Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-06-24


~HA1WAas q An Hssus eexnno |
xsGs n - ~ Iask - 1ssA
n MOD horrible deakh a n r ~
a starviue, Tho moet vigr = Int to y
by hing imprisoned in cavs q nina.
Sons yeaxs ago was working IN coal i
mine near Padua, O. The distance nom |
tie mouth down to the first vs1n. where |
was working. was s. fest. 4 was On
S-foot vein and bad been well WORKED
% that many large chambers were made
and plenty Of space was had to mcse |
about in.
A miners life is rather wea<isome and
lonely indeed. You have to labor al
day long in the gloom, with only httie
wick lamp ON your cap to break tho m
tense darkness. The life Is much toe
hard for the recompense. Then. ones
life is always in danger. Great rocks
are liable to and do frequently fall
Explosive gases and firedamp are gener-
ated, and the first approach OF Light
sets them off. The mine is then wrecked,
and the miners-well, l was once caught
in q mine wreck, ard in that great vein
at Padua. was working very quietly,
AWAY back from the shaft Of the mine,
and all alone.
Nv labors were interrupted by dull.
smothered roar that was followed BY
falling earth, and then realized that
was penned in; that the mine was
wrecked. and that my life was worth
very little, The noise soon died away,
and things were much as they were BE-
fore. But a little distance from my po-
sition the earth had fallen and blocked
the path. was at first overcome with
fear. imagined that l could hear my
brains grinding in tunnel. Then lost
all consciousness. When awoke again,
Twas somewhat more calm and began
TO move about. I crawled along over
great banks of earth that had fallen for
a distance of fully 100 feet; then heard
proans. and knew that ! was near some
injured miner. But here my progress
stopped, and had to quit.
A few hours later my light burned out.
and then my misery was complete. For
eight DAYS l remained quite near that
one spot, Looping against hope for deliv-
erence. 1t came eventually. heard
the sound of picks, and soon the glimmer
of miners lamps shone through various
crevices. When an opening was made,
| crawled out, and assure you that !
gave thanks. Yes, that's why people
say l look old now, when l am only
35, and that is why my hair is gray.
But assure you that an aged expression
and gray hair are endurable, but to
starve to death in mine is the awfulest
and deadliest way to beat out q mans
existence in this world that can con-
ceive of.-Interview in Chicago Journal.
An Egg Snake Among . Lot OF viperines.
Among "a number of viperine snakes
of about the same size is a snake that
lives on eggs. lie is about as thick as a
lead pencil, but that doesn't prevent his
swallowing a large pigeons egg whole,
nor even a hens egg at pinch. 1t dis
locates his jaw, but that is part of his
professional system, and when the bust
ness is over he calmly joints up his jaw
again and goes to sleep. He is eccentric
even for a snake and wears his teeth on
a backbone, where they may break the
eggshell so that he may spit IL away.
When he first stretched his head round
an egg. the viperine snakes in the same
case hastily assumed him to be a very
large tadpole. and since tadpoles are re-
garded with astronomical affection by
viperine snakes they began an instant
chase, each prepared to swallow the en-
tire phenomenon, because a snake never
hesitates to swallow anything merely on
account Of its size. When finally the
egg swallower broke the egg and pre-
sented to their gaze the crumpled shell.
the perplexed viperines subsidized and re-
tired to remote corners Of the case to
think the matter over and forget it-like
the crowd dispersed by the circulating
hat of the street conjurer.-Arthur Nor
rison in Strand Magazine.