Year: 1860

sole of my boot. but it would not ignite Then I tried another, with no better sue cess. They were too damp-every thin, was damp--the matches were damp-th , matches were useless. With faint hope c drying them in time, I put the box into m vest over it. What with my failure in pro curing light, and the pain of my bruises

 added to my terror and bewilderment o mind, suffered intensely. Through all, i became clear to me that instead of fallin, over, had fallen through the cliff-strang as it was that hollow ground should occur &

 near the edge without the external wall c

 the cliff caving in towards it. The spac

 through which had fallen must have beel narrow, for my body was bruised, and tn skin torn from my sides, with strips of n, clothing that could feel.

 T Worn ont with pain and thought, mus

 have slept. awoke with raging thirst and almost at the same time became sur that l heard the dropping of water. dragged myself towards the sound, stretched out my hand drops from above fell on it eagerly I swallowed few drops, whicl burned my throat they were distilled brine l-salt as any impregnation of water could possibly be.

 Again on my hands and knees I crep, around. feeling by the damp walls, and, as l continually approached and receded from the spot where the salt water dropped from the projecting rock, discovered that the cave was nearly round, and not many yards square. Having discovered this, became more collected and resolute, and forced my. self to calm review of my position I had to acknowledge to myself that my only chance of escape seemed the hole or crack through which I had fallen but no ray oi light betrayed that spot-earth and stones must have fallen in and choked it up. Parch, ing with thirst, and faint from bodily inju, ries, was almost at the point of despair, when distant sound fell upon my ear I listened with intense attention. Soon, more and more distinctly, recognized the noise of machinery, the rumbling of carts, and the voices of men, then bell rung, and with throb of joy, I recognized it as the works. A night only could have passed since my leaving the outer world Had they missed me would they search for me !? Alas there was nothing to lead them to suspect the spot of my captivity. Still l was comforted by the knowledge that only a partition of rock separated me from my fel- low-mcn. Now I could almost distinguish their voices. I felt that it was vain to hope that my calls and shouts could be heard by them, yet could not forbear shouting till l was quite exhausted

 Then reflected on tho means could find of digging away the barrier of rock. It could not be thick I knew that, by my fa- cility in hearing sounds, aud concluded that 1 had fallen close to the edge of the cliff, I had sunk straight to the level of the valley at it's foot, and possibly the wall of my pris- on was not more than two or three feet in thickness. But I had DO implement save my knife, and that was slender one, quite unequal to cutting a passage through even the soft aud damp salt rock, which formed partition. Suddenly remembered having picked up heavy iron OK shoe, on the wag- on road, during my Sunday walk. It was still in my pocket. With what joy pulled it out, and commenced eagerly my work. l will not detail the agonies of those hours. l worked on in the darkness, some times encouraged sometimes nearly hopeless. l could not find that made any visible pro- gross the sounds were not nearer than at first, and I was growing hourly more ex- hausted from fatigue and burning thirst The salt air of the cave infamed my eyes, parching my skin, and excoriated my throat :; and often had a horrible idea that would go mad :; but worked on. had been trying to loosen fragment of rock which seemed somewhat detached from the strata {; this l could only judge of by my feeling. If l succeeded should much reduce the thick ness of the barrier at that point but had to stop and rest before the final trial. I again tried my matches. I had constantly done so hitherto, but without success, and few remained but now the third one that I tried gave forth light smoke, then g light blue flame, and finally clear red light. I held it carefully and beheld plainly the cavern in which was immured. It was g small one, and sparkling from the saline crystals, as if studded with gems. Oppo- site to me was dark object on projection of the shelving rock, and bearing similar ity to the outline of human figure. lifted high the expiring match, and by the aid of the last ray, saw human face.

 In frenzy of impatience tried the few remaining matches; the last one burned on- ly for an instant but in that instant, hold ing it derectly even with the body, l recog- nized the dead, pale, unchanged face of my poor, lost brother Henry

 was again in darkness, with the dead body and my frenzied thoughts. After 8 time resumed 6ercely my labor at the rock. A few blows loosened it few more and the large mass rolled inwards, and from a Assure in the rock which lay behind it, came in narrow streak of daylight. F

 By the aid of the OK shoe soon increas- ed the hole, till it was large enough to ad- nit my head. My shouts soon brought as- sistance from the works, to which, as had supposed, was very near, and soon from that fearful tomb were drawn the living and the dead bodies.

 No one knew me till spoke. The body of poor Henry had been partly preserved by the salt. and was also partly petri6ed. That he had been killed by the fall was evident, and had never moved from the ridge on which he fell. never entirely recovered from the effects of the salt, which left my eyes and nose constantly red.-Seemes in Me Life ef c Mincv.

 A SLEEPING CAR RoMANcE.-Not score of evenings since, might have been seen com ing on board the eastern bound train at Logansport, Ind, two gentlemen and la du uhoca dnsfino a fson wnc nocf ward The