Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-09-26
SAVED MANS LIFE
Story of Rabbit That Came to Res
cue of Imprisoned Miner.

cue of Imprisoned Miner.
This true story Of the almost
miraculous rescue of a man impris-
oned in the shaft of a lead mine, was
told to the writer, Cora Cole McCul-
Tough, by a member of her family.
We quote it from Our Dumb Animals
(Boston):
Many years ago I was living in
Montana. A smelter had been built
and it created demand for silver. l
owned an interest in lead mine that
had been sunk over thirty feet.
Thinking the time had come to make
it available, 1 decided to go there and
get some ore and have it tested. l
did so, and reached the place just in
time to take shelter in the mine from
a terrible hail storm. 1 lighted my
candle, went to the bottom and went
to work. 1 had not been there more
than five minutes when 1 heard a
noise that sounded like a cannon.
The rock over my head shook, and in
a moment the shaft cayed in. You
can imagine my feelings better than
I can describe them when 1 found
myself buried alive.
I tremble even at this distant day,
when think Of that moment. The
roof of the shaft was made of rocks,
and when they came down they did
not pack SO tightly but that the air
came through. There was nothing
could do to release myself. l knew
that if relief did not come from the
outside I would perish. No one knew
that I had gone there. A road ran
past the mouth of the shaft, but it
was not travelled much, and 1 was
not likely to attract attention by
calling. Nevertheless, ! shouted at
intervals all day.
The following morning I commenc-
ed calling again, and all day, when
ever I thought T heard a sound, /
shouted. When night came again, all
hopes of being released were aband-
oned. 1 will not dwell on the agonies
1 endured. The morning of the fourth
day of my Imprisonment, I heard
something crawl into my grave.
I lighted my candle and saw a rab-
bit. There was only one aperture
large enough to admit him; closed
it to prevent his escape. saw in
him food to apease my hunger, when
a thought occurred to me that pre-
vented the blow from descending.
I had two fishing lines. Their
united length would reach to the road.
took off my shirt, tore it into strips,
tied them together and then to the
fish line. then tied the end made
out of my shirt around the rabbits
neck and let him out. He soon reach
ed the end Of the line, and I knew by
the way he was pulling that he was
making a desperate effort to escape.
Soon the tugging ceased, and as 1 knew
that gnawing was one Of rabbits
accomplishments, I thought he had
gnawed himself loose! About three
hours afterward 7 felt the line pull,
and some one called. I tried to
answer, but the feeble noise 1 made
died away in the cavern, then pulled
the line n little to show that /
was still alive. All grew still again,
and I knew the person had gone for
assistance. Then came the sound of
voices. I pulled in the line and it
brought me food. 1t took all the men
reach me.
A very large pine-tree that stood
near had been the cause of my mis-
fortune. 1t had been dead number
of years, and the storm had blown
it over. The terrible blow it struck
the ground had caused the caving in
of the shaft. The rabbit had wound
the line around bush and tied him
self so short that he was imprisoned
outside as securely as I had been in
side. He was taken to town, put in
n large cage, and supplied with all
rabbit delicacies the market afforded.
He, however did not thrive, and the
boys, believing he 'pined in thought"
voted to set him free. He was taken
back to his old neighborhood and
liberated. He not only saved my
life, but became the benefactor of all
the rabbits near, the miners refrain
ing from shooting any, for fear it
might be my rabbit.