The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-10-21
By JOSEPH HEATING, Author of ~Son of Jud;th. .

melody FOUND nImSelI ongulfed in this
deluge OF stone.
This was the unexpected rock which
wrecks the cid salt at last.
The falling earth Kissed and roared,
as it broke away and came down, max
ing hill where there had been hol-
low. Dust choked the place-white,
where faint CLEAN from the lamp on
the cog shone through the gloom. All
the time little downfalls like sudden
showers of hail, added to the noun
tain CT the fall.
Through it all the light hung from
the steel wedge on the cog. Sometimes
a falling stone hit the lamp and made
it swing to and fro. But soon it
steadied itself, and shone on calm
ly till it got another rock. The wedge
held firm.
After time the loosening earth
came no mere than the mere patter-
ing of raindrops from a tree after a
storm. Small fat pebbles fell inof-
fensively upon the heap with sounds as
if they were dropped into water The
dust slowly rolled up on the air-cur-
rent from the upper to the lower side
1t passed through the cut down there
and gradually disappeared from Jobs
stall, so that the lamp frightened up
and shed clear circle of light upon
the situation
Job opened his eyes when instinct
told him to do so. He immediately
closed them again, when bunch of
rubbish Unexpectedly fell over his
head. He felt blood trickling from his
forehead. He would have wiped it
away; but he could not move his arms
Broke, s'pose," thought Job.
Once more he opened his eyes; and
he smiled as he saw the lamp shin
ing serenely where he had hung it.
'The best steel wedge ever had"
said he.
Then by the hopeful light he looked
upward; he rolled his eyes from side to
side. He did everything slowly. At
last he tried to rise; failed; tried
again; found the effort had lodged him
into a tighter fit than ever. He tried
again and found he could not move an
inch.
So Job quietly submitted. He saw
that he was laying on his back. Noun
famous stones lay across the lower
part of his body; his legs were buried
under the big part of his fall; and
around his head were grouped the
stones that had rolled down the side CT
the heap. They squeezed upon his
cheeks. He bore the pain of it calm
ly.
He looked straight up into the hole
over his head
Looks very raggid," thought Job
More is comm down. Done for,
s'pose | am now, whatever
He raised his voice, trying to at
tract the nearest neighbor, who worked
in the upper STALL
"Davith, hoy!" shouted Job
No answer came
'Hoy-y-y!" Job shouted again.
But he got nc response.
This old fall is dead'n my voice."
said Job.
But the truth was that poor Jobs
voice had lost it's lustiness, owing to
the weakening of his suffering body.
Drip-drip-drip came the little
stones out Of the black hollow above.
wonder if that boy'll soon come
baclI?" thought JOB "Hoy-y-y!"
He waited for an answer, but none
came.
We'll mus do somethin' for my
self, s'pose," said he
Again he tried tc move his body out
of it's prison. He felt the stones shift
ing; in the light from the cog he saw
a great stone sliding down.
"Ah!" said he, satisfied. "P'raps |
can manage by myself, after all"
But he stopped suddenly. AS the big
stone slid away from against the cog,
it set free the loose top which it had
held up With clatter more stones
fell down around the mans head, cut
ting him again, and completely cover
ing him.
When the sliding and rafting of the
stones ceased, and the dust cleared
away, Job could only open one eye; the
other was held fast by the angle of
stone upon his face. And with ID
one eye he could barely get a glimpse
of the light.
The rubbish was piled UP over him,
and but faint CLEAN came to him
through the crevices.
But it was because of the crevices
that Job was still breathing. The
stones crushed one another, and there
fore could MOI properly get at their
victim.
IIic o:Ornu in nrnn god Tho do N rrn,. w {,