The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1905-02-07

tighter that was en- the sign she gave.
| We followed the course Of the river,
guided by the sound of the rushing
waters. AS we proceeded the descent
grew more and more rapid, the stream
forming a long succession OF falls, and
the light increasing, the rocks and
powders about us became dimly Wis
ible through the gray mist. At length
our progress was stopped by huge
rock that rose perpendicular before
us.
"Harkv' said the Judge, as we
stopped to regain the breath that had
been pumped out Of our lungs by the
last scramble.
listened-We seemed to have turned
our backs on the stream-its rushing
sounded more distant than / had yet
heard it. / said this.
"Hark againr' said Brace. Then as
/ listened attentively heard beside the
swirling and dashing noise in our rear
a mufied roar, that seemed to come
from the very bowels Of the earth.
almost fancied / felt the rock vi
brating under my feet,
You're right" said Brace, when /
gave him my impression; lend the
roar you hear is that stream shootin'
down thousands of feet to the bottom
Of the great hole. If it warn't for the
blamed mist" he added, holding up
the torch, which revealed but a few
feet above our heads of the granite
wall by our side, you'd see that we're
now standin' right between the two
sides of the divide we looked at last
night. We air standin' right over the
canon, with preaps four or five thou
sand feet Of nothing under us, Oh a
lump of rock that's tumbled down
from up above, and wedged itself here,
cause somethin' stopped its goin' fur
der and it do tremble, l allow. It
amt solid! It's moved lump since
knew it in the old days, and one o.
these days chunk from above will
come down and start it off for good
an all"
Il think we may as well get off it,
in that case"
wall, yes. 1t amt more risky
standin' on it than standin' under it;
and as we've got to go under it, and
down the hole, we may as well git"
He led the way along the trembling
rock dozen yards, may be-the rush
ing water sounding upon the left of
rs, and then stretched out his arm to
stop us. He advanced cautiously and
holding out the torch at arms length,
the light fell upon the yellow water
as it poured down into the black gulf
upon which our standing place abut-
ted. The fame of the torch was drawn
down by the current of air as if it
had been at the blast hole of a furnace.
Raising his voice to overcome the noise
of the water, Brace called out:
We've got to 60 down therew
"You are not afraid, Lola?" asked.
She shook her head, and gave my
hand another little squeeze.
Brace led us off the rock. keeping
the water still on our left and there
was some more downward clamberlng
for a few minutes. Then we came to
stand, and he showed me lateral
opening about four feet in height.
Eve goes through there" he said;
then he produced a flask, poured out
a dram. and handed it to me. offered
it to Lola. Another shake of the head.
and another little squeeze.
emptied the cup and Brace helped
himself.
There amt no need to get ourselves
in muck over this job. Wen put our
rubbers on" he said, "the wet drips
through"
took out the overcoats from the
bundle of rugs. and we put them on.
Then strapped the roll of rugs on
my shoulders again.
Brace touched my shoulder and
pointed upward to couple of family
pink nebulous patches in the mist.
what is it?'' asked.
1.-THE sun ketchin' the tops of the
peaks" he replied.
He took couple of torches from
the bundle he carried, and began to
light them at the end of the one he
had last used.
Wont you wait little-it will be
light in half an hourg' / said.
mot down there" he replied; FITS
pitch dark at noon in that almighty
hole. Now" he added, when the
torches were well lit, take one OF
these, kick the snow well off your feet,
keep one eye ON me, and t'other on the
rocks, and leave the rest to Provi-
dence."
With this last injunction he stopped
down, and passed through the opening.
We followed but singly, for we needed
both hands to make the perilous de-
scent.
The first thing / noticed in passing
under the great block that bridged the
awful chasm was the comparative ST.
lence.
sfS To be Continued.
Too Versatile.
Poor Jack Of all trades! So strong
is the prejudice against him that he is
even denied the right to practice one
avocation lest II iufarfera with HIS call