The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-05-28

I8lk Win U8tcQ UECotu Va tu0 nOAAOtS
Of Sleepy Cove. COLLINS. they said,
dwelt in the mountain caves, coming
forth at dusk to frolic with the fearless
moonshiners, and dancing at midnight
upon the slippery crags. Ghouls.
armed with the bones of murdered
men, kept nightly vigil at the narrow
pass, and il any human being APP
preached from the outside they gath
cred around the giant poplar and beat
upon tho bark till the frightened man
disappeared in the direction whence
he came. No man but the mOonshiners
had ever boen known to come from
Sleepy Cove alive. consequently none
ever voluntarily entered that wild, I'M
canny place.
These thoughts were passing through
my mind when suddenly the wagon
stopped, and the four men threw them
selves into attitudes of attention,
grasping their guns and casting furtive
chances at each other. Straining my
ear thought heard the faint yelp of
hound. Captain Hawkins dashed his
horses into gallop, and we sped on
for half mile, stopping again in the
shadow of cliff. At their leaders
order two of the men lifted me out of
the wagon, and half dragged me to
spot where the earth formed kind of
bench against the rock wall. Placing
me on the ground they began prying at
boulder which gradually yielded to their
hand sticks, rolled over on its side, eX-
posing a hole in the cliff. Into this
they dragged me for some twenty feet,
and tossed me on bed of leaves.
Then one of the men brought in some
food, and another water, and another
wood. l turned to the outlaw leader
and asked how long he intended to
keep me prisoner. He laughed at the
question. but made no reply. Going to
the caves mouth he peered steadily
out, listened awhile, and came back
to ne. There was an ominous glitter
in his eyes. 1t looked like murder. My
God! Was he going to bury me alive?
| begged him to shoot me, cut my
throat, hang me-any thing but leave
me there to starve. But he paid no at
tention to my appeals.
''Ef We air live when get back. Kur-
nel-ef l git back" he said. "why. me
an the boys mought put a leetle lead
in your carcass. Ye may hev camp'ny
fore night, enyhows. The Revies air
arter us hottcr'n demnition blazes.
They air done cross the dead line.
Hyar the mOosic. Kurncl?"
II hope they'll give you all You de-
serve, you cold-blOoded murderer" l
said, wishing that l could throttle the
villain.
"Now, Kurnel, don't get out O. sorts.
1t air mighty comf'tab in hyer-
board an login' free. Boys. air We
readyP Them hounds air pickin' us
up. Light the fire, CODE. Kurnel,
hyer air knife ter cut yer loose arter
we leave We. Don't git skeered O. the
ghosts. an member We air mighty
conf table, mighty comf'table-board
an lodgin' free; and yer epertaph air
down on the big poplar. Goodbye,
Kurnel."
The outlaws were already placing
the bowldcr in position, and when Cap
Hawkins had squeezed his way out the
rock was rolled into the opening.
With crunching sound it settled into
place, and was a prisoner in Smoky
Hole. listened for the baying of the
hounds. hoping that they had tracked
me to the cave, but not sound pene-
trated the door of my prison. The fire
burned briskly, and Smoky Hole
glowed in the light of the blazing pine
knots. 1t was the work of a few min
utes to cut my bonds with the knife
the outlaw had given me, and then l
took an inventory of the contents of
the cavern. The place had evidently
been fitted up for the illicit manufac-
ture of mountain dew" and .'tangle-
foot" and ''red rye" for there were
the worn-out copper still. the worm,
the mash-tub, jugs and TASKS and other
apparatus of the moOdshiner. The
cave was about the size of 4 railroad
box car, except that the roof was
higher and more arched. jabbed my
knife into every square foot of the
| walls. They were of solid rock. In a
vain, mad effort to roll the bowlder
from the entrance l drew the blood
from my shoulder. 1t was all of no
use. Unless help came to me from
| without my doom was sealed. A dull,
heavy feeling came over me and sat
down near the fire. The confined air
was getting close. Suddenly, on look
ing up, was appalled, at the discovery
of new danger. The roof of the cav
ern was no longer visible. The dense,
black smoke of the pitch pine, unable
to escape, was banked above me like
an ominous cloud, ever growing denser
| and blacker and descending steadily,
remorselessly upon me like veritablc
shadow of death.
Already the asphyxiating gases were
causing my brain to whirl. l crawled
to the fire and stamped upon the blaz-
ing knots until every spark was extin-
guished, but they continued to send up
their sitting smoke. could feel it as
| cending, hot and pitiless. Falling fiat
upon the ground l saturated my coat
sleeve with the water the outlaws had
left me, and placing it against my
mouth secured few full breaths of
strained gas. But they gave me little
respite. The high pressure of the at
mosphere made my veins swell almost
to bursting, my hands and feet were
benumbed. and was soon unable to
move a muscle. Then l longed for
death.
Suddenly there was loud explosion,
followed by a falling of loose earth
and rock and rush of air. A faint
ray of light appeared in the corner of
the cavern over the still. growing
broader and stronger as the smoke
/ cleared away. With life and strength
renewed, made my way to the open
ing. where l drank in the fresh air
with a swelling heart and lighter
conscience than l had ever hoped to
\ Tho nwv,1o.;o,, hoA <n~x,