Democratic Sentinel, Volume 1, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 November 1877 — A Horse’s Adventure in a Deserted Shaft. [ARTICLE]

A Horse’s Adventure in a Deserted Shaft.

Over three weeks ago a gentleman living in the Third Ward missed a pony, and after a long search gave it up as stolen. Twenty days after the loss of the animal a number of children were playing in some old deserted shafts, when, upon looking into one about six feet deep, a horse, reduced to a mere skeleton, was found. Their discovery was soon made known, and in a few minutes a number of miners collected at the spot and soon had the poor animal on the top of the ground. The person who had lost his pony so long before recognized his property in the emaciated animal before him. For twenty-five days had the animal been in that shaft, without food and water, and from appearances it could not have held out many more. It had eaten all the hair from its sides and tail, which, if any, was all the nourishment it had got during that long period. After being taken out it commenced to eat, though it could scarcely stand on its feet. The animal is gaining rapidly in flesh, and will soon be as strong and useful as before its strange adventure.— Joplin {Mo.} News.