The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1892-10-14

a smaller aperture, which gradually as
sumed the proportion of a passage, dan
gerous with jutting rocks and dubious
windings.
On we hurried, following the tortu-
GUS stream that ran pure and pellucid
from the immense cave which we as
sured ourselves must be just ahead.
can never forget the effect of the low,
sweet murmuring of that little brook,
loudly audible for the very absence Of
other sounds. We found it terribly
warm work crawling over rough faced
rocks and squeezing through narrow
openings; consequently we every now
and then halted to rest.
! can't say how long we had been
floundering about in the sand and
water-for we still held the course of
the stream-when low, roaring reached
our ears, A waterfall we at once sur
missed, certain that miniature but
beautiful Niagara was Just before us.
Gathering new energy we pushed rapid
ly forward, and had gone dozen rods
perhaps when the roar, which percep-
tibly gathered volume, seemed to curl.
ously shift itself into position imme-
diately overhead, but we did not expect
sounds to obey the laws of nature here.
After traversing another dozen rods
or SO we suddenly noticed that the
swelling brook was running muddy and
bore few twigs and dead leaves on its
hurrying surface. Strangely enough,
we We're not in the least alarmed. for
we thorght it was merely landslide
ahead, and concluded to push on toward
the goal of our hopes But as the water
grew rapidly deeper and muddier sug-
gested that we should halt a moment,
and forcing a small stick in the bank
just at the waters edge we watched the
rising floods creep up, up about and over
it, an inch perhaps in four or five min
utes.
bud looked up at me. "It's raining
outside" he said, and his face was as
white as sheet.
The horrifying truth burst upon us
simultaneously Our alright was mu-
tual and our flight precipitous. 1t was
a race for life-we must reach the.open.
cut off our only exit. All along, as we
retreated, noticed on the low ceilings
trash and leaves deposited, even the
highest points bearing this positive evil
dence that at times the whole cave was
completely overt1owed. Pellmell over
rocks in water we tore; but hurry as
we would, the muddy, angry waters
still preceded us, swelling and surging
between its narrow banks. Now we
came to an unusually low point and
found the water about our necks as we
stopped to pass along. l was in the
lead, and though l set telling pace
bud in his fright managed to keep up.
Those few hundred yards seemed in
Vulnerable miles, with the floods swell
ing behind us and the ominous roar
overhead gathering volume. Now and
then one of our candles would go out,
and we were forced to stop and relyht
it from the one that still burned, as our
matches were all wet and useless. Al
last l stood in the chamber next the
fatal barrier
What moment of suspense, of dread,
| suffered while waiting for bud 10
come up! hastily scanned the walls of
this the highest ceiling available, and
nly noaie Sam as ! Sd" 'iie uhiiilstah,
CIV % 10 " oveinow VI e'eiy eiue anu
oNeiieao. Duo sooh Joineo me- Lnuu
begrimed and painting. He looked the
fend incarnate dragging himself forth
I'm i,is iioilo VI oole anu hi'n' ouV ,
olu Ivy i"oo II Do my 'e,iiieo gaze ies'eo
ii Us paiG anu 'iouoie,. ACE you may
~ So ieinoinooi heeiihs s'ea'
ply 20 lini' no"oNei.
-, ei. W. 'o' a a, :" io" LUIS
CIV oaliio upot 'no waii' ou'' ~ no eAi'
"as .,siolei Vow II was concealed oy
SIT pooi Nitn smii1 ilaeis.,oii ,iia1
s@ s WIZ ociuei' : uS'o' 'iiose pits
=. "oou alu iea, winch oa,ie near us
nensty sulieV. "eah anu oVeiooh,e
WI eAoi,eiiienV' we SAL oo"n Oh litlle
nnoli' anu WIN ',ie plo'ruoins eyes ot
oooill r. nlen "a'oiieo lle steady up
o :, VI tiie strean' SO oiHerent from
1 uro sung Whispering prooh Vi al hour ago
- nc a"lui slience was oppressive whlle
oiio neary uaihiie saVhereo Oh every
1,ue do - " eA'iii uisii our ieeoie ny nus
Dun oi our heaus We're natless' ana
slial stream Oh crimson trlckiea from
Dui > ioreheao-a wound that ne had
ieoei'eo from Juttlhs rocK or some
op -, overhead.
me SITUATION was terrllying.
was almost certain that death was
inevitable Dat slngularly enough my
Wnole ATTENTION was centered on my
nllSeraple companion. l gazed Steadily
a' hl,h' wondering "hat ms thoughts
must De, ana II all MS past LIE was hur-
ryhS before nm IN review, as l had
olten heafd II &ila mems lives would do
Wnen death seemed inevitable. Silently
ana steadily, Ike some great yellow ser
pent' the brook crawled INTO the mar
row chamber and cooled fold on fold.
we mad already moved back to higher
ground once, and now 1t was lnching up
about our feet again. Our heads were