The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1885-01-10
A Mushroom Story.


Bill Embro and Jack Tyler yesterday
returned from prospecting trip among
:he mountains to the southwark OF Love-
lock, in the supposed range of nickel
mines. They say that those who have
formerly been acquainted with the
mountains and valleys to the east of the
sink of the Carson would not know them
under their present affiuence of vegeta-
ton. The rains have clothed many of
the mountains in green from base to
summit. ALI the rocks have their
shaded sides covered with trailing fes-
ICONS of moss. Seen at distance Of a
mile or two, some of the large castleated
piles resemble the ivy-covored abbeys of
The old world. While out in that region
the boys one night had queer expert
ence. They had spread their blankets
on a level patch Of ground, under the
lee of big rock, and turned in for the
night Both men had been asleep for
some hours, when they were awakened
by shaking of the ground.
"What was thatP" demanded Bill.
"What was whatp" returned Jack.
"Why, I thought / felt myself
shaken"
''Well, SO did I; but what thenP It
was merely light earthquake shock"
The two men were soon asleep again,
but presently Bill awoke and cried out:
Jack, what are you poking me forP"
"Me! That's good; what for are you
poking mep"
II have done.nothing Of the kind"
''Therer' cried Jack. ''there it il
again! Did you feel it, Billp"
81 feel it now" said Bill. "Therc il
something lifting the beds
Beloved if there isn't! And don't
you hear that queer ticking and crack
ling noiseP'
SDurnation, yes! and the ground is
certainly heaving up. Durn if don't
believe there is hot spring breaking
out square under usp'
"By the Lord Harry, that's just what
it is! What a queer smell there is!
Don't you notice ftp" and Jack arose
to a sitting posture. Looking about,
he said: "1t's awful dark, but I'm go
ing to get up and see what's going on
threw out his legs to arise, but II
of striking the ground with his fet
he expected to do, he found his legs
suspended in the air-he couldn't touch
bottom.
GOOD heavens" cried he, ''here'l
the dickens to pay! The earth ha'
opened and we are lying on the edge O.
a crevice that may be a thousand fee
deep, for all we can tell. Put out YOU
hand, Bill, and see if you can touch the
floor on your side. "
"No ground in reach" answered Bill
after cropping about for time-''ther'
must also be a big crack on this side
We seem to be tottering on a mere pin
nacle of ground"
"Yes, and the way it's heaving anC
working under us, it is liable to tumble
in at any moment. But what can W,
do in the darkP" and Jack groaned.
The two men lay in perspiration o
fear for nearly two hours before tn
J gray of dawn begun to streak the East
J being each moment disturbed by mys
J terious noises beneath their blankets
which came pressing up like stronI
bubbles rising through bed Of thicl
J mud.
When daylight came, the two men, &
their great wonder, found that instea
t of there being a crevice on each side @
them, their bed had been lifted bodily
J and stood more than six feet above tn
: surface of the ground.
Bill says that, still in a great fright
he jumped to the ground. "Then,
! says he, "a saw a wonderful sight Al
under our bed was a perfect mass O
7 mushrooms. 1t was the mushroom
8 springing up beneath our blankets, ths
had lifted US into the air, and given u
J our fright.
, "How do l account for such a sudde
. -and strong GROWTH Well. under th
8 lee of the rock was an old campin
! place of the Indians, and the groun
I was naturally moist and rich. Th
germs of the mushrooms are everywheI
! in the ground, ready to spring into Iii
under proper conditions, Now / SUI
0 pose that our blankets and the heat
g our bodies warmed the ground an
j caused the mushroom germs beneath l
: to spring into life. The mass of musl
:, rooms would have been fortune for u
q could we have at once landed tt
whole in San Francisco. We wei
+ afterward somewhat disturbed by mus
rooms coming up of nights and rollir
s us out of bed, but we had come to undo
| luctll, anu VIC WcIc nOb 81
g ened as we were that night under the Il
h of that big rock. We saw some that v
, travelled two miles to reach, thinkir
e they were the tents OF prospectors. \
k doubt you have heard something abo
q the big mushrooms that are growing o.
d in Eastern Nevada this season. We
one night, one came up squarely b
r, tween me and Jack. All at once it ga
le a mighty beave and sent Jack roIliI
q down the side of the mountain and le
him hanging over the edge of a.; b
10 there is Jack now, across the stree
he Excuse me, want to see him about o
nickel assays" and away Bill rushed
ID meet his chum. Virginia CITY Emit
s. prise.
ig "A new theory of the sun spot
] "Remus, how fur am de sun f'om