Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1893-12-07
A WONDERFUL CAVE.
The Thin Man WIS an Easy Winner
With This story.

Speaking Of caves" said the thin
man. with a large moth and ears that
juttcd far out over his shoulders. Il
seen cave once that bca, any cave
ever heard Of"
The drummer. who had himself told
very falr cave story, or at least one
that he thought was very fair. nodded
to the thin man not TO wait. but To go
on with his narrative.
1T was in Il range of mountains riS-
ing sharp out of the level" continued
the thin man, earnestly. and opened in
The face of Il cliff, pretty much rs you
have seen doors opening into rock
spring houses. We had camped near
he place. and we fixed torches and
proceeded to go IN exploring expedition
Just before getting to the opening.
| that is about quarter Of mile away.
| noticed a couple of cattle going in,
and thought it WAS mighty strange,
and we went ahead fast to sec what
| it meant. When we got we'll inside
and had our torches burning We found
the finest white roof over our heads
! ever seen. but no cattle. 1t WAS like
polished crystal and only about six frrl
high. The place spread on, big very
roof was white nearly everywhere. III"
sides were mostly rocky and brown.
Running off from the main roof of
the cave was dozens of rooms or halls.
and into Il number of them We Went
for long distances. finding the roof al
ways white and shiny and the walls
dark and rocky. About Il mile in we
1un into another big room. and III that
we found the two cattle we had saw
come in. and there were forty or fifty
morc. all of them licking away the walls
| in 'front.' which here were not rocky.
but white. We were in Il narrow place
and far enough AWAY from the cattle
not to scare them, and we hustled out
of there in hurry. for we didn't want
Il stampede and Il wAlkovcr for III" cat
! tie. Them cattle in there made us
study Il while when we got out TO Il
saIe place. and ] Clipped off piece OF
what l thought was white quartz. but
il WAS salt, and about as nice salt rs
| ever seen. Then we studied over that
cave some more.
by gum, Bill said ] to my pArd-
ner, this is Il salt cave. and them cat
tie are here for salt
Bill was Il college graduate. and
knowcd Il good deal.
Yes said he. i know it, and |
know from the geological formation
that this amt natural cave. but an ar
tticial one. and has been licked under
this mountain aud run off into all these
rooms and halls, miles and miles of
them, by countless cattle in countless
years coming here to salt themselves
Don't you see that the roof is only
high enough to be out of reach Of their
tongues. and how slick they have licked
ii, and how they've kept going ahead
where the rock doesn't cut the salt on,
us it does on the sides Of the cave!
by gum, Bill said l. you're right
but how many years do you calculate
it took to do the job!'"
The thin man gaZcd around on his
audience inquirngly.
THAT was IA poser for Bill. resumed
the thin man, land if any Of you gen
! tlemcn can answer it I'll be obliged to
you
In the midst of a profound silence
the drummer got up and walked out
on the platform for more air. and the
thin man waited for somebody to an
swcr his question.--DctrOit Free Press.