The Wahpeton times., 1917-02-08
JUST MISSED DEATH
MISSIONARIES FEARFUL EXPERl.
ENcE IN OLD VAULT.
coWardice Of His Two Zulu "eoye'
Nearly Led to Disaster-Wife
Helped Rescue Him in the
Nick of Time.

"A missionary has to he a Jack-of-
all-trades," remarked Rev. Yandel
Collins, who was home on Il 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
pOla; It was for storing corn. or mealie,
us they call it in Natal. didn't like
to Use 1t because it was so damp, and
for year had been using galvanized
iron tanks that rivetcd and soldered
myself. 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 I
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 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.
Il ordered Malusi and Mutyani, two
gigantic Zulus, to clean out that
vault; but they refused, unless I
would go down first. They firmly be-
lieved that q 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 leaned
against the wall foot from the open
ing. lowered pail on the end of
n stout rope, which I made Malusi
take hold of, and then, with lighted
candle in one hand and shovel in
the other, swung down on my elbows
until my feet found the ladder. I
tested it, found 1t apparently firm,
took another step downward; and then
with one last, long breath let 20 my
mold on the floor and trusted my whole
weight to the ladder.
1.-THE ladder was as rotten as every
thing else in that pit. had not taken
more than one step when it gave way
with a soft, bending squash; my can
die fiickered out, and sat down with
mighty splash in six inches of muck
II felt sick all over, and when 1
tried to rise could hardly stagger to
my knees. I touched the rope tied to
the pail, and grasped it firmly.
"Pull on the roper I cried, and ]
gave the cord IN anxious jerk. 'Malusi.
Mutyani, pull' The whole length of
rope slipped and splashed down beside
me. The two boys had run off in a
panic.
MARY, get some help quick! am
being poisoned!' I cried to my wife /:
but got no answer.
my temples throbbed as If 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 /
could not breathe. I was being poi
soned by the noxious gases. With a
tremendous effort dragged myself to
my feet; just then heard my wif.,'s
voice above me. Can't you get out p
she called.
1.-THE absurdity of the question had
stimulating effect upon ME.
"'No. of course not!' I roared an
grily. The ladder is broken I felt
my knees giving away. and 1 ended
with cry like that of sick child.
'Helpr
"Don't get mad she soothed. 4
have been after those boys. Here's
Malusi. Where's the rope? She had
persuaded that big Zulu baby to re-
turn. He was as strong as an OK, but
l had dropped the rope when had
struggled to my feet. It's here at nv
feet. but don't dare to 70 after It.
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
"1-Im afraid I can't last much
longer faltered.
My wife answered promptly, Here.
then, Malusi will reach down his hand.
Malusi, reach down your hand! Grab
hold"
'As she spoke l felt the hand of the
native touch my hair. I clutched it
convulsively. and then went linn 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 50
bright and fair as it did then. Yo,,
see. as sOon as NlaluSi had got his
enormous paws on Elc was safe; but
it's Il mystery to me how he ever
dragged me out of that hole Strnny
as he is. My wife says she helped,
too. which. of course. explains every.
thing!
"'l.at afternoon. With new ladder
aaa plenty af ropes. the Zulus cleaned
out the vault. and the leXt day Went
down myself and ccrlented tho rat.
hole. aa4 splasllcd Il lot of good. clean
not tar rnuEd, ard the job was DONE
i. Youths Companion.