Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-05-20

more than once they 0onsplrcd 10 run away
and Join the army In the school vacation
Of the year named, their respective fathers
thought thoy would crafty the boys desire
10 SEQ something OF army life, and 80, per-
haps, wcan them from their yearning TO he
soldiers; so they wrote thom TO come down
and spend a week or two with tho regiment
In lts camp near Cave City.
After thoy had kissed thor mothers and
little brothers and sisters good.by, aud werc
actually on the why to their destination, two
happier and more elatod boys than samuel
Bowman and Edgar whippc itwould DO hard
TO md IN all tso broad laud. They reached
the camp In safety, and at once booAmo pots
of all the officers aud men. In their school
Biographies tho boys had seen pictures Of tho
great Mammoth Cave. aud In other books had
read descriptions OF the same, so now vi on
they found themselves within ton miles OF tho
great national curiosity, they became pos
scased with dosiro 80 cxploroit.
Many u the Officers aud inen Of the Fourth
Cavalry had the same wish but strict MILF
tary regulations prevented their aratiiyinRlt
The fathers Of tho respective boys were quito
willing tint tho youngsters should ylait the
cave II a proper guide could b. found. Aam
and Ia, after three days search, we're begin
ming TO despair Of finding a suitable person.
whom an old negro. named unolr Dick, who
In his younger days had acted ~ guido to
tourlsts. was prevailed ON 10 iako charge Of
the boys. Uncle Dick believed that by start
Ing early IN tho mornlnR, with torches, pro-
visions and other necessary appliances. the
eayo could be well explored By the middle Of
tho afternoon, nnd 40 they could return 10
camp beforednrk.
In high spirits the two boyu and their guide
started on in single whgon at daylight the
next morning. Tho road. Ike all roads In
that section. was exceedingly rough. Yet 80
oagcr were they TO push forward that thoy
covered tho distance Of ten miles inside VI
two hcura
The horse was unhitched, and left 10 feed
noar the wagon. The boys were supplied
with torches, aud pistols loaded with blank
cartridges. which tho guide assured them
would sound like cannon WHOM fired on Ia
tho depths OF tho cave. In addition 10 his
own supply Of torches and candles. Uncle
Dick carried, strapped 70 his back, a hamper
containing tho necessary provisions; Indeed
tho boys Tofe so hungry that they sampled
bic hamper before they started In.
The enirnnco 70 the Mammoth Cave was
disappointing. II qid not soon possible that
such marrow opening could load 10 tho grand
cayofns Of which they had read, but tho old
negro assured them they would not DO dis
appointed.
Near tho ontnlnse tho three torches were
NJ, and the march hogan, Uncle Dick leading
the advance with the confidence Of man
who 10 sure Of his ground They hurried
through the smoke stained gallery that led
down the great Gothic hail. AZ soon ~ they
entered this long and somewhat tortuous
chamber with ita high. white ceiling. and its
sides composed Of gilstening masses o. stai-
nctlte 5Am and Vi sent up cheer aud
waved their torches about their heads, IN II
looked az Il they were In thu Inldst Of two
fountains Of IRE.
have not the tine % describe tho cham
bors. chapels, efottoes and chihedniA TO
which tho guide led tho delighted young ex-
plorurs, but long before tboy had reached the
narrow pass which Is known as "Fat Mans
Misery. they had exhausted their socabu-
lary Of ordinations. and felt delight and
a surprise which al tho dictionaries OF tho
world would 10 Inadequate 10 give exprcs-
sion TO-. The boys had heard Of the bottom
lss. pit, ard bad brought Aloug some ilro-
works. which they we're to light and throw
into tho profound depths. TO reach this
slupcndous clsaam ,thoy had % cross what Is
Known as tho River styz.f and they were
Padded aver the "Dead ssl,T 10 rotten,
ieaky hout. AZ isngtl, they reached the point
from which It was decided that they should
turn back; bull they wore 20 delighted with
tho place tini they determined 70 taks dinner
shogc. Tho guide. who hnd len the proyla-
lons and most 81 the torches back 10 the
rniry Grotto. tried 70 prevail upon tiiam 70
alton on their own account With this pur-