Gilpin observer., 1917-02-08
Just MISSED DEATH
MlssloNARY's FEARFUL EXPERT
ENcE IN OLD VAULT.
Cowardiee Of His Two Zulu "eoyan
Nearly Led to Disaster-Wife
Helped Rescue Him In the
Nick Of Time.

| "A hAooAVAuAy 1uub " DC y JdCk-OI.
all-trades." remarked Rev. Yandel
Collins. who was home ON a furlough
after twenty years In South Africa.
There was an underground room.
about eight feet deep by eight square,
walled with brick and plastered with
tarred cement, beneath the children's
bedroom In our mission house at Mu-
pola; 1t was for storing corn. or mealie,
as, they call It IA Natal. l didn't like
to use 1t because 1t was so damp, and
for year had been using galvanized
iron tanks that I riveted and soldered
myself. I had almost forgotten the
existence Of the old corn cellar when,
toward the close of the next rainy sea-
son. we noticed strange, sickening
Odor pervading the house. When
removed the square wooden lid over
one end of the old vault, the stencil
was enough to knock you down. A
few quarts Of nodded mealie had
been left on the cellar floor; rats had
enlarged a crack In one corner in Or
der to get at this provender, and the
heavy rains had seeped through the
rat hole and left about six inches of
water, wherein some Of the rats had
drowned themselves. You can i'm
agine what the smell was like.
II ordered Malusi and Mutyani, two
gigantic Zulus, to clean out that
vault; but they refused. unless
would go down first. They firmly be-
lieved that a demon dwelt in that
black hole!
$50 got the two boys to stand over
the trapdoor while I prepared to de-
scend the short ladder that leaped
against the wall foot from the OPEN
ing. 1 lowered pail on the end of
stout rope, which / made Malus
take hold of. and then, with lighted
candle in one hand and shovel In
the other, I swung down on my elbows
until my feet found the ladder. 1
tested it, found 1t apparently firm,
took another step downward; and then
! with one last. long breath let go my
hold on the floor and trusted my whole
weight to the ladder.
"The ladder was as rotten as every
thing else in that pit Lhad not taken
more than one step when it gave way
with soft, bending squash; my cam
die flickered out, and I sat down with
mighty splash in six inches Of muck !
II felt sick all over. and when 1
tried to rise I could hardly stngger to
my knees. I touched the rope tied to
the pail, and grasped 1t firmly.
Pull on the roper cried. and I
gave the cord an anxious jerk 'Malusi,
Mutyani, pull! The whole length Of
rope slipped and splashed down beside
me. The two boys had run of in a
panic.
"'Mary, get some help quick! am
being poisoned! cried to my wife !;
but l got no answer.
my temples throbbed as IL they
would burst, my ears roared, strange
lights danced before my eyes and a
powerful hand seemed to be construct
Ing my throat and chest so that I
could not breathe. 1 was being poi
soned by the noxious gases. With a
tremendous effort l dragged myself to
my feet; just then I heard my wife's
voice above me. Can't you get out ?
she called.
"The absurdlty of the question had
stimulating effect upon me.
"'NO. of course notr roared an
grily. The ladder is broken I felt
my knees giving away, and I ended
with a cry like that of sick child,
'Helpl'
"'Don't get mad she soOthed. 4
have been after those boys. Here's
Malusi. Where's the roper She had
persuaded that big Zulu baby to re-
turn. He was as strong as m OK, but
had dropped the rope when I had
struggled to my feet. It's here at my
feet, but 1 don't dare to go after 1t.
Sewer gas;' called.
"'What' my wife gasped; then she
called out cheerfully. We'll, never
mind; keep up your courage! I'll
fetch another roper
,"I-Fm afraid I can't last much
longer I faltered.
"My wife answered promptly, Here,
then, Malusi will reach down his hand.
Mnlusi, reach down your hand! Grab
holdv a
"As she spoke felt the hand of the
native touch my hair. I clutched 1t
convulsively. and then l went limp all
over; but ] felt him get his other
hand in the collar of my shirt. When
l came to, was lying outdoors on the
grass, and the world never seemed so
bright and fair us 1t did then. You
see, as soon as Malusi had got his
enormous paws on me I was safe; but
It's mystery to me how he ever
dragged me out Of that hole. strong
as he is. My wife says she helped,
too. which. Of course explains every
thing!
"That afternoon, with n new ladder
and plenty of ropes. the Zulus cleaned
out the vault and the next day Iwent
down myself and cemented the rat
hole, and splashed lot of good, clean.