The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1888-04-12


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. was alone in Plutonian dark
ness, the victim of silly infatuation.
l 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 mistakei Once more / hurriedly
searched my pockets, and this time was
rewarded by finding the stump of a
match. gloated over it as a miser
does his treasure. 1t was gold to me;
ah, it was even more. it was lifei felt
for the oil-can of my lantern. and was
gratified 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 it full of oil. 1
cautiously ignited my match and the
sulphurous flame threw out blue, I'M
steady light. By its faint CLEAN l saw
the three passages. and one that would
lead me to daylight and freedom. With
great precaution touched the wick of
my oil-can. 1t 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.
l reached the passage and scrambled
over the very bowlder had passed be-
fore entering my unlucky chamber.
On, on l sped as fast as the nature of
the passage would permit, sometimes
over soft sandstone and again over
flinty 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 that
overwhelmed me. / had taken the
wrong course. Great beads of per-
spiration stood upon my brow,
and my breath came spasmodic-
ally. / could hear the palpitation of
my heart, and my throat seemed to be
devoured with a consuming thirst. I
retraced my steps and in counterfeited
glee tried to shake off the awful gloom
that surrounded me. / laughed aloud
and was answered by hollow mockery.
For hours and hours vainly sought 10
find an exit, but my efforts proved of
no avail. In Il hoarSe. changed voice
l screamed for help, and in the frenzy
of the moment invoked malediction on
the heads of those who knew nothing
of my fate. Physical exertion and sus-
pense began to tell on my powerful
frame. Every moment found me weaker
as pictured to myself the horrors of
starvation, insanity and thousand
contending evils.
This stimulated me to increased eff
fort, and | bounded forth like a
frightened deer. but had gone but
short distance when my head came in
contact with pendent mass that laid
me PROSTATE and unconscious. How
long remained in a comatose state l
can not say. When l recovered con-
seriousness, l glared fiercely around me
and bounded to my feet. l had re-
ceived cruel blow in my headlong
rush. and my wooden shirt and shoulders
were covered with clotted blood. My
head ached with a dull, uneasy pain.
and felt delirious. thought of home
and all the tender memories that
cluster around it, and in that awful
moment shed tears, the first since child
hood.
] thought of the only human creature
that loved me, and wished that l might
see her face once more, and then lay
me down and die. l appealed to
Heaven, and in the pathetic language
of child begged for mercy and deliver
ance, ever struggling onward in my
endless search and endeavor, for the
instinct of sclf@preservation is ever
strong in the human breast. Follow
ing tortuous and intricate passage,
suddenly turned a sharp angle and saw
family in the distance CLEAN of light.
l summoned my last remaining strength
and reached the entrance Of a circular
hole, where / fell, overcome by nervous
prostration. | found myself seven miles
from my original entrance, after hav-
ing been in that dismal place for thirty
six hours.-L T. Aubrey, in Louisville
COHrier-.JOErnaL