Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1896-04-28

The poor fellow was quite unconscious
that he had betrayed himself during his
night walks, and in II dull way went on
''In the old days was a mining student
at Pentcastlc, living in lodgings. There
was one there who was my dearest friend
and as he was my age and my workmate
we were inseparable. Together We dream
ed of the ambition of all miners-namcly,
to find n rich lode of ore. Together we
made long excursions and were called
David and Jonathan. All went we'll until
we began to court the same girl, our
cap'en's daughter. Somehow then we
drifted little apart, and this was "a great
grief to me. would spend hours on tho
heath above the mine, Wheal Mary Ann
fool that ! was!-in trying to make up
my mind to give up the girl to him. One
Sunday afternoon, when all work stops at
the mine, l Went out, hoping to meet
Fuke by tho old Druid's stone, as we often
had done before. But hc was not there
and felt l must decide between friend
ship and love.
II left tho stone and struck into q tiny
break near the common and idly enough
began digging my stick into the ground
To my astonishment my stick sank in
and the ground cracked under my feet.
Down WON'T frantically clutching at the
ground to save myself. In a few seconds
l stopped and found that had slid down
disused airshaft, fortunately Il sloping
one. There was no sign of light except
dimly far above me where l had fallen,
and knew could not get back that way.
Before ME was inky darkness, which
might hide a deep shaft. Striking match,
I found I was in an old level, which
stretched away far ahead. l cautiously
went on, feeling in front of me with my
stick, until had gone over 200 yards.
Again lit match and saw below mo
another level, about IL feet down. 1t
was neck or nothing, so l let myself drop
and found solid bottom again. Feeling
the sides of this new level, / was struck by
their greasiness. With my heart loaping
in my breast l struck MATCH and there,
unwOrked no doubt since tho Phnnicians'
time, was a splendid lode of silver lead ore.
The wall seemed to bo nearly solid ORC,
and sat down quito faint with excite
ment.
Il still went on until the ground began
to rise again and saw light. Still feeling
o.s"',ousis' "' Aons"i s,ooo Al oiio poT.oii
VI wiiat We youngsters knew as clo iflt
ons Woll' rms was u ois,seu plo "puuo u'.
sides were rocky enough to allow me to
Chamber out, and I once more stood above
ground
"Then l impaired the secret to my
friond. thought, boyishly enough, that
W. 'i'ign. = oo lrlehus .'saiii Il ohco W. Wefo
icn. fuho was o'erJoyeo' anu we uecioeu
10 puy the piece ol grouha ana staro OH
our fortunes he pressed mo 10 snow nm
tho spot, ana tho next hlght' armed WIN
lanterns anu ropes, wo met ON the heatn,
anu LEU myseli uowh INC hole' He loi-
lowoa' anu III !. low hih,l,es We slooa
aweu ny 'ho hli'efal "eaiti' peioro Us
Aitef exploring lor some 'imo Wo oamo 10
a aeep looking shait on our ieit' ana was
warning fuke not TO go TOO close wheh ne
STRUCK me Vioieht pioW on the heaa ana
pushea me over the euge. fortunatcly the
s1ait was only ~ ieeC aeep' WIN mass
OF SOU eafth at tho bottom. DOCTOR, the
shock nearly Killed me. Ihat my own
lamiliar 1fleno' TO whom had gwen haif
my fortune should try TO murder me made
ihe ii'au wIrn rage 1 lay periectly sun
ana heara fuke mntter' so great was the
siionoe &C.
lherer poor, weak lulot! NOW tho
money VIII 90 mlne anu carries.
shlverea Win rage, ana as NO walkea
away got 20 my leet anu 1eit ior the ievel
was sure would Dfanch 1rom the smart:
creeping softiy along ror somo distance, l
noticeo that tle ioor OF tne ieVe! wis ris-
i
ing up; oooh' rs suspec'ea' l was close
10 the leVet from Whlch fuke naa, rs no
supposed, s hurieo me hnnuleds ol leet aoep,
Ineh glimmer OF ilght shohe aheaa' ana
! heard SOUND Oh q PICK being used.