The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1917-04-27
JUST MISSED DEATH.
MISSIONARIES FEARFUL EXPERT.
ENCE IN OLD VAULT, :

coWardice Of His Two Zulu "eoys'
Nearly Led to Disaster-Wife
Helped Rescue Him in the
Nick of Time.
"A missionary has to be Jack-of
all-trades," remarked Rev. Yande
Collins, who was home on a furlougf
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; it was for storing corn, or mealie
as they call it in Natal. l didn't like
to use it because it was so damp, and
for year I had been using galvanized
Iron tanks that 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 a 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
oeen left on the cellar floor; rats had
enlarged q 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
lgine what the smell was like.
II ordered Malusi and Mutyani, two
gigantic Zulus, to clean out that
Vnult; but they refused, unless I
would 60 down first. They firmly be-
ieved that q demon dwelt In that
black hole!
$50 got the two boys to stand over
the trapdoor while prepared to de-
sccnd the short ladder that leaned
against the wall foot from the open
Ing. I lowered a pail on the end Of
I stout rope, which I made Malusi
take hold OF, and then, with a lighted
candle In one hand and q shovel in
The other, I swung down on my elbows
until my feet found the ladder. I
tested it, found it apparently firm,
took another step downward; and then
with one last, long breath let 60 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. I had not taken
more than one step when 1t gave way
with soft, bending squash; my can
de 6lckered out, and I sat down with
Z mighty splash In six inches Of muck
II felt sick all over, and when
tried to rise I could hardly stagger to
my knees. l touched the rope tied to
he pail, and grasped it firmly.
"Pull on the rope! cried, and
gave the cord an anxious jerk. 'Malusi,
4utyani, pull = The whole length Of
rope slipped and splashed down beside
me. The two boys had run of In q
panic.
! "'Mary. get some help quick! I am
being poisoned! l cried to my wife;
but got no answer.
/ NY temples throbbed as II they
would burst, my ears roared, strange
lights danced before my eyes and
powerful hand seemed to be construct
ing my throat and chest 50 that
could not breathe. I was being poi
soned by the noxious gases. With a
tremendous effort dragged myself to
my feet; just then l heard my wife's
voice above me. Cant you get outr
she called.
THE absurdity of the question had
. stimulating effect upon me.
"'NO, Of course notr I roared an
yri!y. The ladder is broken I felt
my knees giving away, and 1 ended
with q cry like that Of a sick child,
Helpv
Don't get mad she soothed. Z
have been after those boys. Here's
Aialusi. Where's the roper She had
persuaded that big Zulu baby to re-
turn. He was as strong as an OK, but
] had dropped the rope when I had
to my feet. It's here at my
feet. but I don't dare to 60 after 1t.
Sewer gas:' I called.
What! my wife gasped; then she
called out cheerfully, Well, never
mind; keep up your courage! I'll
fetch another rope!
"1-I'm afraid I can't last much
longer faltered.
MY wife answered promptly, Here,
then, Malusi will reach down his hand.
ll0lusi, reach down your hand! Grab
holdr
"As she spoke felt the hand Of the
native touch my hair. I clutched 1t
and then I went limp all
over: but felt him get his other
hand in the collar Of my shirt. When
came to, I was lying outdoors on the
,rass, and the world never seemed so
bright and fair as it did then. You
zee, a. soon as Malusi had got his
enormous paws on me I was safe; but |
It's mystery to me how he ever
rvnr0 NM ov~k 80 That h~14 ekvo~rp