The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1900-09-06

now beginning TO realize.
The farther he waded the shallower
grew the water, until, at last, it was
only about half knee-deep. 1t was
this shonl water, running over stones,
that was making the noise. There was
no light at all here. and he stumbled
along. feeling his way with his feet,
until he got out of the water. Here
he stopped, OH the gravel of the creek
bed. and stood thinking over his sit
uation.
1t was now about one o'clock His
wife would not miss him until after
dark. and would not become alarmed
for an hour or two later. Probably
she would not start out to see what
was the matter until late at night
When she got to the back field. she
would find the team and plow, but in
the darkness would hardly discover
the hole he had fallen through-un-
less she stumbled into II herself. If
she went to the nelghbors for assist
ance, as she would probably do. they
would not be likely to go down into
the sink. and would not learn what
had become of him till after daylight.
Then, by the time they got ropes and
drew him out. about twenty hours, If
not more, would have elapsed.
But twenty hours of waiting, or even
half that time, i'm this dismal dungeon
would be little less than horrible. Lem
shuddered to think of It. And Mamie
would worry herself nearly TO death.
But there seemed nothing else to do.
and lie felt for stone and sat down.
Soon he found himself shivering in
his wet clothes. and his teeth began
to chatter. The worst of It was his
clothes would never dry in this soggy
place, the air being already laden with
moisture. After sitting on the stone
Il few minutes he sprang up.
"Can't stand twenty hours of this"'
he said aloud, his words echoing in
the cave. "I've got TO do somethlng!'
He knew of several good-sized
streams flowing out of caves in the
neighborhood. Tyre was one about
half mile away, and as far as he
could remember, the water seemed to
come from this direction. The more
he thought of the matter the surer he
felt that. If he followed this stream
down, he would find an outlet. And
he ought to traverse the distance in
two or three hours, or at the latest,
by night.
But to grope ones way through a
black cavern, following an under
ground stream, would be both disa-
greeable and dangerous, and Lem hesi-
tated to attempt 1t. He sat down on
the stone again, undecided what to
do.
by this time he was thoroughly
chilled, and few minutes of idle wait
ing was all he could bear. He sprang
up again, resolved TO make the at
tempt If lie did not find an outlet
he could at least keep himself warm
by trying, and could get back to this
starting point long before assistance
came
He groped about for stick of some
. kind, but there was none. SO he start
cd, feeling his way with his feet as
, best he could. The water had one
advantage; it would guide him, and II
he had to return to it, It would also
| guide him back. He waded the shal
: low, rocky stream slowly, and will
the utmost caution.
After cropping along for consider
able distance he came to deeper water
Higher and higher 1t rose until 1t was
round his waist then up to his arms
He now stopped, hesitatlng, and half
| inclined to turn back. But the though
! Of spending many hours in this wretch
, ed place was unbearable, and he KEEP
/. ON.
. The water did not get too deep 70
+ wadIng and soon began to grow NOR,
i shallow. Further on was shoal waite
e again, for he could hear 1t roaring.
@ He passed through good deal o
{ hallOw water and had come to deeu
+ er part of the stream. 1t was alread,
up to his knees, and he was moving
s more rapidly, when he sudden
|, stepped into deep water. Under h
:, plunged, head and all. but quickl
@ came up. He tried to turn back, bu
|. swan against the wall of the cave
d He kept swimming about until he ha
found the ledge he had stepped froI
= and climbed upon II.
l. Again he was tempted to turn bac
k and again the thought OF those hour
Il of waiting drove him forward. A
G he might have to swim good distanc
v he pulled off his boots, tied the strap
n together with piece of leather strln
/. that he found In his pocket, and hun
v them around his neck. Then he lt
himself down into the deep water an
a swan away
@ Now and then he stopped to feel fC
N bottom, but without finding IT, Th
" sldes OF the cave guided him. II
< bumped first against one and the
II against the other Again and again Il
A. let down his feet. but the water wa
n too deep. On he swan, on and oil
1t until he was beginning to feel dlscou
10 aged.
II But at last he put down his fee
,s once more, and touched the rocky DO
le to. Now he waded. and when he can
e. to shoal water, stopped and put O
II his boots again. Then he moved o.
slowly and cautiously.
es AS he was creeping along with h
m hands against the wall, he came to
H. vacant space. He advanced into 1t
DO few feet, and by feeling for rne wall
g.. tl.sas