The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-12-25

L bent down over what seemed
corpseg and the CLEAN of the lamp
fell on its face. It was, Jack Glover.
I didn't know whether he was alive
or dead But Ihcaught him in my
arms, and with the strength of q giant
and the speed of a deer-hardly cont
scious-I made dash for the. shaft
It was easier going back when you
were once in the main or horse road;
for now the shaft was before yOu,a in-s
stead of behind and, though you
wouldn't think it, this made a won
derful difference in the light. Dark
as pitch it still was. though not TO a
pitman's eyes, and | found that Jack
breathed when / reached the shaft.
! The discovery nerTed me afresh, and
kept all my senses. at work without.
my Seeming 10 knox it. / only felt
that there would soon be another ex i
/ plosion. So [ placed Jack on the
/ straddle. and taking the cord from
lifoot; then pulled the signal ropes aud
as the people above hauled the tackle
and lifted the straddle clear from the
lground, [ hung on by my arms, and
/ thus we began to mount the shaft.
/ 1t was not until we had got up
| twenty feet that felt the strain of
standing, on nothing, but from that
moment it became just terrible. My
hands seemed ready to snap, the ache
in my arms spread through every
muscle; my head spun round, and
my feet kicked about in agony. I
/ watched the mouth or the pit till my
eyes swan, and as [ reckoned the
Ispace between, while my strength
waned and my agony deepened, |
thought / must drop before reached
the top. ea a,aa .7st.s
i Then they began to hoist faster. /
mustered ali my strength; frightened
my grip on the stra Idle, though my
fingers were growing numb. / stead
Lied my feet, and hardly trusted my
self to breathe. I could see the walls
of the shaft; [ could feel the purer
air.. | heard voices. and presently
the tackle swung; strong arms caught
me round, and [ was landed on the
bank. rs
They had taken Jack Glover off the
straddle before you could look round,
and he was carried away. while they
raised my head and poured a few
drops of brandy into my mouth. Then
I called out for the viewer. aa
What is it, Charley Batson?" he
asked, bending over me-.
Everybody away from the pit.
sir?" I said. 49,
ia'fYou are right" he said, =" it will
come in minute or two" ~
They got me to the top of the bank,
when I heard scream, and there was
Nelly. trying to throw herself on her
brother Jack, but kept back by the:
other womenfolk. She never glanced
round at me! l wished then that |
had stopped in the pit, or let myself
drop from the bar as / came UP, aud
so escaped seeing her again. But L
made up my mind that [ had looked
on her for the last time. I told my
helpers that l could walk now, and
when they let go my arms il turned
toward the moor, intending to pick
up my pack and drag on at least TO
the next village. $500 as oi
But | could no more walk FIVE
miles than l could fly. WhenI came
to the pack, sank down by it, and
felt that | must give up. | was so
beat that though there was now an
other explosion at the pit. as IIhad
expected, and though it shook the
ground under me, | never raised my
head. All | thought of was stretch
ing out my arms and legs, and lying
there quiet But, by degrees, I re-
covered little strength, and my
thoughts took more shape, when
| decided to return to my old lodging
and have days rest, before [ set out
on nv Wanderings "
The day passed, and the night, and
the next day, and / was still In bed.
the good folks tending me like a.
child Ny limbs, which had been
racked with pain, now felt easy, and
But 1 thought there would be oppo-
sition. so Lgot up very quiet, and was
putting on my things, when the door
opened, and to my wonder, in walked
Jack Glover.
Hilloa, Charley, here we are!'' he
cried, seiz ng my hand and giving it a
hearty squeeze. ho would have
thought of us two being alive to-dav?''
swell, Jack, I'm glad for you, but
L shouldn't have cared for myself [
answered. -
How's that?" he asked. I@5
-" Because" [ replied, L have
something on my mind. z1I
You'll" he said, laughing, and Civ
| ing me little push. Here, sit
down and have a pipe, and it will go
off like the smoke" r.
-" don't care if | never smoke a
pipe again." | said, savagely. )
3" Now, Eli tell you what it is, said
JACK, you have been having little
4 tiff with our Nelly"
4 | hayn'tl" answered, my cheeks
burning. I'll z'tf