The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1912-06-13
MARK TWAIN AND
HIS FAMOUS GANG
How Samuel Clements, Americas Greatest Hu-
morist, And His Pals Became Lost While
Exploring A Cave

When the boys gazed into the
mouth of the dark cavern many
would have turned back had not
pride and fear of taunts from Glenn
ems and John Briggs prevented. So,
with these two leading, the band en-
tered the cave For a short distance
the descent was made through a
steep, high-arched way, then a slight
descending passage, which they ira
versed for what seemed many miles:
By the dim light of their tallow can
dies they finally reached the "petrif1c
spring." where the young adventu-
rers satisfied their thirst and bathed
their heated faces, a quaking, ex-
hausted group.
After resting a few moments they
started down the long passage in
spite of the entreaties Of some to
turn back. The passage grew mar
rover until progress was difficult.
Then Clemens, who was in the lead,
stopped abruptly. The band gather
ed around him, looking over his
shoulder in fear to see the weird mys-
teries OF which they had heard so
much. One hurried glance was
enough. AS the candles cast a flick
ering light into the gloom of the
vaultlike chamber they saw a coffin
swaying to and fro, suspended by
chains from the ceiling, or it may
have been that the wavering light
produced the illusion.
One boy cried out suddenly, and
then the whole band retreated hast1-
ly. Stumbling over stones, falling
against the walls of the cave, they
ran on and on until they came to e
spot where the passage divided into
two similer galleries. They were un-
decided as to which one to follow,
but one was finally chosen and the
band proceeded on its weary journey
to find the "petrific spring"
But they wandered on and on with
out finding any trace of the spring.
FINALLY Samuel Clemens stopped and
told the rest of the band that they
were lost. The more timid ones then
set up a wall of despair, their fear
being intensified by the weird shad-
ows cast on the wall by their flicker
ing and almost consumed candles.
Their cries echoed down the cav
ernous passage until they died away
in the distant gloom. They had
heard their parents tell many times
of the man who was lost in this cav
ern, wandering for days, until at last
he died of starvation. They wander
ed aimlessly around until exhausted,
when the entire party fell asleep.
Their candles all burned out while
they slept, and when the first boy
awoke, q, cry of terror burst from his
lips. The others Immediately aWoke,
the echoing cavern was filled with
their cries. At last they heard the
welcome sound of voices, and the
light of a dozen torches appeared,
carried by a searching party. Weak
from wandering and lack of food,
| they were carried out, after having
been lost in the cave 80 hours.
The mystery OF the grewsome tlg-
ure in the cave was soon made
known. The physician who owned
the cave had obtained a body from
the medical college with which he
YVES connected, and had put it in the
cavern to test the petrifactive quail
ties of the water, which had been
claimed for it.
For many years those who had Wis
tied the cave asserted that Marx
Twain made a mistake when Tom
and Becky were made to wander IN
an undiscovered portion of the cave
where stalactites and stalagmltes
abounded, for, they asserted it was
a geological impossibility for crys-
tails to form in that kind of stone.
But the theories of these scientists
were disproved when another branch
of the cave was discovered in 1892,
the walls of which sparkled with
crystals.
The cave was an enduring and sub
stantial Joy for all the boys in the
town. For young Clemens it had a
fascination that never faded. Other
localities and diversions might pail,
but any mention of the cave found
him eager for the thrce-mile walk
that brought them to its mystic door.
iWth it's long and tortuous passages,
it's possibilities as the home of a gal
liant outlaw band, it contained every
thing that a romantic boy could de-
sire.-Kansas City Times.
RattIesnake'S Bite Fatal.