Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1867-07-05
vi ] = &C l. l. !. A " Y.
TBE PERIL OF THE MINES.

hHed near The great coal mines was called
Aunt Nudge, altbough every ose knc- the
vers instant shs eaune in ,iew ~hy she was
called litiie. Tor very small she was. not
much larger than a ehild.
| Ihis little Aunt Mudce had heart 30
large that a coald not live in her. but came
out through Kind words from her hps and
loving tides m her eyes. until it fell al
about her. envelopins her hattie person 80
completely that she ~as all heart. md
rssu you looked Al hcr you could not sec
anything slss And you Iboneht shc Wa a.
large a. any one. until sonie othcr person
ehanccd 20 coHe and place I've or six feet
Of human growth BESIDE Der mite Of being.
and then you cou.I not help eNciaiu,in,..
What a liiile voman!-
Wben you wrrc On your vsy 10 visi,
Aunt Mudgc, and saw The browncst Htiie
mt shell - house IN the world. standing.
close TO ihc mouth q the grcat cal nine.
you thought. %. that Is a tut which p
T'ened years ago. ou one Of the giant trees
that crvw O. mskc thc coal beds. anil Il
las been getting trowrcr and Lrowurr
every ceutury since the trccs forgot %
grow. AM know u must be verv hard %
crack Ani 80 soa would GO NJ o. II
srd Put oui your hard ir al its .trcnrti.
and give a kuock on the place where The
shcn looked tie thine-t; snd Just when
YOU wcrv expecting to h-sr great crack
'ag noise. the door would oper 81 gently,
hat. before yoa were aware. thc kernel
would D. before you. and ron uouil l.e
dra~n into ihe MT by friendly hand and
~hcn tie door had closed the nat ~os.d
seen o. D. singing about al ihe suns ihat
had shone nPon and the winds that had
blown over 81 great tree on which q grew.
Once upon a time somebody whispered that
hiile Aunt Mujcc had made a great do.
eovcry shich she was keeping prof,un us
secrct-that she had certainly iaund the
fountain % perPc;uai youth. f5r there grew
not a vfinkie more on her loving fare thi,
year than the lasi. and thc winters passed
ani '' lcit no sign
The miners Who vent beios alssavs stop
PED 70 say good-by. an.l Tor their com
ing up Aunt Mudgc Watched 18th a strange
vIstisl look. that never seemed 90 tire
Is as this hat kept her young-ths ui.
ncrs coming Up from the nine. Her wist.
Sol iook could not be- diverted at the unar-
zeal hour. snl no indnccucnt could tempt
her to stay away from home even ior one
dsy
daring the months % one spring. an own
er - ihc grca; nine removed 90 snail
house midway Lc.~ecn tLe village ahd the
house oi littie Auni Mudsc. His name ~as
Oven Vail lie had to sons. Paul AMI
Auihur. boys jast emerging from chiidhood
into ihai rcsficss transition sfatc tbai far
nishes 80 much material ior ship owncrs
Day Al cr day the TO boys uaadcrcd aboui
the mountains. lingering long a. ihc en-
trance o. the miac and scarcely restrained
irouB gong do.n. not~ifLsfautiine proLibi-
Iion and ~arning. There were strange ga
- and nysfcri0us gusts of darpncss far
down. hsrdrrls of icet ieios ihc surllcc-
sigus vh.ch made ;he miners give thc Up
az home iafe~clis siih strong impul.cs
eiaging in thcm born of thc far that they
might be- i1rcycr-sigus whiek caused httle
Aunl Mudse 70 -aich the biackencd ica-
tares a. they came uP. = ith sousihins very
mu,h Ike teais iu hcr eyes.
One morning vas hours afcr thc last
man a. disarpesr srci uithin ibc .haa for
thc day-Auuf Mad-c. opening the door
Of be- htiie brown nut. saw Paul ard Ar
Thar manipulating in q susp.cious manner
tis arsi sfus a. tbe nine Whilc shc safch-
90. fasl sprang int1 the blcket. snd before
fhc hffic woman rorI reach tle srrt. ho
lad commenced the frhrfal descent. Arhur
aciing a. tis coniurfor .' lloI. hold
FAST cried Aunt Msiee. ere Ler hand
urnt out fo arrest fhc unslriinr of fhc
rope Bot Arhar. vho Lai been uatrhiur
borg ior iusi ilat orIortuufy. uhen there
sbou,d te no m n to oppose st &C. uouth
Of tbc nine. tal no iheaEhi of beng STOP
ped by a uoman. sal hc unuound faster
sud faster. urfli e. frul rrasg vs. fxcI upon
Pc hani nnd o. sre,l arrr.fri.
Gent.y. geaf,,- ra.psd tbe romsn.
90 n gou vill save yo-r hrofhrr's fie 81,
ihe ~ords Arihar turned ulre ~rh fcar.
ard iei -o. iras.rg aii thsf fnrfui rra-r
uron the snail hsrfs thst coaI tat ia.,
hoid in fh,ir grasp fhe crack of ,h, ~.nd
Jas. nni tle rope uss so oid fhat f nu..
give avay 500. aui mirht at sny second
30 Bad rot irr1 used o. n.ontbs Auni
TO-. ....r...I ILL. ...-f arfH ia f..r
and erred. " lleiP. help. qsiek,~ Artbur
oaoght ii just .a time ii vss clipping from
-Iar rra.n. Al fLe to rerll. I...rn.-l iLe