Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-01-30

| ana MANNER.
This was Frank Bryson, nephew of old
! Jerry Anderson. He vas born in Rock
| port but on the death of his father, while
he was Yet babe, his mother had been
driven to seek livelihood in the city of
! Boston
The boy was not strong, and his mother
had sent him TO the old home with the hope
that the change of scene and the bracing
sea all might bring the health which the
crowded city had denied him
When Jerry Anderson and his family
started for Sedgwick, Frank was left be-
hind, the fatigue of so ong journey being
! deemed too great for his enfeebled con
! dition
Frank, who was Il dreamer, as all boys
| are, lay there on his lofty perch watching
the receding tide, while his mind was oc-
| cupied with a series of the most enchanting
| pictures ever painted by the youthful inn
| agination. Lower and lower the boiling
waters fell, disclosing he black and Jagged
rocks at the foot of the cliff
After a time the boy sat up, locking over
| toward the village as if to assure himself
| that he was unmatched, but the jutting
! rocks etfectually hid him from the view
! of any who might be disposed to look that
! way
| He drew from his pocket luncheon of
| bread, dried fish and cheese, a portion of
| which he proceeded TO eat, carefully re-
! serving the remainder for his further need.
| When he had dispatche his frugal meal
| he opened package which lay beside him
and examined with care the contents,
which We're several candles, box OF
matches and quantity of thin but strong
| cord, such as the fishermen used for their
| lines
| ~ 70 Ill
boy brought from the stuuted bushes a
shovel and pick, which he attached to
| the line, and, dropping them over the edge
! OF the cliff, lowered hem down into the
| surging waters below. Then he secured
/ the end of the line &C a stout stake which
| he drove into crevice of the rock
| Steadying himself with the cord the
| youth began to Chamber down the almost
! perpendicular wall beneath him 1t was a
| perilous descent, but the light frame and
clear head of the young adventurer enabled
him to accomplish it without accident.
The spray dashed up by the waves fell
upon him like rain n he paused to rest for
moment on a narrow ledge at the base of
the cliff. Resuming his journey he care
! fully advanced until he stood beside au
opening in the rock. The furious waters
boiled beneath him and at intervals a
wave higher than the rest threatened to in
| gulf him.
Watching his opportunity Frank placed
his foot upon the dripping threshold and
passed under the low, natural arch that
| formed the upper part of the opening. A
wave came kissing ter him us if to drag
him back, but he chung to the rugged sides
of this strange doorway, and after a sharp
scramble stood upon the floor of the cave
| within.
flush of triumph glowed upon the pale
| cheek OF the boy ano a new light CLEANED
in his eye rs he broke the silence, saying:
Here am in King Solomon's tomb! 1t
was an awful job to get here, and wonder
if shall find what | came after?'
His audible soliloquy brought him no re
! Spouse but the echoes which rolled and
| reverberated like distant thunder through
the cave
Frank relapsed into silence, but CON
tinued his line OF thought:
1T is strange that none Of the people Of
! the village ever dared venture into this
cave. Really, | am a Christopher Column
bus on small scale, discovering new
worlds, or, at least, retaining that which
has almost passed from the memory of
| man"
Remembering some Interior purpose that
| had brought him to the place he hauled in
|
hand, until the shovel and pick, which
were attached to the end, clattered on the
floor at his feet.
When this was done he turned his atten-
ton to his surroundings.
Pitchy darkness prevailed throughout
the cave, except for small space around
where the young explorer stood; there it
was relieved by the 'aint light which came
through the entrance.
Lighting a candle ne held it aloft and
beheld scene of dazzling beauty. \ vast
gothic cathedral seemed to rise out of the
darkness. Great arches of living rock
formed the roof, from which depended
stalactites which refracted the light and
glittered with all the hues of the rainbow.
The walls seemed set with rubies, dia-
monds, emeralds and sapphires, and the
drops of water as they fell upon the hard
| floor and splashed in the rebound spread
il misty splendOr through the empty space.
That one little candle flame was multi
piled a thousand fold, filing the boy with
awe and admiration at the beauty it re-
yealed.
In the middle of the cave large object
attracted Franks attention. 1t was a rock,
carved and fretted by natures hand into
the most fantastic and beautiful designs
both in color and form. 1t seemed huge
sarcOphaguS, SOrgeOusIy adorned, tine last
resting place of one of the tabled giants of
Arabian story.
Il see," cried the boy with enthusiasm,
II see why the cave bears the name it does.
This is the coffin of King Solomon, as it is
called"
1t was, indeed tomb worthy of Israel's
wsest king.
Having satisfied himself as to the gen
eral appearance OF the cave, Frank APP
preached the coffin for the purpose OF
closely inspecting It. 1t was evidently IA
bowider detached from the roof, and had
no doubt lain in is present position for
thousands of years
Placing his candle upon a rock, he took
his pick and proceeded to make a careful
examination of the floor around the mimic
sarcophagus. At every stroke the point of
the implement encountered the solid rock,