew pale We all stood silent for some Sec
onds, when some one said: ''Sure as fate,
there is a man down there -
''Who are you Who is down there ?" again
called out our men, STOPPING down close to
the dark mouth of the shaft.
Jacob Prtchard ~ was the answer that
ccme up the shaft. The name was so distinct
ly uttered that all heard it, and hearing it, all
turned shade paler than before.
''It beats the dickens ~ said one of the men.
THAT was the name signed to the note,
and here is the fellow still in the shaft!''
ASK him about the note" said one of our
party.
''Did you--write a note-and send it out
asking for help ~ cried our spokesman, stoop-
ing over the shaft and sending the message
down in sections much as the sailors on rivers
call to each other from vessel to vessel.
81 did," was the prompt response from the
bottom of the shaft, and again we all gazed
at one another in amazement.
''It is either the devil himself or the. biggest
liar in the mountains ?'' said Bill Wallace.
"How-couldyou you-send out-a letter ?" ask
ed Bill
''Get me out. l can't tell now!' came
from the dark in a vexed and gasping voice.
'sHe is right" said Bill; ''we ought to be
ashamed to stand here questioning the poor
fellow when there are enough of us to eat him
up without either salt or pepper Light a
couple of candles and get the rope ready.
Two of us will 60 down and see how he can
be got out. Some of the bottom ladders must
he broken, or he could come out himself-that
is, if his legs are both sound. Mike Murphy,
you are stout and active, come with me and
We'll 60 and see that fellow.
s.B-but h-how could he bring up the let
ter ?'' stammered Mike, shaking his head, and
looking anything but ready to descend the
shaft
elbow the letter. said Bill 'he'll tell us
all about that when we get him out. Are we
to keep the poor fellow there all day, while we
stand here parleying like towards 20
"I-I'm not afraid to 60 down there, av
course" said Mike, ''but we all know that
this here is a quare kind of business, from
first to last-that is as far as we've got into it. "
"Well, then, Mike, you and 1 will CO." said
Bill. ".Just drop the end of the rope into the
shaft, and we'll work it along to the bottom as
we coon it down the ladders. Take your cam
die, Mike?'
Mike took the candle into rather an un-
steady hand, and then waiting until Bill was
down few feet, got upon the top of the
pole and began descending backwards, as Il
crawfish travels. As his head was descending
below the level of the shaft, lie halted and cast
a lingering look Oh all the bright world he was
leaving. He looked like man whose hours
on earth were numbered. His pride carried
him where his legs did not want to CO.
Slowly and steadily the two men descended
the shaft, slipping from notch to notch in the
long, slender poles. AS we stood at the edge
OF Glle Wlue optlllllS 0ttSSiAy Se'HS" o""ii
into it, we could distinctly see our two COM
panions and mark their slow descent, by the
hickering light of their candles. They toll
somely zigzagged their way down, the light
of their candles growing smaller and smaller,
till all we saw resembled two little stars.
Finally the two twinkling stars went over
to the west side of the shaft and stopped side
by side. A murnuring, as of the voices OF
persons in conversation, then came up the
shaft
'Pay out 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 a hum Of voices was heard; theI
came the order from Bill "I1aul up hau
slowly and carefully Slowly-slowly-slow
ly! Hold. Hold on now That will don
There was more buzzing of voices, thel
Bill called out ''Hello, up there y
''Hello ~ cried We
II am going to-bring him up-the lad
ders," said Bill, sending his message up in sec
tions, so that it would not become tangled or
the way. II shall leave the rope around him
Keep the slack rope hauled np-but don't pul