The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-17
WE WIN.
RAILROAD STORY.
~ IIerbert z. Hamblem.

17renarations-The Underground Tunnel
Alone in the Dark-Terribly Frightened
The Great Cave-Indian Relics-Lost and
Found
had bought an old double-barreled
sbotgun from Ike Anderson. One after
nam late in November, having wandered
farther than usual, I came upon luck
less bunny, who was looking the other
nav His heedlessness cost him the tip
nj an ear before he scampered into Il
clurnp of scrub oaks. 1 remembered that
Il was here that the croquet ball had dis
arpeared so mysterously the afternoon
of The picnic. Wondering if I might not
he able to find it, now that it was day
light. I began to search. The ground was
,composed almost entirely of loose stones
kicked them about moodily and showed
Ibem around with the muzzle of my gun,
until. having half forgotten what came
mere for, l was about to leave.
on turning to go, 1 noticed a small hole
of the end of stone half as big as
-four barrel
felt a great curiosity to see what was
there. l would have enlarged the hole
hut the big stones-hrmly embedded-was
in the way. There was point on one
emu AlAet - e'N~Ar' +@-'--N ~
able TO lift it,
gave a mighty heave. and hung TO it,
slowly. steadily 1 felt it rise. Suddenly
as though it had been the keystone of
an arch on whose summit l stood, il
cln7e out. and the ground under me col
Hnsed. Down 1 went into the hole. rocks
dirt and bushes falling with me. l clutched
wildly at the loose rubbish; might as
well have grasped al the air. ! landed
on my back unhurt. and wriggled over
m to nv stomach in the midst of dusty
avalanche The dim light of the hole was
rapidly receding. l dug my fingers into
the debris in a futile effort TO stay my in
voluntary fight. ] yelled in mortal terror
7 was suffocating. The air was close and
irnpregnated with dust. | fancied myself
ennroaching a bottomless pit or a sub
tsrranean precipice. The second barrel
Of nv gun, which was rolling in advance
went off with a thunderous report, adding
the fumes of powder smoke to the already
overburdened atmosphere.
no longer had breath to yell, and the
onening presented the appearance Of a
mere yellow blue. 1 was about ready to
give up I did give up. 1 ceased my fruit
less efforts to obtain hold. and was i'm
nediately landed on a projection from the
side of the tunnel. The momentum forced
me into a sitting position. BY the time
regained my senses the avalanche had
nassed. and l could hear it rafting along
with diminishing speed, far down the tun-
mel The dust settled, clearing the air,
60 that l saw the opening quite distinct
~.
was a grateful boy when I reached the
opening 1t consisted of a circular well
eight feet deep and twice as many IN
diameter The sides had once been walled
up with stone, though now much OF 1t had
fallen in. A glance above showed the hole
to have been rooted with logs, only few
ends of which remained protruding from
the top Of the wall the remainder having
long since decayed. Only the roots of the
trees and bushes now held it together
I had no difficulty in climbing out, the
stones in the wall offering abundant foot
and hand-holds. l sat down at a safe dis
lance from the shaky roof, and while 1
took account of my numerous black and
blue spots. torn clothes and generally
damaged condition, wondered where that
hole led to.
That night, after chores. Tommy Wood
ford and 1 had a long confab l had
great respect for him. He was little, but
he was bright as a button and courageous
as a little lion. 1 only told him enough
60 thoroughly arouse his curiosity, but
promised that if he would keep mum and
do just as l said / would show him some
thing that would make his eyes stick out.
He promised faithfully, and l knew I
could trust him.
Next day we gathered all the old knots
We could find down in the pine lot and
split them into long, thin slivers. I got
couple of pieces of inch pipe, about two
feet long, down al our shop, and plug
ged them within three inches of one end.
! gave one to Tommy and told him to
make his lightwood into a neat bundle,
get all the string he could-kite Irvine,
hshlines or anything, knot them together
and wind them on stick. ! advised him
to get a lunch and some matches and meet
me, with the entire outfit, at an old tree
We could see from our house, at 10 O'Clock
next day. l impressed the necessity or
secrecy on him again and went home.
When Tommy and / arrived with our
outit and he saw the great black hole, he
ysibly quai cd.
asked.
Well" he replied, rather obviously.
shouldn't just care to go alone"
Neither should l." l told him. that's
the reason I asked you to come along"
what do you spose it's, FrankY'
! haven't the least idea. but if we have
luck Wen soon find out"
we climbed down into the hole, and
struck half dozen pine splints into each
OF our torch-holders. AS we had no idea
now far we would have to so, we agreed
10 so ahead until my bundle of spints
was used, and return by the light of
10 one of the stones in the wall, and
started ] holding the torch aloft and he
uhWlndins the string. We kept to the
sizes of the tunnel. taking hold of pro-
Jecung points of rock and looking out
tons
! he fame of the torch showed slight
pIalt Blowing up the tunnel Had we
hHoWn more this might have set us to
thinking After going along in silence
Iof some time Tommy told me TO
stflng was out to the bare end, and pro-
IoSed that, while there was but one pas
s'se we keep my string as we could
"1l possibly fail TO ind our way back.
approved the suggestion, but advised
tnai he return, bah up what he hal paid
Gol and bring Il along, then we would
N'Ne II oil to use should we find the pas
Sd4e branching out. | saw he didn't like
we laea' especially as a turn mad obscur-
10 me opening. but, as promised to wait
Went
ne noise he made, gathering over the