The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1875-11-12

ehaoieu ultn 10 comprehend what 1t meant
and even something of the magnitude ol
the enterprise that was ripening inside
those burning walls. He knew that the
furnace was full of valuable metal, and
that close beside him, buried out of sight
in the deep sand, was the huge mould, SC
soon to be filled with the precious cast
He knew and could see that all the chan
nels for the flow of the fiery liquid were
ready, and that near the mouth Of the
furnace stood the long iron rod that was to
be used when the moment came to let on
the molten stream.
All this his limited thoughts took in by
habit. Dinly conscious that something
great was soon to be done, he sat with his
eyes on the furnace, absorbed and intent:
Suddenly something startled him. There
was slight noise, and a burning crack ap-
peared near the top Of the furnace. Then
another crack, and a scorching brick fell
out and rolled to the ground at his feet
| The lad opened his mouth to shrek, but
so terrified was he that the sounds stuck in
his throat, as if he had been in a fit of
J nightmare.
A thin red stream followed the fallen
brick, and trickled down the furnace side
like running lava. Then came another
alarming noise, and a thin gap halfway
down the masonry let out more Of the hiss
| ing metal.
Where was George? Was the unfaith-
full fellow still hunting for his pipee The
furnace was bursting, with only poor,
half idiot lad to guard it
What could he do? He did what per-
haps a lad in his right mind would not
have dared to do. Rushing to the mouth
of the furnace, lie seized the long iron rod
that stood near and tapped the vent. One
desperate thrust with the sharp point up
the terrible tunnel-a few quick, prying
strokes Stand back, now! The confining
clay fell away, and the yellow-white flood
spurted out with resistless force. 1t leaped
into the clay lined troughs, and hissed its
way, flaming, down to the mouth of the
bellmould.
The .'foor' had done deed worthy of a
general on a field Of battle.
Was it too late? Every moment new
fissures opened into the doomed furnace.
Some of the upper stones tOppled over
Still the metal poured out into the mould.
But the waste was great from the gaping
| flaws. The pressure was relieved by the
opened vent, but the leaks multiplied COLI
tinually. 1t was art running a race with
| ruin.
Poor 'NIop1s'' stood powcrless before
the coming catastrophe. His knees knock
ed together, and his head swan. y great
heap of red hot bricks and rubbish fell at
his feet. He had barely thought to get
out of the way and save his life. He heard
a wild shout of human voices in the dis
tance, then an awful roar behind him, and
he saw and felt himself pursued by surges
| of seethihg fire: Sharp, blistering pains
| pierced his flesh at hundred points. The
| rest was all a horrible, unintelligible dream.
1t was as if he had suddenly sunk into the
| earth and been swallowed up forever.
By seven o'clock comparative quiet reign
ed again on the scene of disaster. Ruins
lay everywhere. The engines had quench-
ed the flames that had caught the building
| ing, and the men, blackened with smoke,
stood in silent groups about the remains..cf
L
nothing was left but heaps of steaming
| rubbish.
| Poor sTnyentor," who had been found
with tile tapping rod in his hand, lying on
his face i'm the sand, frightfully burned,
had been carried to his home.
Little was said, but the few words
spoken, uttered with no mild emphasis the
| 4, IF tI,a ocfo md fIo han
against the man George, whose excuses
for himself only exaggerated the offence.
s'See what he's DONE" said they few
days later, as they stood in the half burned
| foundry. give Thousand dollars gone to
waste in minute The best job in twenty
years spoiled The rascal, to 60 hunting
for his pipe, and leave that Suffering idiot
to watch! Is that all he can say for him.
self? Out upon such carelessness! Why,
the boy didn't know enough to bawl out
when he must have seen the furnace tumb-
ling to pieces p
The master, who had more at stake than
the men, of course felt the loss more KEEN
ly than they. He almost wept with min
gled grief and rage. Suddenly something
peculiar caught bis eye among the debris,
| and he cried i'm startled voice
| ssHallol What's this? What's this?
He snatched up fragment of one OF the
troughs which had led from the furnace to
the mould There were traces of the
stream of bronze still running in it. Then
the possible meaning of the iron found in
the injured boys hand flashed upon him.
sBring me shovel, quickH' he shouted.
A spade was put into his hands, and he
began nervously to heave away the mass
chat lay piled over the bell-mould. 1t was
herculean task, but he worked like gi-
ant nd three or four of his men took hold
and helped him.
Briek-bats, ore, Stag and ashes flew III
,.orx, .3;roct;op Presently the master {