Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-07-05


then q peculiar heavy thump came up
from the wells bottom. Porter AHeT S
that what he had seen SHINING ndu
fallen clear down. or course, In1 .,o
was nothing extraordinary in thls llUtls
incident; but for some reason IL aIIecuSu
the bov's mind. he knew not why; anu
ha had heard, or fancied it, shorI'
keen. whizzing noise just as the gie1n-
ing object dropped out of sight.
DOWN THE BLACK HOLE.
Nevertheless Foster scarcely heslta-
ted. but boldly swung himself down IN
TO the vel and set his feet hrmly IN
the cavities on either side. 1t was now
nearly noon. the sky was clear, and the
weather was as hot as midsummer coulu
make it, yet a cool, dampish wait seem
ed to pass up out Of the dusky mole 1t
was like a breath from some clainnly
monster lying deep in the ground await
ing to swallow him.
Foster descended slowly. His legs
were too short to reach easily from
side to side OF the well; but the worst
difficulty at first was want OF hghC'
After a short while, however, his eyes
adjusted themselves to the gloom anu
as the sun was nearly overhead II was
not as dark as at first appeared. 30
down down ne went, step by step, the
GOODNESS and dampness increasing Until
he had nearly reach the bottom.
Then suddenly two unpleasant things
happened all at once. One OF the steps
gave way under his foot and at the same
instant. right under him something be-
gan to whiz and sing. With a start Of
horror he recognized the noise; 1t was
the warning whirr Of a rattlesnake's
tail. Instinctively he clutched the walls
of the well and strained to hold his
place: but the fright made him weak
and the giving way of the step left one
foot without a support. OF course he
looked down, and through the dull twi-
light saw just below him on the bottom
a huge coiling body cleaning yellowish
as it squirmed and increased the noise
of its rattles
Then with desperate energy he tried
to mount; but partially on account of
fright and more owing to lack of suf-
ficient foothold, he found himself help
lel1s. The snake, doubtless, hurt by It's
fall from the logs above, was mad, and
was striking upward with vicious force
The least slip on Fosters part would
let him down within reach of those ter
rib.e fangs. His heart pounded his
ribs.
IN DESPERATE PERIL.
Many a big rattlesneake had Foster
lil,ed. ard under ordinary circumstan-
ces the sight or sound of one would
have made no impression upon him.
Now il was quite different. He could
not climb, try as ne would, and to fall
was certain death. The mere thought
of his situation was enough to unnerve
him, but with true grit he chung to his
position.
At first he did not think of calling for
help, and when at last he found voice
the cry rang fiat and seemed to stop
before it could reach the mouth Of the
well. Again and again he screamed
Justify each time trying harder to fling
his voice above ground. The snake grew
more furious striking faster and faster
and the odor of its veaomous mouth was
strangely repulsive. Foster felt that his
end was near; but, like all truly brave
persons, he was determined to live as
long as possible.
His elbows ached under the strain Of
holding up and his knees were enduring
a like torture. A few minutes longer he
could bear it, and then down he must
go. How he did Shrek and yell and
bawl for help Meantime the furious
rattlesnake had found out just where
he was and was making frantic efforts
to reach him. 1t was a huge thing,
fully seven feet long, With a clumsy
body and wide jaws; but it displayed
surprising activity and address. Every
blow seemed to come nearer and nearer
to Fosters bare feet, yet he could not
snatch them away.