The Saint Paul globe., 1901-04-02
BELIZE. "A WASHoE CANARY.

tne ioHOWlng morning from the bright
yellow ". & IT, coaches, Prof. Meilins
greeted them with delight his ruddy
face beaming as only a mans can who
has played the stellar part i'll a coIn-
mendable act
Time was valuable item to these SCI
entists, and, directly after a light lunch
the party sailed forth to investigate the
outbursts of Dame Nature. Prof. Mel
Inns piloted them to the gaping hole
where the madly boiling waters were SO
suddenly and completely nguifed. This
ostcnsible fact duly impressed the
learned men, and they examined every
thing in practiced and professional
manner.
But we fail to hear the internal ex-
plosions, Prof Meilins"
An, that you soon will. Dr. Endlin;
pay, accompany ms up this hill, and /
! will conduct you to the spot"
Now various reports had spread rap
idly and over a wide field in regard to
this shaking up of the earth at Steam
beat Springs Accounts varied from a
faint rLmor describing a dried-up spring
to the disappearance of the whole Steam
boat station. 1t depended of course. on
the number of times the tale had been
repeated Curiosity got the better of a
number of these good people, consequent
ly the scientists beheld at least a score
OF men and women persstently following
their wake.
The tissure still zigzagged into the tun-
mel; hot, yapory clouds hung over the
creyice; but the activity of the steam
jets could not be compared with those
of the preceding day Professor MeIlins
looked slightly crestfallen. The two
prospectors. not having a reputation a,
stake, took cheerier view of things.
Besides. they were not overwhelmingly
eager to have their bonanza tunnel for
ever filled with steam and uncsnny
noises echoing through it. Therefore, af-
ter few minutes spent in silently and
fruitlessly endeavoring to catch a sub
terranean crash, one of the prospectors
interceded with: ''WelI, Doc, this here
phenom, kinder goes by fits and starts.
and it pears to be restin betwixt a fit
and a start right now; but just you wait
a SPELL
And they awaited spell-nearly half
an hour; long enough to disgust the
simply curious, and several retraced their
steps towards the hotel letting fall ra. h
er uncomplimentary remarks about u
pack of fools" Even the patient Dr.
Endlin strode back and forth somewhat
perturbed in thinking about his fatiguing
trip and the precious time wasted
But the long-expected really happened
nerce column of steam Seethed up from
the fissure, quickly succeeded by two
drawn out in jerky notes, each more
weird and penetrating than the foregoing
1t created big sensation-everybody
looked at everybody else; the incredulous
uttered the suggestion wait a SPELL"
shouted out, 'Whatd tell your
Wnen the last vibrations of the surpris-
hugged himself for Joy. Dr. Endlfn said
nothing when pressed for an opinion
The lesser lights volunteered their pri-
Vate theories; those VINO had deserted in
disgust appeared upon the scene once
more.
An interval of quietude prevailed. and
scarcely sign of steam could be OBJ
Earth Neverthless, a dozen men en- had
heard the unearthly racket; these were
busi1y engaged in telling the others Just
how it sounded. and bidding them to re-
main and convince themselves of their
incredulity.
1t was this aggregation of humanity
tnat caught the eye of Tim Murdock.
who had been scanning the country all
the way down from Virginia CITY for a
sign or sight of the vagrant Beelzebub.
TlIn was not man to let slip an oppor-
tunity of finding out a bit of news. and
he reined his mule up the trail leading to
the group of people at the tunnels
mouth.
.'Pnwat's the disturbance, Hank?"
1t you, is it, Tim? Disturbance. YOU
say? Well. I wonder! If you never heard
underground thunder, now's your
chance
Ia, Faith. an, did .yez have an airth-
Sure, Tim, It's paralyzed eur bonanza
tunnel and locked up a rearin' fury in
side of it, to boot
Who's the gintlemen with the speeks
and KNOWN jibs?''
Scientists, Tim, and they hail from
some big institution of learning
Il. jakers an yez are sthrlctly in it
wild yer little warehouse tunnel, amt
yeZ, Hank %
And Hank nodded a ready acauiescence
Tim had guided his mule directly in
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
eJected from the crevice; it WAS a fore
runner of several denser columns. Pro-
fessors and all others drew near, ex-
pecting to hear the resultant rumble 1t
came; no so distinctly as formerly, but
loud enough to startIc them. A hush
fell upon the threng. Mans Significance
seems infiniteSimal when Natures stu
pendous force asserts itself in manner
that indicates only tithe of what she
might do.
The hush was rudely broken-not by
commenting human voice, not by an
other internal clamor, but by a strident,
grating cry issuing from the throat of
Tim s mule. The bray of an ass is akin
10 the fling of many saws at once and
never an agreeable sound. This partie-
more in addition. Although not exactly
repetition Of the subterranean cannon
aiding, there was much similarity be-
tween the two.
Holy mither of Moses! Yez gaping
gaWks: An It's a foine thrick yer afther
piayIn! Underground thunder it isis
It? Him that shtuck me good mule
Beelzebub inter that sweatin, shteamin
hole fer the iddificashun of blitherin
scientics will PLACE to shtep out an Oil
paste MS ugly mug
Prof. Mellins fell back against a con-
Yen1ent> bank in dazed condition The
noted Dr. Endlin's countenance reflected
sardonic Sneer. Several deriSive boots
passed the lips of the hereinbefore men
toned incredulouS ones
Shtand back We domned fools, an let
me rescue me poor dSrlint Belzie!
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 filed the breats of
the different individuals. DR.. Endlins
face was study; he glanoCd at the hope
lessiy dlspirited Prof. Mellns, and seem
ed to pity him, yet he maintained dig
nlfied and unapproachable aspect that
best becomes a man of letters. The ma
jority of the spectators chuckled looked
wise, and a number of 81 told you SOS"
were overheard.
Two or three brave souls ventured
few feet within the tunnel; after ten
minutes or so had elapsed, commotion
was heard in the darkened depths
Back. back / tell yei Back again. me
Belziei Och. an it's a fool set of fools
out there. Belize! It's homesick yez are
for a tunnel, acuShla me own Back
vance more. darlintr'
Slowly, carefully surely, Tim Murdoch
steered his charge out OF the treacherous
tunnel. Once the Sure-footed mule Slip
ped, and his hind feet went down inta
the crack that made the tunnels floor
dc r.,