St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1892-04-30

Ing to the neighborhood of the tunnel
door. had found it OPEN Then. sup
posing that the workmei had forgot
ten to close it the superb tendent had
shut and locked It. without tn specting
that any one was within.s
Harry pounded upon the door again.
hoping that the superintendent was
not far away. But NO rysponse came.
No one was within hearing. His key
was useless. for the doorscould only be
opened from the outs;de.s
He sat down and poSdered again.
What would happen? 10 knew that
within short time after} the clearing
Of the tunnel the furnactes were ''nred
mp" again; and, ~ soon n the fires
were started. he would he suffocated
BY the smoke and gases, End would die
. dreadful death.
The thought filed hita with alarm.
Again and again he beafupon the door
with the shovel, but nd one came to
his assistance. Could d. climb down
through one Of the furnaces and es-
cape that way before shc fires were
liehtedf
No; he knew we'll enough that the
way toward the furnaces was barred
BY . huge iron CRATE THAT extended
across the tunnel Nevertheless. he
rushed 20 the RratinRs q II hoping that
sy some accident there might be pas
sage way.
The gratinRs were impossible, Of
course! He knelt upsn them. his
lighted lamp in his shand, peerinR
down into the darlgnsss below, and
wondering IL he could make the FIRE
men hear through the Inues BY shout
ing. He called again AMI again. II was
quite useless; the disSance was too
great and the nues I'D not readily
convey the sound
Az he lnelt there he fancied that he
smelled smoke. Couldn't be from his
lamp? Certainly not T was the smell
Of burning wood. whics now came dis
tinctly TO his nostrilA The fires were
already being lighted.
Harry turned and walked mp the tun-
neil It WAS useless to hurry. He WAS
in . trap and must be .uffocated in .
few minutes.
As he walked along. pc suddenly re-
membered that withit the chimney
there WAS IN iron lafder, running to
the top. which had bcsn placed there
By the builde1 TO afto1 . footing for
the men who cleaned opt the chimney.
Why could he not CLIMB the ladder and
reach the outside in thSt way: II was
. long distance to Gimp but it was his
He ran now rs fast q: he could. The
smell Of the smoke grew stronger and
stronger. He knew that II the smoke
did not come too fast nc could climb to
the top of the ladder; lbut how was he
70 get down? Never taind about that
now. he thought; he Eould rather Be
dashed to pieces on thr ground below
the chimney. than sfhocated in this
horrible tunnel. Bekides. he could
call for help il he onc1 reached the top
Of the chimney. /:
Soon he gained the bot Of the ladder.
snd placing the lamp in his bat began
the ascent Already the white smoke
was beginning to al TIE chimney. He
must climb for his lifj. The clouds Of
smoke grew thicker Ind thicker about
him - he made his way desperately
MP the slender ladder. With every step
his breathing becamV more diflculk
Could he hold out tin he reached the
top?
feeling stealing over him. he ut last
reached the top Of yae chimney and
drew himself up uponI its rim Bend
Ing quickly over the Tide. he managed
10 get breath Of fr!sh air. That re-
vived him. He glanc{d hastily about
Darkness was fast sitting over the
hill, but there was still light enough 70 |
how him that no oneawas in sight
Far below In the Wiley he saw the |
red lights giesmings from the open
aooes Of the smelling worlA and now |
md then caught the dark forms OF the
workmen. but he kne)w they were BE-
voud the sound Of h1s voice. It was
Utmost useless to expect help
Looking downwaris be saw what |
night b means of escape. Several
lest below him weSs the large stay
wires that held the treat chimney in
place. II be couid ST down to these
wires he might slip 70 the ground
But how could hs b. pertain that Il he
dropped he could Glitch one OF the
wires. II he missed il be would 60 TO
- ground. asventS.ASe teet 10 ow,