Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1886-04-22

nnine IN Michigan"
"MichiganP Where's that?n quericd
tho Vase. Anywhere near Paris?n
"NO,n responded tho 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 thu
sharp rocks and seothes and boils rs Il
rushes through n narrow cut In the Hill
side. On one sido of the great shaft
with its stocple OF pine boards is the
lakei on the other side Rrc the pine
forests, thick end dense ns 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 mary years ago. a stout, strap
ping miner named Bill, left his wife
and babies at his cottage dOor-for this
miners wife was a neat and thrifty
soul and had beautifed their house un-
ill 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
| ltsrhf 81 IuN fa IArxsf
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 a spider, so crooked and black are
they. All morning long they worked
until II 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 tho ore and bringing
TO his feet a small piece which sparklcd
and glowed like great black diamond
in the dim rays Of his lamp. As he
stopped over to pick II up he heard n
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
gOttep-the sound of a fire damp
explosion. It was dull roar. which
made the earth tremble as il with fear
Then there was darkness-an un-
1 haaltl.sH afttfl..,a Nts,sr 81 a,,I ali
was over. With n wisdom born of eX-
perience Bill instinctiyely felt in his
pocket for his matches, then hastily
cXtinguishing 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 jarkness-cooped up there to
starye, 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 coifins-with not single
chance TO live. With an instinct more
than reason Bill kept this little piece
of iron in his hand until il was warm
and damp with the sweat of horror be-
fore he discovered that he had IT,
Then he put il into his pocket mechan-
ically, then took it out TO throw it
away and then again, unthinkingly.
put il back, rs n man might idly count
his fingers as he stood upon the gal
lows.
"IIow long they sat there dumb with
horror they couldn't tell. The tunnel,
fortunately. was high and the air they
breathed promised 20 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 hours
passed into days until finally their
food, treasured with the utmost care,
had dwindled into nothing-not even a
bite-and, weak with hunger, they
dragged themselves TO the lower end
of their grave and laid themselves
down TO die.
''Finally they heard the faint tapping
of a pick. The miners were coming to
their rescue. AT first they could hard
| ly believe their senses. But there
could be no mistake about it. Louder
grew the noise. Nearer came their
rescuers. At length they could almost
hear their voices. Then for a time
these ceased.
"'Oh, the fools!' gasped the prison.
ers in horror. They are going TO
leave us now that they are only a foot
away, and we can't make them know
that we are alive. One miner stag
gered up to the partition and yainly
kicked il. Then they united their
voices in shout. Then they waited.
Poor fools! they might az well have
whispered. Then they screamed and
shouted and cried and sobbed. but the
thick walls Of their grave shut in their
cries as they did the daylight and air.
Again the picks were heard and again
they stopped. Suddenly Bill recol-
lected the rock which lay in his pocket.
He drew 1t forth and with all the energy
of his fast departing strength he threw
it against the wall. Then they waited
| breathlessly. For a moment there was
silence. Then the picking began again
with redoubled energy. The signal
had been heard. They were saved.
With great cry the dying men
dragged themselves nearer together.
threw their grimy arms around each
others necks and wept for Joy. They
were safe at last. Half an hour later
the picks were through the wall, and
that afternoon the dead were brought
TO life and the lost were restored to
their families.
81" added the Weight, modestly.
"was made Of that piece Of IRON.
That's my story"
"But how did the master come 70
get you? Docs he know your story?'
asked the Knife.
'"I think he does. il was he who
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