The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-22

Trains leave from Central Depot corn
Harlow's apparition appeared rising from
the ground. Once more l had light. Then
-on-on!
Delirious with sorrow and fear, ! rushed
with outstretched arms an pursuit OF the
retreating mists and between my gasping
sobs l called madly after them to stop
and wait for me. At last my overwrought
brain seemed numb. l burnt my hands
with my expiring torch before I lit a can
die TO take It's place. felt tired, yet unable
to stop and rest; passed through heat and
sitting sulphurous fumes, yet though weak
aud gasping, still l staggered on. Sudden
ly the mists were gone. Looking upwards
I saw them rising as though impelled by
some mysterious power. Grey pillars,
formed by the moisture dripping from
above, stood round me. / thought that
they were ghosts, yeti was sane enough to
be conscious that my brain was giving
way, and shuddered at a shrek of laugh
ter which, whilst | knew il to be my own,
sounded like that of some demon rejoicing
at my misery.
When l lit my last candle, the memory
that it was my last brought me TO my
senses. The terror of being left in The dark
in that fearful place had cleared my brain.
l found myself at the edge of chasm
with slop!ng sides, and a cry of thanks
giving burst from my lips when l felt a
cool gust of air blowing from its depths
Hoping to find some outlet below l com
menced the steep descent. The surface Of
the rock being 'decomposed and The hol-
lows filled with sand, frequently lost my
footing and slid for some distance before
l was able to stop. Al last 1 found a
place where l could sit down and rest No
sooner had I ceased TO break the. silence
by my tread than l heard beneath me the
rush of water.
MY retreat is cut Off" 1 cried despair
.ngly, and sprang to my feet.
While I leaned forward and tried to
penetrate the darkness, the rock on which
l stood gave way under me and ! fell
with sufficient force to dash my candle
from my hand. l rolled over twice and
then was stopped by second rock in
time to hear the first splash into the wa
ter below. 1t was useless to think of find
ing the candle, for l had jerked it far out
into the chasm; but / still had some wax
matches, and l came 10 the desperate res
olution that / would still continue my des-
cent and, If water barred my way to
plung into it and drown rather than pro-
long my sufferings.
Yet, when l lit a piece of paper and
held it blazing above my head / instinc-
myself from the fate l had just contem-
plated. The place where / stood was
crumbling under me; small particles of
rock were streaming down the side Of the
chasm In all directions; and the smooth,
unbroken slope below me- which was now
of coarse sand had become disturbed and
was commencing to move downwards
Splashes, and a low Kissing sound as the
sand Slid into the water told me the desti-
Of aU Ian q In
ment / had to drop the blazing paper from
my hand; my support gave way under me,
and | was amidst the moving tide.
/ struggled desperately as / sank deeper
and deeper in the treacherous stuff. Then
when too much exhausted to make an
other effort 10 escape, my feet struck
something hard, and for time / was safe
on a jutting point of rock. While / lay
there gasping ] saw something which in
stilled fresh courage into me. To my left,
some distance below, ] saw daylight. Then
a groan escaped me--the light had gonel
Yet l could not believe that / had been
mistaken; and suddenly, to my relief. /
saw the same thing again, and knew that
there was an outlet What caused il 10 van
ish and then reapDear | could NOT under
stand. A continual splashinR below warn
ed me 10 be careful. Before moving it was
necessary that should see something of
my surroundings.
l had no more paper to light, but / still
had plenty of matches. l struck half a
dozen Of them upright in the handle of
my pocket knife 1T them, and looked
round me. I was on an island amidst the
moving sand. Twenty feet below me, a
great rock, which in shape resembled the
steep roof of some huge building, project
ed from the slope Of the moving sand and
divided it into two streams; the one 10
the right pouring into some underground
lake or river, the one on the left making
its way towards the opening. / felt hope
full when / noticed that the solid forma-
ton was already beginning to show it
self through the decreasing debris; and
had commenced 10 think that in time
might be able 10 climb down to the open
ing In safety when new danger threat
ened me. Masses Of loose rock above me-
which had been partly supported by the
sand had begun to fall, and several bould-
ers came ploughing down the slope.
My position was a terrible one. At any
moment ! might be crushed to DEATH the
very place where / was standing might
give may and hurl me on the rock below;
or a great boulder block up the opening
and seal my fate. BY this time / had used
up nearly all my matches; to be left with
out the means of making a light would be
madness, and ] quickly made up my mind
what 10 do. l allowed the matches that
were lighted to burn themselves out; then
looked towards the outlet 1t was uncov-
cred, and the daylight shining through il
made a track along the sand The top
of this streak was about fifteen feec 70 my
left. and gathering myself together
sprang towards x. But my feet struck a
rock, and ] plunged head first into the
sand beyond For a minute / struggled to
extricate myself, but the limit 10 my en-