Omaha daily bee., 1885-09-17

my elDOW, L mehU, responded sne III Lnt
midst of a tempest OF laughter which sur
prlsed the young man, who could not see
the point.
The cage was emptied, the workmer
passed the main opening of that gallery,
a room In the rock, arched with masonry,
and where three great open lamps were
burning. The leaders were actively
rolling some full cars upon the Iron floor
Ing. A cave-llke odor fell from the walls,
= smell of mira with warm breaths OF air
came from a neighboring stable. Four
drifts were worked there, yawnlng and
lark.
Through here" said Mshon to Anton.
You're not there yet; we've q good mile
to CO."
The workmen separated, disappearing
In groups at the bottom of these dark
holes. Fifteen men had Just begun dig.
cling on the left, and Anton walked be
hind Mshon who was preceded by Gath.
crime, Zschsrie and Levaque. 1t was a
good wagon level cut out through q layer
of coal and from a rosk so solid that 1t
had only needed to be partly walled.
One after the other, they wind on and on
by the little lights of the lamps. The
young man hit against something ut each
step, catching his feet in the rails. Each
Instant a dali noise made him uneasy,
the distnnt sound of a shower Of rain, the
rush of which seemed to proceed from
the bowels of ths earth. Was that the
thunder of the storm sending down upon
their heads the enormous mass which
separated them from the earth2 A light
pierced the night, he felt the rock trem-
BILE, and when he ranged himself along
the wall like his comrades, he saw pass
before hi, face a great white horse har-
messed to . train of cars. Heroert was
seated on the first, holding the guides
aud driving, while Johnnie, his hands
pressed against the back of the last car
was running in his bare feet.
They resumed their march. Farther
on a orosswsy appeared, two new drifts
opened, aud the party again divided, the
men distributing themselves a few at a
time In all parts cf the mine. Now the
Its bark on, and of a polish yellow, sup
ported the roof, making In the fallen
rock an immense hole, sticking out of
which one perceived sharp pieces of slate.
sparkling with mica, and a heavy mass of
atone, dull and rough. Trains of cars,
full or empty, were continually passing,
crossing each other with their loads, car
rled In the darkness by a dumb beast,
with q phantom-iike trot. Across the
two rails of the road q long black SER
pent was sleeping, a train stopped, the
horse snorted, SO startled in the night
that his launches dropped like a block
trembling from en- arch. The rough
wooden doors slowly closed up, and the
farther they advanced the s~traighter and
lower the drifts became, while the I'M
even calling forced them to bend their
backs constantly.
Anton severely bumped his head.
Without the leather cap he would have
cracked his skull. However, he followed
with attention the least gestures of Ma-
hon before him, whose dark shadow was
produced by thu rays Of the lamp. Not
they were Obliged to know each projec-
ton, every knot in the timber ana en-
lsrgsment of the rock. Ths young man
was also distressed by the slipping ground
which annoyed him more and more.
Now and then he passed through come
real pools, which the %muddiness of his
feet alone revealed. But what surprised
him still more was the sudden changes of
temperature, At the foot of the shaft it
was very fresh, and In the wagon line |
through which passed all the air of the |
mine there blew a cold wind whose force
was like a gale between the narrow walls; |
then as they passed into the other drifts,
which only received their allotted portion
of the air, the wind ceased, 1t grew hot, !
q choking heat, heavy as lead. For a
quarter of an hour they had gone on and
on through these narrow passages; and
they were now entering into a more oven
like pit, binding and melting.
Mahon no longer opened his mouth. |
He vent into a drift simply saying to |
Anton, without turning round:
"The vein William"
discovered.
From the first step Anton struck his
head and elbows. The sloping ceiling
dropped go low that 1t was necessary to
walk doubled up. The water came up to
their ankles.
His breath left him for an Instant for
the heat still increased. They proceeded
thus ak hundred feet, when suddenly
he saw Lsvaquo, Zacharie and Catharlne
disappear, who seemed to be swallowed
up In a small assure opening before
him.
"We must co." said Mahon. "Put
your lamp on a button and hold on to
the wood"
He also disappeared. Anton was COM
PEELED to follow him. This opening left
n the vein wa reserved for the miners
and cleared the whole second floor. It
extended through tho layer of coal more
han twenty inches. Happily the young
man was slight, for still awkward he drew
himself up with difficulty, hsttening his
shoulders and hips, pulling forward by
The strengtb of his wrists, his hands
to the timber; at the end
IF fifty feet they first came upon the
second floor, but they must go on, the
vein belonging to Mahon and his gang
at the sixth floor, SIN hell" as they
'aid. The floors were ranged one above
The other at distances of fifty feet, and
The ascent still continued straight
that cleft which Ecrapsd the
pack and chest. Anton was stifed as If
The weight of rocks rested upon him,
nis hands scratched, his legs bruised,
MS skin worn away so much that he
feel the blood bursting out. Dlmly
n a path he perceived two doubled up
nainoa ona ANAL and nm laura v1bo 1a.a