The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-12-09


where he had stood was vacant. So
blackly did the smoke roll over the
wagon that a man ten feet off could
not have seen him fall.
| Almost before the driver had time to
realize what had occurred he found
| himself sprawling in a loose, helpless
heap upon the rocks he had just
thrown in. They were not yet heated
through, but their sharp corners cut
! and bruised him severely.
Instantly the deadly peril Of his stu
alton dawned upon him, and he sprang
to his feet, bent upon getting out at
| once. Warm, black and sitting, the
smoke wrapped him about like a
shroud. He began to cough and choke.
An ordinary man would have sue
cumbed Immediately in that fearful at
mosphere, but Sanders had become so
accustomed to breathing coal smoke
that he did not yield readily to the
fumes. He was perfectly aware that
his life could be measured by very
few scores of seconds unless he eXtri-
Gated himself at once from this fiery
pit. Two quick steps brought him to
the front wall. He pushed his hands
up along the hot granite blocks, and
found that he could reach we'll over the
highest layer. A moments grasp upon
some firm projection, the quick thrust
of a boot toe into 4 crack in the lining
and he would be out of his dilemma in
a jiffy!
Even in the midst of his peril he was
inclined to congratulate himself that
the rick in the kiln was no lower, for
had the distance to fall been greater he
might have broken some bone, the heat
would have been more intense, and the
depth would have made it impossible
for him to get his hands over the top
of the granite.
He was on the point of lifting his toe
to thrust it into some crevice in the
wall when beneath his feet there came
rumbling, a sinking. The drivers
heart almost stood still with terror, for
he knew too we'll the meaning of the
sound. The kiln was settling! Down
slumped the rock with a suddenness
that almost threw him off his balance.
The heated mass inside the furnace
sank barely two feet, but when the mo-
ton ceased the tips of Sanders finger
rested on the joint between the first
and second layers of granite He could
no longer touch the top of the upper
blocks.
1t was death to stay, but how could
he get out? The wall in front was now
too high for him to scale. Beneath his
feet dull red, dusky glow showed
dimly between the rough pieces of
rock. Through every crevice the
smoke oozed up from the burning coal
just thrown into the arches twenty
feet below The soles of his boots
were scorching.. He was sick, blind,
dizzy. In minute or two, at the ut
most he would be overcome by smoke
and heat
Round him curved the rugged, SCOT
blackened layers of granite, barely WIS.,
ible through the murky clouds. Above
he caught glimpse of blue sky dark
ened by whirling vapor. His eyes
OlndL lGtL IL IOul tAC Jul IL
ing coal and heated rock a nauseous,
penetrating odor rolled up to him. His
strength grew less with every breath
he was forced to take.
Dazed by his peril Sanders stood mo-
tionless. Then from a crevice almost
under his feeta thin, writing tongue of
flame, forked and lurid, darted sudden
ly up, wrestled for a moment with the
smoke wreaths, and f1ickered out as
quickly as it had come. The appari-
ton brought the driver to his senses.
Precious seconds were passing and in
slant action was necessary.
Leaping up as high as he could he
threw his hands over the edge of the
hot granite and tried to lift himself to
the top, but he slipped back almost i'm
mediately. The two feet that the rock
had settled meant death to him unless
he could devise some way to regain it.
All at once it flashed over him that
he might throw the rocks he was stand
ing on into a loose pile against the
front wall, and thus make heap high
enough to help him Chamber out.
Could he have done this before the
kiln settled his safety would have beer
assured. Was there time to do it now?
STOPPING he grasped a three cornered
fragment and threw it against the wall.
Another and then another followed.
They were burning hot, except those
he had just flung in from his load.
With bent head, facing the fumes that
poured exhaustlessly up, and drawing
them into his lungs with every chok-
ing breath, he fumbled madly over the
hard black Jumps.