The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1888-06-09

precious gems, now overhead Al WINK
ling CLEANS of blue and gold. Over
my head was mass of stalactites in
in which was embedded an almost hui
man hand of exquisite symmetrical
beauty. Preached for stone that /
might sever it from its rocky mass, but
l could find none large enough for my
purpose. started in quest of one. and
in my precipitous fight lost my footing
and was hurled into yawning pit some
twenty feet deep. The fall shattered
the glass in my lantern and extinguished
the blaze. Temporarily stunned by the
fall. my clothes rent. and my limbs
bleeding. reached for my lantern. and
in doing so cut my hands on the shat
tered glass.
The terrible reality broke upon my
mind. Twas alone in Plutouian dark
ness. the victim of silly infatuation.
ran my hands hurriedly through my
pockets in search of my match-case.
but to my horror l had left it in my
vest, which had taken off and placed
with my camp equipment What a
fatal mistake! Once more hurriedly
searched my pockets, and this time was
rewarded by finding the stump OF a
match. l gloated over it as miser
does his treasure. 1t was gold to me;
ali, it was even more. it was life! / felt
for the oil-can of my lantern. and was
gratitied TO find it within easy reach OF
me, placed my finger over the smooty
wick and shook well the can. l was
heartily pleased to find if full of oil. l
cautiously ignited my match and the
sulphurous flame threw out blue. UNI
steady light. By its faint CLEAN / saw
the three passages. and one that would
lead me to daylight and freedom. With
great precaution / touched the wick Of
| my oil-can. It famed up. sputtered.
and jumping from the wick seemed to
| slowly fade away into eternal dark
ness. There was no time for idle re-
pinings must grope my way to the
passage and hurry from the dismal
place.
Preached the passage and scrambled
over the very bowlder had passed be-
: fore entering my unlucky chamber.
} On, on l sped rs fast as the nature Of
. the passage would permit, sometimes
over soft sandstone and again over
, fiinty rocks that rolled and rustled be-
meath my impatient tread. Sometimes
. my passage would widen so that could
walk with ease, and at others was
forced to partially crawl. At last my
way was completely blockaded. I'm
agine the terrible suspense tina
: overwhelmed me. l had taken the
wrong course. Great beads of per-
3 spiration stood upon my brow,
a and my breath came spasmodic'
ally. ] could hear the palpitation o
? my heart. and my throat seemed to b.
devoured with a consuming thirst.
4 retraced my steps and in counterfeitet
y glee tried to shake off the awful gloon
: that surrounded me. l laughed alou'
5 and was answered by hollow mockery
For hours and hours vainly sought I,
: find an exit. but my efforts proved o
h no avail. In hoarse. changed voic
l screamed for help. and in the frenz,
e of the moment invoked malediction OF
4 the heads of those who knew nothing
8 of my fate. Physical exertion and sus
n pense began to tell on my powerful
}. frame. Every moment found me weakc
as pictured to myself the horrors Q
il starvation. insanity and a Thousand
contending evils.
: This stimulated me to increased Ell
fort, and / bounded forth like
!. frightened deer. but had gone but
a short distance when my head came i
;. contact with pendent mass that lai
y me PROSTATE and unconscious. Ho,
: long remained in a comatose state
e can not say. When recovered con
seriousness, / glared fiercely around m
d and bounded to my feet. had re
}. ceived cruel blow in my headlon
d rush. and my wooden shirt and shoulder
y were covered with clotted blood. NJ
y head ached with dull, uneasy pair
, and felt delicious. Thought of HON
20 and all the tender memories tina
n cluster around it, and in that awfr
d moment shed tears, the first since chile
r. hood.
/ thought Of the only human creatur
le that loved me, and wished that migl
G see her face once more, and then la
81 me down and die. l appealed
" Heaven. and in the pathetic languae
e of child begged for mercy and delivel
Oh ance, ever struggling onward in nj
sc endless search and endeavor. for Il
e instinct of self-prescrvation is eve
ne strong in the human breast FOLLOW
es ing tortuous and intricate passage.
Is suddenly turned a sharp angle and sa
q, family in the distance a CLEAN of liph