The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1896-10-09
"auick! Oh. Quick. Let De Outv'

ana duties. That day Nina came rum
ming up to my aunt, exclaiming:
Sophie, Sophie, just heard papa
say he was going to the kitchen for
something. Let's 60, too"
They were much elated at the
thought Of having glimpse Of a part
OF the castle they had never seen.
This "kitchen" was an underground
room,' now used as storeroom and
powder magazine, and very seldom
opened. The children followed Mina's
father unobserved and entered the
coveted place. Mr.. b. carried a Ian
tern, for the room was dark, the win
dows being walled up almost to the
top. Getting accustomed to the dark
ness, the girls roamed about trying to
discern something; they saw opposite
them two white figures UNFOLDING the
mantelpiece. Going nearer they were
suddenly startled by deep booming
noise and total darkness.
The door had been closed!
Mr.. B. had got what he wanted and
had closed the heavy door after him.
There the girls were, in the abandoned
part Of the castle! On this side there
was only grassgrown path between
the perpendicular walls and the steep
hillside. Nobody ever clanced there,
and above the kitchen were the halls
left to mice and rats. No chance to
be heard anywhere! The poor chill
dren in their first terror ran to the
door and pounded the solid oak panels
covered with enormous iron nails till
their hands were sore and bleeding.
They shrieked and cried, till at last,
exhausted, they fell in heap on the
floor and gave up to despair. They
were buried alive, without doubt!
Nobody had seen them go in and not
soul would think to look for them
there.
How long they stayed in that stupor
they never knew. Suddenly Nina
started up, saying:
1--WE are not going to die here, tell
you. I know how we can be saved"
And full Of animation again she shook
Sophie, repeating: II know we can be
saved. Last week was In the wood
shed with papa. You know the room
that opens into the yard-we use it as
woodshed. helped pile up wool
against kind OK partition, and
asked father what that was, and he
told me that 1t had been the opening tb
long passage going from that room
to the kitchen, and with an opening
near the chimney. The passage, hav-
ing become dangerous by falling
stones, had been closed by thick
boards. Now, Sophie" she went on,
III you will follow me we can be
saved. There will be, perhaps, snakes
and toads in that passage, but never
mind, better that than to die here. II
only the stones are not heaped 90 as to
hinder us from passing"
Hand in hand they felt their way I'D
to the opening, and, having found
1t, crawled along as best they could.
Once in awhile they put out their
hands on cold, Gravity and Shiny OBJ
jects, or fell over heaps Of stones.
During needed pause to rest they
heard a faint tapping. After listening
awhile Nina said 1t must be her father
chopping wood in the shed. With a
cry Of joy they went forward, and then
they saw speck Of light in the dark
ness. They went along as fast as pos
sible, crying and shouting at the tops
of their voices. The chopping ceased;
they heard an exclamation. Nina
shrieked to her father, for It was he:
I'VE are In the passage; quick, oh,
quick, let US OUT
The trembling girls pounded on the
board partition, through a knot hole
Of which the light had come. Mr.. B.
hastily set to work to pull the wood
away and tear down the partitions and
Before very long two grimy little
creatures stood out once more in the
light, and never was 1t more welcome!
Their parents were too glad to think
Of their escape from certain death to
sc0ld them.
It Il needless to say that they never
went In the castle unattended there
aftex.-0hieage Record.
A Needed Rest.