Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1901-09-05


ding them to remain and convince
themselves in spite of their in
credulity..
1t was this aggregation of humanity
that caught the eye of Tim Murdock.
who had been scanning the country all
the way down from Virginia City for
! sign or sight of the vagrant Beelzebub.
| Tim was not a man who let slip an
opportunity of finding out a bit of
news, and he reined his mule up the
| trail leading to the group of people at
the tunnePs mouth.
"Phwat's the disturbance, Hank?"
Its you, is it, Tim? Disturbance,
you say? Well, l wonder If you
never heard underground thunder,
now's your chance"
Faith. an did yez have an airth-
quake here Hank?"
Sure, Tim. It's paralyzed our bo-
nanza tunnel. and locked up roarin'
fury inside of it, to boot"
who's the gintlemen with the
| specks and KNOWN jibs?"
Scientists, Tim, and they hail from
some big institution of big learning"
"B'jalers, an yez are sthrictly in it
wild yer little wan-horse tunnel, amt
yeA Hank?"
And Hank nodded a ready acquies-
cence.
Tim had guided his mule directly in
front Of the tunnel; he halted there
and gazed in open-eyed astonishment.
| The mule appeared unduly Interested,
! toe, pricked up his long ears and
shifted the air Suspiciously. A squirt
| of steam was elected from the crevice;
| it was forerunner of several denser
columns. Professors and all others
drew near, epecting to hear the result
ant rumble. 1t came; not so distinctly
as formerly, but loud enough to startle
them. A hush fell upon the throng.
Mans significance seems infnitesimal
when Natures stupendous force as
serts itself in manner that indicates
only 1.-THE of what she might do.
The hush was rudely broken-not by
commenting human voice, not by
another internal clamor, but by a stri-
dent, grating cry issuing from the
throat of Tins mule. The bray of an
cSS lS anil 10 TIE lllllS vi Iuduy saws
at once, and never an agreeable sound.
This particular bray created all of this
effect and more in addition. Although
not eactly a repetition of the subter-
ranean cannonading, there was much
similarity between the two.
'Mither of Moses! Yez gaping
gawks An it's a foine thrick yer
afther playin'. Underground thunder
it isis it? Him that shtuck me good
mule Beelzebub inter that sweatin,
shteamin' hole fer the Notification of
blitherin' scientics will place to shtep
out an DIN paste his ugly mug!"
Professor Mellins fell back against a
convenient bank in a dazed condition.
The noted DR.. Endlin's countenance
reflected a sardonic sneer. Several
| derisive boots passed the lips of the
hereinbefore mentioned incredulous
ones.
"Shtand back, ye domned fools, an
let me rescue me poor darlint Bel
zie,"
Tim Murdock had leaped from his
mules back he tore wildly into the
now comparatively clear atmosphere
of the tunnel and disappeared from
view
Different emotions filled the breasts
of the different individuals. DR.. End
Inns face was a study; he glanced at
the hopelessly dispirited Professor
Mellins, and seemed to pity him, yet
he maintained a dignifed and unap-
oh hat hact hpnnn1
a man of letters The mapority of the
spectators chuckled looked wise, and
a number of Il told you SOS" We're
overheard.
Two or three brave souls ventured
few feet within the tunnel; after 10
minutes or so had elapsed, commo-
tion was heard in the darkened
depths.
Back, back. | tell ye! Back again,
me Belize, Och, an it's fool set of
fools out there, Belzie It's homesick
yez are for a tunnel, acushla, me own.
Back vance more, darlint.'
Slowly. carefully, surely, Tim Muir
dock steered his charge out Of the
treacherous tunnel. Once the sure
I IOOtcu LuuiS SlIppCu, Civ iio hiAiN ASNe
wnt down into the crack that made
the tunnels floor dangerous ground.
Then, and only then, would Tim per-
NIT any of the fools" to assist him.
When Belize backed out into day
light, it added the last straw to Pro-
fessor Mellins's undoing. He merely
glanced at the unsightly animal, then
skunk quickly down the hill. DR.. End
lin and his comrades could appreciate
the ludicrous side of things, and
smiled, laughed, then fairly roared,
as they beheld the cause of the sub
terranean rumblings, plainly audible
Tins riding animal welcomed Bel.
zie with a prolonged bray. Belize,
bruised, famished, and with huge
patches of hair actually steamed from
his hide, responded in woe-begone
groan The warm-hearted Tim Law