Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1892-10-14
I'VE entered. stumbling over sew.

meuts about their necks legs and
wrists; but had no eyes for these
for before me lay an image on its
face which the dim light OF the
torches showed me to be of massive
gold from the top OF its ugly head to
the feet The thing must have |
weighed nearly a ton. and scattered |
about were scores of other images |
all OF the same precious metal and |
representing various birds and ami
mails. while the largest one was that |
of n man or woman. l don't remem-
Der now which. The altar which ,
measured about four feet square was
OF gold ALSO and further inspection
showed me that the very walls OF the
temple were OF the same.
lit was gold gold everywhere! l
was actually dizzy at the sight but
Bellew led me out to the ancient bed
OF stream just outside the city.
where | saw nuggets OF gold as thick
as pebbles in brook. some of them
i am telling you the solemn truth
as large as my head. got down on
my knees to examine them, and know
them to be beyond a doubt nearly
pure gold.
The getting OF the gold above the
ground was not the only difficulty. for
we would then have to convey it from
the spot. One breath of our secret
and we would have been mobbed.
Il was thinking OF this. when. with
out warming l was thrown down on
my face. staggered to my feet and
looked about me. Bellew lay near
me. insensible; for falling as mad
done he had struck his head against Il
rock. and l caught him by the arm.
screaming:
"'Get up pan and run for your life.
The mountain is coming in two. | be-
leve" For horrible rending grind
ing sound was TO be heard deep in the
bowels OF the earth the rocks about
US shook. and as shouted to my COM
panion ! saw an awe-striking sight
The bed OF the ancient river split
like n pine Single right down the
middle and saw a mighty gush OF
water thrown fully twenty feet into
the air Bellew staggered to his feet.
and as he did SO the torrent caught
us whir.ed us still clinging together.
down the slope TO the other stream.
The canoe swung round on the crest
OF the wave. but | caught at it ere it
could be swept away and steadied it
and myself against II big rock. Bel
lew seized 1t also and together we
succeeded in getting out of the torrent
sweeping down TO join the river that
seemed us if it too. were dashed by
an unseen hand
Then came another shock. and
for a moment the stream actual ly
appeared to be tilted up on one end
and to flow backward. This settled
it. l sprang into the canoe and Bel
lew followed The current was
against us but padded with might
and main. had Il horrible sensation
of being caught like rat in trap
and that the rocky roof above us was
descending.
when we reached the dip in the
roof Bellew lay down. but by means
of pushing against the wall | sent the
canoe flying along. There was con-
slant pealing as of thunder in the air
and every now and then would come
a crash as OF enormous rocks being
thrown down. but in sheer despera-
ton | showed on.
when at last we saw tho bless ed
light shining in at our entrance ]
gave a shout of joy and fairly hauled
Bellew through it into the welcome
day. AS for my poor companion. he
seemed crushed. Some inkling of the
truth had como to him even then.
though l was so full of escaping tina
l gave no thought as to the probable
consequence OF the earthquake. We
spent the night at the mining camp
and next morning Bellew proposed
! our return to the cavern. | was still
too shaken to go. but he insisted tina
, he must go so he did. while l waited
for him at the entrance. In abou
: two hours he returned, and / saw a
, once that he was nearly out Of hi
, mind.
! IL can't find it. he said. can
| find it. Oh, the gold. the pretty, vel
low gold! Oh l must find it! / an
. rich. rich. rich! DO you hear? l an
the richest man in the world trio
: to get out OF him what he had seen
but nc could not compose himself sui
t fcently to tell me, and | soon sa,
t that he was insane.
5 After some days | ventured int
4 the cavern but as soon as / saw tn
river that had borne us to the sui
o merged city | knew that we had sc
. foot in it for the last time. The rive
l. was completely choked up by heap
II OF rocks and from stream of :.
feet wide had become a shallow lake
n extending some distance. and with
Y small rivulet making its way at on
q end into the bowels of the earth b
q some inpenetrable shaft. The entir
aspect of that subterranean countr
!, had been altered. and by subsequer
N measurement ascertained that wher
1t the ruined city had been now reste
o thousands of tons of earth and rock
e Perhaps the disappointment I
r losing so fabulous II fortune woul
ave sunk deeper with me had it nj
l. been for the warning poor Bellcw
). despair was. He went quite mat
d and took to lingering about Il
n entrance to his lost Eldorado. guar,
o ing it as fiercely as a starving dog
q bone. until one day he disappeare,
d What his fate was never learne,
IS .-Philadelph.a Times.
" Couldn't Catch TalIeyrand.
ID Madame de Stael's daughter. Il
ID baroness de Broglie, was an extrao