The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1896-02-08


the entrance traced to the fiat surfacs
OF the rocks. II was evidently an Indiar
token, representing rattlesnake with
two heads. The entrance to "Ole Loon
ey cave" had this sign with others, and
Rardrick AYERS the idea struck him that
this might be another entrance to the
cave. He told his companion this, but
Kitsmiller thought it was impossible
and declared his determination of go
ing inside short distance. It has long
been a tradition that the Looney cave
has an opening on the Elk river side
OF the mountain. Calling this to Kits.
miller's mind, Hardrick endeavored to
persuade him from entering the cave
But Kitsmiller's blood was up, and
he started In. He tried to make the
dog follow him, but 1t ran away whin.
ing, and seemed frightened.
AS Kitsmiller started in that was the
last Hardrick saw of him until he and
the others found him Wednesday after
noon in the Gauley side of the ountain
In his changed condition. Hardrick
waited and waited for Kitsmjller to
come out but there was no sign of him
his companion. He even mustered
enough courage to start In the cave
few feet. In describing his sensations
experienced in there he said:
"Along erbout 20 feet or more the
cave switched off sudden TO the right
and wuz bigger. follered 1t, when
began to feel sumthin' Jest like ez II
1t wuz tellin' me to come erlong. My
head growed dizzy, and got so sick
I could hardly gee. Their wuz hissin'
sound, like ez II there were 1,000. 900
rattlers all rattljn' at wunst. I turned
aroun' with what strength wuz left
and stumbled out. I wuz sick for an
hour"
Bardrick waited until nightfall, and
then returned to the Kitsmiller cabin,
where he reported the affair to Mrs.
Kltsmiller, who was greatly worried.
Early the next morning Hardrick, with
Eph Cojar, Dave Duling and Pete Swad-
ley, visited the Big Buck beds and the
entrance To the cave. The snow plainly
showed that Kitsmiller had not come
out and two waited all day while Dull
ing and Cojar crossed the mountain
and went to the entrance Of cole
Looney cave" itself, but there were no
footsteps leading out of 1t, and they
returned to the Big Buck beds. Not
one of them could be induced, after
the experience of Hardrick, to 60 inside
the mouth of the cave, and that night
they all returned to the Kitsmiller
cabin, where by this time the family
had become terribly alarmed. Mrs.
grew hysterical, and 1t was
with difficulty that she was restrained
from going out and trying to find her
All night the party sat by the hem
lock wood fire in the cabin, listening
to the wind in the pines alcng Elk river,
and trying to quiet the grief of the
wife and children.
"I'll bring Hanse back all right to-
SIS" Hardrick said to the
woman in the little cabin.
Hes all right, and it pears ez eff he's
Jest q playin' trick on us. Ell don't
bring him back tomorrow yer needn't
never claim me fer yer brother, and I
don't want yer ter speak ter me no
more"
And the "little chaps" as the chill
dren are called in humble mountain
phrase, were comforted and went to
sleep. while even the mother managed
to snatch little rest until the dawn
broke through the small rough panes
Of glass In the cabin windows
The party at the cabin next morn
Ing added to by seven others, who came
from the village and nearby cabins,
held q consultation as to what course
TO pursue. They finally decided to
split up, half going to the Big Buck
beds, and the other half to the entrance
Of "Ole Looney cave" Hendrick was
IN this party. It crossed the Panther
knob, went down Piney ridge until
the river was reached, and followed
Il until the mouth Of the cave was
sighted, black against the perpendicu-
lar cliff of the mountain side, with
The dead bush and brush In front of It.
To their surprise, when they reached
t. they found tracks coming out of
t. This surprise was increased when
hey found they were those Of man,
md Kitsmiller's beyond a doubt. He
had worn a pair Of homemade mecca
Inns, and the peculiar-shaped tracks
made by these were plainly visible In
he snow which had not been disturbed
It the place since II had fallen. The
racks were run together, crossed and
on one another, as II the per-
ION making them had been drunk or
,razy, and the mountaineers looked at
,ne another, nodded their heads, and
pitied the mans wife and children.
They followed the footprints, which
ed up the river, showing uncertain In
he snow, as II one making them had
wandered along In rambling. unde-
.ermined manner.
It was shortly after noon when they
net with the object Of their search.
He was heard singing the refrain of a
song around bend In the
liver before they saw him, and the
way In which IL was rendered con-
irmcd suspicious. II was Kitsmiller,
,ut he might as well have been wild