Evening journal., 1892-12-13
A RACE FOR LIFE.

Talking about hairbreadth escapes
and looking over the back fence into
eternity, said the man from Kentucky,
when the applause which had followed
the Arkansas drummer's bear story had
subsided. Well, it didn't turn my hair
white, but time has since. You all
know, he continued, that I am a Ken
tuclSian by right Of birth, but you are |
not all aware that was born and reared |
within a mile Of this very spot in which |
we now sit. Such is the fact, however. |
What l am going to tell you happened |
away back in the sixties. l was Just
grown up, as straight and tough as
hickory sapling.
We lived at the base Of a considerable
hill which rose toward the east and
stretched its narrow ridge onward for Il
mile or two. Not 200 yards from our
door old Isaac johnson built modest
cabin and brought his family down from.
Illinois. Dudley, their only boy, was
Just about my age, although not en-.
dowed with like endurance and strength.
A warm friendship soon asprang up be-
tween us, however, and we spent many
hours together in the woods with our
rifles.
1t was near the end of May, remem.
Der. l had been idle for some weeks,
and idleness, you know, just at that sea
son, breeds restlessness in superabun-
dance.
had often heard Of the great Nam.
moth cave, few dozen miles distant,
and l became convinced that the geolog-
TOOL r,,.,,, a t;o,, ,e flo I;11 II, tla rao,. of
our home indicated that another huge
cave must surely exist under the green
turfed mound, for in the valleys which
lay at its feet l found numerous sinks
from which gurgling brooks usually
burst, or from which the warm breath
the internal caverns foated up like the
smoke from some mountain wigwam.
soon confded my conjecture to Dud
johnson. We talked the matter over
and decided that on the following day
we would begin a series Of systematic
explorations. The succeeding day, which
was bright and clear, though unusually
warm, found us setting out with all
the necessary paraphernalia-candles.
matches, a rope, etc. We had poked
around in every crack and Granny, and
near noon, having lost all hope, was
about to call to Dud, who had wandered
off up into a little skirt of wood, when a
faint shout reached my ears. l hurried
off in the direction whence the voice
seemed to come, and was soon stand
ing on the brink Of what appeared to be
the mouth of our much sought after
cavern.
Away down in the bowels Of the earth
could see the yellow fare of Dud's can
die and family discern his outline as he
bent forward, peering out into the dark
ness before him. The descent to his po-
sition was easy, and filed with joy l was
soon beside him. The sweet dampness
the sepulchral stiffness and the con
stantly trickling drops that fell from the
beaded ceiling thrilled me with strange
delight. We soon scrambled down from
J the precipitous ledge on which we stooC
and began to grope forward, our candles
, Pickering fitfully, as if in danger of be
l ing blown out at every step.
We had not proceeded twenty PAGES
1 however, in the black winged darkness
T when we came upon a solid adamantin
4 wall barring our way and seemingly
4 ending our journey. However, afte
T looking around for some time, we de
S cided that we could pass under the Oh
S struction just over the brook, whicl
d flowed serenely from beneath its firm
breast. The place was very narrow
S and TO accomplish this resolve we hal
Il to get down ON our hands and knees il
s the water. We didn't mind that some
d how, and were soon elated to find our
h selves in an opening as large as if no
Il larger than the first chamber that W
entered, although not nearly so high
u From this room we pressed on throug
g a smaller aperture, which gradually as
e sumed the proportion of a passage dan
gerous with jutting rocks and dubiou
y windings.
D. On we hurried, following the tortU
4 Gus stream that ran pure and pelluci
IL from the immense cave which we a.
10 sured ourselves must be just ahead.
can never forget the effect Of the low
D. sweet murmuring Of that little brool
ie loudly audible for the very absence {
70 other sounds. We found it terribl
warm work crawling over rough face
rocks and squeezing through narro'
openings; consequently we every no
and then halted to rest
can't say how long we had bee
h houndering about in the sand an
+ water-for we still held the course
le the estream-when a low, roaring reachC
our ears. A waterfall we at once su
missed, certain that a miniature bl
10 beautiful Niagara was just before u
re Gathering new energy we pushed rapi
w Is forward. and had gone a dozen roi
N perhaps when the roar, which perce
~, tibly gathered volume seemed to cul
= ously shift itself into position imm
-, diately overhead, but we did not expe
i. sounds TO obey the laws of nature here
=. After traversing another dozen TO
~ or so we suddenly noticed that L
90 swelling brook was running muddy al
Nc bore a few twigs and dead leaves on
NJ hurrying surface. Strangely enoug
n we were not in the least alarmed. f
oe we thought it was merely landsli
ahead, and concluded to push on iowa
o.; the goal of our hopes. But as the wat