Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-08-10

30 walked back toward the center
OF the basin to procure something tC
carry away which would In after years
remind me Of my visit.
"Have you any copper coins with
your" he asked.
felt In my pockets.
Yes. I had one. just one, IN old
well-worn United States coin. This
handed to him. He waited another
discharge of scoria, and when 1t fell
he ran up and dropped the cent into
q small piece of the hot compound.
We had row to wait until 1t cooled
and when 1t did, l picked 1t up and
placed It In my pocket.
The same instant the guide gave q
wild yell and came rushing toward
me, his face distorted, his mouth open
and his eyes flaming, and Of that dis
agreeable grenish color.
stood looking at him, not knowing
the cause of his strange actions.
Was the volcano about to commence
another eruption and crisp us to a GIN
der, or had some freak Of nature
changed the volcanic surroundings SO
as to render our exit impossible and
entomb us alive.
These were the thoughts which rush.
ed through my brain.
BY this time he had reached my side
and before knew 1t he had grasped
me by the throat and bore me down.
Another sacrifice to offer to my
charming Queen" he cried, as he COM
menced dragging me toward the steep,
smoking cone.
1t was some time before 1 recovered
from the surprise which this unexpect-
ed maneuver occasioned.
But at last did and struggled to my
feet.
Come" said, you have carried
this joke far enough"
'Ha, ha, hap he laughed, fighting
desperately to force me up to the
cone.
my pet thinks 1t is capital joke;
don't you hear them growing for food;
come, 1t is your flesh, and it alone,
that will appease their hunger"
His fiendish eyes glared into mine,
flakes of foam dropping from his livid
lips.
/ saw it in an instant.
/ was in the hands Of a raving ma
MAC.
To plead or argue would amount to
naught; nothing but strength and
agility could save me from most hor-
rible death; for it was his intention to
throw me into the mouth Of the cone,
there falling into the seething, boiling
ocean Of fire and flame beneath,
should be burnt to a crisp in second
of time.
I struggled desperately, shouting the
while in hope Of calling back my
friends to my aid.
But all my shouting was useless
lost in the mighty surroundings and
the ever-shifting clouds of smoke and
mist, rendered their seeing me an i'm
possibility.
My only hope was to overpower my
assailant.
We were now within a few yards
VI NhC OaoC Va thV WIN anu thC hCdt
was almost insufferable.
Clouds of smoke and flame, followed
by huge pieces Of bloodred scoria,
were vomited from the black funnel
IKE peak
l was gradually forced nearer and
nearer.
The pei spiration started from every
pore, and 1 became conscious that l
was growing weaker, and would soon
lave to succumb; my physical strength
bcing 10 match for his-urged on by a
fendish mpose, the product of dis
eased Intellect.
The earth was quaking beneath our
feet, the air was sitting and impreg-
mated with the fumes Of gas.
My face and hands had already COM
menced to blister under the intense
heat.
And while / was slowly losing my
strength he appeared to have his
augmented at every step.
l could not fight much longer.
Death. in one of its most horrible
forms, would in few minutes be my
fate.
My sight grew dim; my brain SEEM
ed to be pierced by hot irons; my
limbs refused to move.
God help me!' / murmured
The prayer had hardly left my lips
when felt sudden fash Of intense
heat, and the same instant the hold of
the maniac guide was loosened.
/ opened my eyes; a mass of red hot
scoria had in its descent crushed him
Ia charred, shapeless heap to the
earth.
BY a great effort Of will regained
sufficient strength to stagger off and
reach the precipitous side of the ba-
sin, when all became a black, impen-
etrable void.
When again l opened my eyes /
found myself lying in bed, with my
friends bending anxiously over me.
They informed me that they did not
miss me until they had reached the
top of the crater and there my non
appearance was attributed to my ex-
ploring propensities, and, as had las
they supposed an excellent guide,
they felt no fear as to my arrival in
due season to accompany them back
to the city.
But as hour after hour rolled by,
and me still absent, an underlined,
yaOua faelinU for my safety ran