People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1895-05-02

dark ABYSS that was frlghtful to be-
hold.
AS we stopped and contemplated this
wonder of nature with the lurid torch
lighting up the awful scene, l suddenly
perceived what appeared to be several
bright sparks of fire in the bed Of the
stream.
AS the depth of the water was only
few inches, l fixed my eye on one,
descended into the current, stopped
down, picked it up, and held it to the
| light
What have you found, Benson?"
asked my companion.
What is it?" said /, handing it to
him.
Never shall forget his wild eager
look as he fairly shouted:
Gold! gold gold. As l 1--we, gold! Hur-
rah. Our fortune is madew
In a moment was as much excited
as he. And, forgetting everything, We
both began hurried search along the
| bed OF the stream for gold.
we found it in particles, here, there,
and everywhere, sparkling like fire be-
meath the light of our torch; and while
we gathered it. looking eagerly ameng
the rocks on either side for some en-
rlching vein, We INDUCED in the widest
dreams of wealth and ambition.
AT last. coming back down the stream
toward the edge of the dark abyss. my
companion saw something that drew
MN forward in haste. l perceived his
danger and shouted:
Have a care!
The words had not done echoing
through the subterranean gloom when
there was a sudden slip, the dashing
forward of human body, an agonizing
scream, the ghostly CLEAN of a quickly
descending torch, and then l was all
alone IN the bowels of the earth, in the
most appalling darkness.
For a time l was bewildered and
supplied, and sat down in the rayless
darkness, moaning and wringing my
hands. Then shouted the name of my
companion many times, and begged him
10 answer me, though l knew it was
all IN vain. Each echo responded-an
awful echo, that finally died out far
away in the terrific gloom.
AT last l aroused myself to thoughts
Oh my own preservation. Fortunately.
had brought with me the means of
striking a light, and one bundle Of
SUCKS was still in my possession.
hghted the torch, cast around me
one terrified glance, and hurried away
from the roaring water that was sing
ing the funeral dirge of my late com
panion.
MY presence here now is a proof that
reached the outer world alive: but
more than once l was in despair, be-
heVlng l had lost my way. After that
l had a long, weary journey back to
Port-au-Prince, and it was not till near
the close Of the fourth day that came
IN sight of the town. It rained a great
deal during those four days. and. after
being completely drenched, was often
exposed 10 Sc0rching sun.
The effect of all this was a fever.
which kept me on my bed for six weeks.
during which time my life was more
than once despaired of; and it was
nearly four months from my first at
tack before l was again fit for bust
ness.
My purse had now become pretty low,
l bethought me of the golden cave. and
at once endeavored to turn it to some
account
l mentioned my discovery to several
different parties, telling them at the
same time the sad tale Of the loss of
my companion
Most of them listened with indiffer-
ence, saying that they did not think that
gold enough could be found there to
defray the expense Of searching for it;
and l was about to give up the idea
Of making any money out of it, when
1 fortunately met with a specializing
Frenchman, who asked me what sum
l would require to guide him to the
cavern and relinquish all claim to what
ever might be found within.
l named five thousand pounds. and
after considerable arguing, he offered
me four thousand, which finally &C
cepted.
I guided him to the grotto, conducted
him to the subterranean stream-at
which shuddered as l again beheld it
showed him the little sparkles of gold.
and received my promised reward.
never saw him afterward, but heard
that he made fortune by his pur-
chase.
That four thousand pounds. so
strangely acquired. 1 may say was my
first real start in life. With that l be-
gan to trade in different articles. buy
and selling, and two years afterward
returned home in a vessel freighted by
myself.
l was prosperous in all my undertake
ings, and twenty years ago retired from
business, having what considered to
be enough Of this worlds goods.
Machine Guns May BE Useful.