The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1902-04-04


sails, and lamps will give light without
oi!''
Ill they knry," said the third "Oh,
if they knew
pray, explain to me, my learned
sirs, if it he possible for me to under
stand" interrupted Menico, ior he was
filled with a strong desire to pierce the
obscurity of these speeches.
But suddenly a sharp sound that
seemed to come from the very bosom
of the earth echoed through the room.
The three dwarfs darted off as if on
springs and, guided by the lights in
their caps followed one another down
an opening which, till that moment,
Menico had not noticed.
"IIere goes!'' exclaimed Menico
"Whatevcr they be, men or devils, and
whatever they do below, | shall 60 to
see, let it profit me or be it my DEATH
And he followed them.
The opening proved to be the mouth
of well, and on entering it Menico
found himself at the top Of ladder
He began to descend, but backwards,
and holding on with both hands lest he
fall and break his neck Down, down,
down he went. Will the ladder never
end?" he thought. Fortunately the
lamps which the dwarfs who had pre-
ceedcd him carried in their caps gave
him, too, some light. After an hour
of this not very agreeable descent, he
came at last to large circular room
with numerous openings that led to
long, low galleries. In the galleries
were a countless number Of lights
which were constantly appearing and
disappearing, and Menico observed
that all the dwarfs-tor there were
many of them-were hard at work at
some peculiar labor. Exactly what 1t
was he could not make out. Some
broke pieces from black rock, and put
them in pile; others carried them off
in sort of wagon, he could not see
where. lie looked on intcrestedly,
and, being desirous of finding out all
about the work, addressed the first
dwarf whose attention he secured.
my dear SIR said he, ''do tell me
what you are doing. Are You per-
mitted to give me this informalion?'
"Oh, there are those above who
know that this material is used to keep
up the fire that burns them"
"That burns them!' exclaimed Men
leo. Let me know all. Speak not
thus in riddles.
at you must know all, you can
learn" all the dwarfs near him repeated
in chorus, their tones increasing in
strength and loudness, rs they kept on
working, not noting Menico's Interrupt
tions.
Enough of this!' roared Menco at
last. 81 have never been so mystified.
If nobody cares to tell me, shall find
out for myself
Without another word he entered a
gallery, and got into one Of the wagons.
This gallery was very long one and
opened into an extensive plain where
there were numerous, immense heaps
Of black, lustrous stones-black as
crows wings; in the middle was ter
rible fire, constantly fed from those
heaps of stones.
Menico scrambled up one of the piles
Of stone in order to see better and fur
thor. Aud 10! in another mass Of fire,
ever and anon shut out from vi by
thick clouds OF smoke, he saw. or
thought he saw, a huge cauldron in
which men like himself were being
roasted.
Menico, we repeat, did not know
! what fear was; but at this sight he
shivercd, the hair rose on his head, his
heart beat rapidly: his legs began to
| tremhlr.
"Alas. alas he cried, Il am lost-I
am damned! Woul:l hat my curiosity
| had not led me so fai!' And, no longer
able t. stand on his feet, he would have
sat d WI, but some Of the dwarfs pre-
vented him, rushing at HIM and carry
ing him bodily to the bottom of the
pile, where they laid him down.
Though he did not know what mo-
ment his turn might come to be cast
into one of the fiery caulrons, the ex-
cess Of fear soon left him. He was not
by any means at his case, however.
The sight Of those fearful cauldrons
with men roasting in them would have
terrified the most courageous man in
the world He remained exactly as
the dwarfs left him for at least five
minutes; suddenly he heard Il clamor
that must have reached the skies, and
the echoes of which were repeated over
and over again throughout the gal
lcrcs.
At once, all the dwarls ceased their
labors, put away their implements, and
gathered in one place, where they
seated themselves on the ground. 1t
was the hour of rest.
Menico joined them, a I'd seated him
! self in like manner. And behold! there
appeared, without his knowledge who
bore them or whence they came, ever
so many barrels of beer and unnum-
bered ebony -colored drinking-vessels;
| ,>ot ,ol ,,bot how fbo,- uroro