Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-05-13

OF years ago, when l was young, pre-
sided over the destinies of Kingdom
and | was consulted about every thing
that was done.'
II dare say" snapped back the
hnlfe, land where, | may ask, is that
nation nowp"
what makes you so valuable?"
asked the Paper-W eight of the Vase.
II am so rare" answered the orna-
ment with faint trace of enthusiasm,
land | cost the labor of many men for
very many years. represent years of
toll, OF trials, of sacrifice, for the men
who made me gave up their pleasures
during that time and were shut up in a
dingy workshop like so many slaves. 1
am the result of secret process.
Even the Emperor did't know how l
was made"
"And you," interrupted the Knife,
inquisitively to the Weight, ''what did
you cost? How much are you worthPn
it asked, sarcastically.
81 really don't know" replied the
Weight, modestly. 81 never asked"
"Never asked" repeated the Idol,
disdainfully. "Have you a history?
Have you any thing to recommend you
to this remarkable and choice collec-
tionp"
II don't know" answered the
Weight, rehectively, after a short
pause. Il was dug out of an iron
mine in Michigan.
Michigan? Where's that?n queried
the Vase. Anywhere near Paris?"
NO. responded the Weight, art
lessly. michigan is in this country.
This mine is near the white shore of
Lake Superior, by the side of a mount
ain brook which tumbles over the
sharp rocks and seethes and boils as it
rushes through narrow cut in the hill
side. On one side of the great shaft
with its steeple of pine boards is the
lake; on the other side are the pine
forests, thick and dense as when they
were owned by the Indians. In this
forest little space has been cleared,
and within this are score or more of
houses, where the miners live. One
day not many years ago, stout, strap
ping uilHcI Hdllicu Dill, lclb Ills Wllc
and babies at his cottage door-for this
miners wife was neat and thrifty
soul and had beautified their house un-
til it was the pride of the camp-and
started for the shaft. In his great coat
pockets he had few slices of bread
and flask of liquor, together with a
piece of meat, in case he met with any
accident while underground. With his
comrades he descended the long shaft,
the end of which reached way down
into the very bowels of the earth. Hand
over hand he climbed down the first
ladder, then down the next, then the
next, and still down another, getting
deeper and deeper into the darkness,
farther and farther into the warm
blackness of those regions where the
light of day is never seen, down an-
other ladder and still another he went,
until at last he reached the solid rock
and was soon at the farther end of one
of the great tunnels which stretch out
from the base of the shaft like the legs
of spider, so crooked and black are
they. All morning long they worked
until it was almost noon time and he
was just preparing to leave his work
for his luncheon. The lamp on his
glazed hat had burned almost out. His
strong arms were tired with their hard
work and he was not sorry that the
day was half over. He gave one
more stroke with his pick, sinking its
sharp point into the ore and bringing
to his feet small piece which sparkled
and glowed like great black diamond
in the dim rays of his lamp. AS he
stopped over to pick it up he heard a
sound that blanched his brown checks,
turned his blood into water and
made his heart stand still-a sound
that once heard is never for
gotten-the sound of fire damp
explosion. 1t was a dull roar, which
made the earth tremble as if with fear
Then there was darkness-an un-
healthy, suilocating closeness-and all
was over. With a wisdom born of ex-
perience Bill instinctively felt in his
pocket for his matches, then hastily
extinguishing his lamp threw himself
prone upon his face and waited. Soon
he heard a call which was answered by
another call, then another, and he soon
found that there were six live miners
cooped up in this narrow tunnel-for
the explosion had blocked one end with
an unyielding mass of rock in Egypt
ian darkness-cooped up there to
starve, or perhaps to suffocate. Shut
out forever from the blessed light OF
day, from the free, open air; shut up
there as though they were buried alive
in their cotfins-wjth not single
chance to live. With an instinct more
than reason Bill kept this little piece
of iron in his hand until it was warm
and damp with the sweat of horror be.
fore he discovered that he had it.
Then he put it into his pocket mechan.
ically, then took it out to throw il
away and then again, unthinkingly
put it back, as man might idly co ount
his fingers as he stood upon the gal
lows.
"How long they sat there dumb with
horror they couldn't tell The tunnel
fortunately, was high and the air they
breathed promised to last some time
but what use was that? 1t only pro.
longed their agony, and when they
realized this they swore again. AT last
they felt the pangs of hunger and they
ate. At length, tired out with excite.
, ment, they Slept and thus the hour,
passed into days until finally theil
food, treasured with the utmost care
had dwindled into nothing-not even
bite-and, weak with hunger, the,
dragged themselves to the lower enc
of their grave and laid themselve,
down to die.
"Finally they heard the faint tapping
| nf a ,,;nI Thn miners Mnrla l.nnninfr IL