SIOUX FALLS, S. D. - Suddenly remembering that he had just has his shoes shined, and not wishing to spoil the polish, "Jack" Thomas, a resident of one of the small mining camps in the Black hills, while en route home quite late at night on foot, decided not to walk through what he supposed was a puddle of water and mud, and thereby saved his life.

The supposed puddle was a hole in the ground nearly 100 feet in depth, caused by the caving in of a tunnel which a mining company had constructed at that depth under the highway along which Thomas was walking. When he approached the supposed puddle in the dim light Thomas for a moment intended to walk through it, as he was tired and did not care to take the extra steps necessary to walk around the large dark spot in the road. But, recollecting the polish which had been placed on his shoes a short time before, he decided to walk around the spot and save the shine.

The next morning, when informed of the nature of the "mud Hole" and realizing how narrow an escape he had had from being dashed to death in the hole, his hair nearly turned gray.

Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA

Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA

Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA