Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-09-29

you. We can dig holes, you see Perhaps
we might put somebody in one and cover
him up. Now, you understand. Behave
yourself, and you shall come to no harm;
play any tricks, and Look here, my
lads, show our new laborer what you have
in your pockets"
mot now" they said, tapping their
breasts. Hes going to work"
Mr.. Barclay, as he used to say afterward,
felt as if he was in a dream, and without an
other word went down the ladder into the |
well, which was about ten feet deep, and |
found himself facing the opening of regular |
egg shaped drain, carefully bricked round, |
and seemingly securely though roughly |
made
"Way to Tom Tiddler's ground" said the
man who had followed him Now, then, |
take that light and this spade. I'll follow |
with basket; and you've got to clear out
the bricks and earth that broke loose yester-
day."
Mr.. Barclay looked in at the drain like pas
sage, which was just high enough for man
to crawl along easily, and saw that at one
side a zinc pipe was carried, being evidently
formed in lengths of about four feet, joined
one to the other, but for what purpose, in
his confused state, he could not make out.
What followed seemed like part of
dream, in which, after crawling a long way,
at first downward, and then, with the pas
sage sloping upward he found his farther
progress stopped by quantity of loose stones
and crumbled down earth, upon which, by
the direction of the man who followed close
behind, he set down strong smelling oil
lamp, filed the basket pushed to him, and
realized for the first time in his life what
must be the life of miner toiling in the
bowels of the earth.
At first it was intensely hot. and the lamp
burned dimly; but soon after he could hear a
| low kissing noise, and pleasant cool stream
| of air began to fill the place; the heat grew
| less, the light burned more brightly and he
/ understood what was the meaning of the
bellows and the long zinc tube.
| For full hour he labored on, wondering
| at times, but for the most part feeling com
| pletely stunned by the novelty of his position.
He filed baskets with the clay and bricks,
and by degrees cleared away the heap before
him, after which he had to give place TO the
man who had been injured, but who now
crept by both the occupants of the passage, a
feat only to be accomplished after they had
both lain down upon their faces.
Then the prisoners task was changed to
that of passing bricks and pals of cement,
sometimes being forced to hold the light
while the man deftly fitted in bricks, and
made up what had been a fall, and beyond
which the passage seemed TO continue ten or
dozen feet
At intervals the gang broke of work to
crawl backwards out of the passage to par
take of meals which were spread for them in
the library These meals were good, and
washed down with plenty of spirits and
water, the two servant like women and the
so called Adela waiting on the party, every
thing being matter Of wonder TO the pris
oner, who stared wildly ct the well dressed
lady like, girlish creature Who busted herself
in supplying the wants OF the gang of four
bricklayer like men
At the first meal, Mr. Barclay refused
food. He said that he could not eat; but he
drank heartily from the glass placed at his
side-water which seemed to him to be fla
vored with peculiar coarse brandy. But he
was troubled with devouring thirst, conse-
quent upon his exertions, and that of which
he had partaken seemed to increase the pecu-
liar dreamy nature of the scene Whether it
was laudanun or some other drug, We could
clay was convinced that nearly all the time
he was kept under the influence Of some mar
cote, and that, in confused, dreamy way,
he toiled on in that marrow culvert.
He could keep no account of time, for he
never once saw the light of day, and though
there were intervals for food and rest, they
seemed TO be at various times; and from the
rarity with which he heard the faint rattle OF
-.
the greater part of the work must be done by
night
At first be felt keen sense of troyble con
nected with what he looked upon as his dis
grace and the way be had lowered himself
but at last he worked on like some machine
obedient as slave, but hour by hour grow
ing more stupetied, even 70 the extent of stop
ping short at times and kneeling before hi.
half filed basket Inotionless, till "a rude thrus
or a blow from brickbat pitched at hin
reused him to continue his task.
The drug worked well for his taskmasters
l and the making OF the mine progressed rap
idly, for every one connected therewitl
, seemed in q state OF feverish anxiety now t.
get it done
And so day succeeded day. and night CAV
place to night. The two seryant-like wome
went busily on with their work, and fetche
provisions for the household consumption, n
tradespeople save milkman and baker bein
: allowed To call, and they remarked that the
n never once found the area gate unlocked
g And while these two women, prim and sell
contained, went on with the cooking an
homework and kept the doorstep clean, tt
so called Miss Adela Mimpriss went on wit
the woodwork flowers at the dining rooI
10 window, where she could get most light, an
d the world outside had no suspicion of an
g thing being wrong in the staid, old fashione
5, house opposite Sir John Drinkwater's. Eve
IT the neighbors on either side heard no soun,
'What does it all meansn Mr.. Barclay use
ID to ask himself, and at other times, "Whe
shall walker for he often persuaded himse
that this was the troubled dream of ba
attack of fever, from which he would ava
Id en- some day quite in his right mind. Mea
tn while, growing every hour more machin
like he worked on and on, always as if in
Id dream.