The National tribune., 1901-04-18
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On the March 10 the Sea
Thrilling Experiences in the Cave-old Ac-
ouaintances Appear on the Scene.
Copyrighted, 1885, by the publishers of THE NATIONAL
TKIRUNE.


side air heats up and becomes rarified, the
denser, colder air inside flows out, fire.
quently in a strong, propulsive current
and vice versa
Following the unusually cold spell, the
weather in central Georgia had become
very warm, and the air in the cave where
ST and his friends were swept outward to
help restore the equilibrium.
When the flames began to leap up, 81
had called to the rest to come and carry
the prisoners to a large, high, dry cham
ber, which ALI Russell had found, and
| where they would be likely to be least
affected by the smoke.
But to Sis astonishment no smoke at
all came back into the cave. 1t was all
carried forward by the strong outward
| breathing of the lungs of the earth.
DO you notice that, Shorty?' ex-
claimed 81 jublantly. mo smoke at all
coming in. All blowing out. The Lord S
interfering in our behalf"
The Lords always been mighty good
to u.s." answered Shorty reYerently, ''bc-
cause we've been on His side. But l hope
He won't interfere when we come up
with them jeff Davis Dragons again.
We want to settle with them all by our
selves. Let Him just stand off, and He IL
see the he-est Old fight that He ever looked
on''
Come, now, Shorty, don't talk that
| way, demonstrated 81. as he watched the
roaring, cracking flames. I'VE want the
Lords help TO save them fellers particu-
| larry for us, and run US up against them
somewhere soon, while this is fresh in our
minds. I'm awfully fraid that Fitzpatrick
II get the first whack at them, and leave
nothing for us. This is worse than Ander-
sonville, even. Why, their intentions were
good to roast us all alive"
mo, 81; nothing could be worse than
Andersonville. It'd "a been Gods mercy
to thousands of those poor fellows we've
J seen to'ye run 'em into cave, as these
| fellers intended us, and burned them up at
once. I'd heap rather be toasted to a
crisp in few minutes, than starVe and rot
to death with the scuryy. But, then,
that's no thanks to the JEFF. Davis
Dragons. Their hellishness is all the
| same"
Through the cracking Of the flames
| they could hear the rebels yelling bolster
ously and triumphantly.
You think you are paying ms up for
that Colonel and Captain" said Shorty,
| shaking his fist in their direction. yell
while you can, you un-hung traitors. We
haint scarcely begun yet. Wen go through
that regiment O. yours worse'n run Of
| chOery."
Then they heard, from a distant HILL
the bugle sounding the recall strongly and
repeatedly.
They'll go now" said 81. "That's their
brigade bugle, calling on them to quit fool
| ing, and come along"
A piercing yell rent the air behind him.
1t was shout from Ross Blakely, now
wildly insane. His reason, totteling from
the !ong-draBn-Out misery of imprison-
ment, disease and starvation, from the
| hardships and excitement of the escape
now reeled into delirium at awakening in
the tomb-like gloom, amid the white bones
Of horrible beasts, the ghostly stalactites
and staiagmites, looking like shrouded
corpses of giants, the groans of his fellow
| prisoners, the roaring flames in front, with
dark, spectral forms fittering about in the
lurid glare.
20, Cod he cried, this is he'll! Dear
Jesus Christ, what have done that you
would not save me from here? | know
l have sinned, but have l deserved this?
| l tried hard to be good. o, dear Jesus
| Christ, you will not let me burn here for
ever, without a drop of water to moisten
| my tongue? Did | not suffer enough on
earth to atone for my sins! Have mercy
on me, o, God"
Come, Ross, old boy" said ST, running
to him, and trying to put his hand on him.
Calm down. You're all right. We're
all
You here, too, 81 Klegg?' shrieked the
poor maniac, recoiling from him. My
God, this is awful. And there's Steve
| Bigler's bones Poor Steve; he died be-
fore l did. l saw him die. And there's
Capt. Wirz," he continued, with wilder
shrek, as he caught sight of Serg't Class
cock in the ruddy glare. MY God,
| they've sent us to the same hell with Capt.
Wirz. Wen stay here forever"
Ross! Ross! Don't you know me-"
| asked ALI, running up, and catching hold
| of one of the skeleton-like hands. "Fm
Alf Russell, Co. Q, 200th Indianny Vol
unteer Infantry. I'm alive, we're all alive;
and
mo, no; you're a devil. You're come
to torment me. You've come to drag me
into the flames, there! Keep OFF,
He broke away, and snatching up long
bone from the floor of the cave, struck
with it frantically.
WED better keep away from him, and
leave him alone" advised Alf. I'VE
can't do anything for him until the fit
works off. He'll calm down then, himself,
if it don't kill him"
That's what I'm afraid OFF, remarked
ST despairingiy. ''That fire excites him.
If we could only put it out he might quiet
| down. Shorty, let's look around for some
poles. The rebels are probably gone by
| this time, and we might shove those logs
off into the creek, and put ont the fire."
Ross Blakely's shrieks had stirred up
ithe other prisoners, who were moaning
dismally Con Gildea, an Irish boy, was
| fumbling feebly at his beads, which he
had kept, though nearly everything else
went. Suddenly his eyes blazed, and he
began shrieking, too.
'Tain't hell, b'yes," he yelled. "Its
only purgatory. Wen be out by-anby.
o, Mother o. God, sind us speedy deliver
ance! o, Virgin Mary, pray for usl o,
| Queen of Hivin, take us out av thisi o,
Blissid Virgin, save us from hell o,
Mother of God, have mercy on usl o,
Mother of Christ, put out the fires of
purgatory. B'yes. b'yes, this amt hell.
It's only purgatory."
Then he, too. caught sight of Serg't
Glasscock, moving back to escape the in
| creasing heat, and shrieked as he fell over
on his side:
20, God in Hivin, it is hell! There's
Capt. Wirz himself"
81 and Shorty had succeeded in finding
some poles but the fire had grown so hot
that they could not get near It. They
came back at this fresh outbreak of
shrieks, and looked around in dismay.
They're all going crazy as March
hares," 81 murmured despairingly. "Itll
kill every one of tnem."
Then it flashed through his mind that
he had heard something of the calming
effect of music upon insane people. "Try
singing to them, Alf," he called out.
Never had ALI Russell's sweet tenor
rung out with such a pure, liquid, flute