The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-12-24

with the precious cast. He knew an
could see that all the channels for Il
flow of the fiery liquid were ready, an
that near the mouth OF the filI1lac
stood the long IRON rod that was to /
used when the moment came to let q o
, the molten steam.
All this his limited thoughts took /
, by habit. Dimly conscious that some
thing was soon to be done, he sat wit
his eyes OH the furnace absorbed an,
intent
Suddenly something startled him
There was slight noise and a bnrnin.
crack appeared near the top of the fur
mace. Then another crack ,;and scorcIl
ing brick fell out and rolled to tht
/ ground at his feet.
The lad opened his mouth to shrek
but so terrified was be that the sounds
stuck in his throat, ,4as it he had beer
in fit of nightmare. - -
A thin red stream followed the fallen
br ok, and trickied down the furnace
side like running lava. Thencame an.
other alarming noise, and thin gar
haiti way down the masonry let out
more of the kissing metal.
Where was George? Was the un-
faithful fellow still hunting for his pipe?
The furnace was bursting with only a
poor, halfidiot lad to guard il.
What conld he do !? He did what
perhaps lad in his right mind would
not have dared to do Rushing to the
mouth OF the furnace, he seized the long
iron rod that stood near, and tapped the
vent. One desperate thrust with
sharp point up the terrible ftlnnel-a
few quick prying strokes. Stand back
now. The combining clay fell away, and
the yellow-white flood spurted out with
resistless force. 1t leaped into the clay
lined trougbs, and Kissed its way, fam
ing down to the mouth of thebell mold.
The ssfool'' had done deed worthy
of general ON field of battle.
Was it too late? Every moment
new fissures opened in the doomed fur
mace, Some of the upper stones toppled
over. Still the metal poured out into
the mold. But the waste was great
from those Gaping flaws. The pressure
was relieved by the open vent, but the
leaks multiplied continually. 1t was
art running race with ruin
Poor "Alopus" stood powerless before
the coming catastrophe. His knees
knocked together and his head swan.
A great heap of red-hot bricks and rub
bish fell at his feet. He had barely
thought to get out of the way and save
his lite. lie heard a wild shout of bu-
man voices III tire distance, then an
awful roar behind him, and he saw and |
felt himself pursued by surges of seeth-
ing fire. Sharp, blistering pains pierced |
his flesh at a hundred points. The rest
was all horrible, unintelligible dream.
1t was as If he had suddenly sank into
the earth and had been swallowed up |
forever.
BY seven o'clock comparative quiet
reigncd again on the scene of the d!sas-
ter. Ruins lay everywhere. The en-
gines had quenched the flames that had |
caught the building, and the men, black
ened with smoke, stood i'll silent groups |
around the remains of the furnace. It /
had fallen to pieces and nothing was
lett hut heaps of steaming rubbish.
Poor Inventor" who had been found /
with the tapping-rod in his hands. living
on his face in the sand, friohttrlly burn.
&c, had been carried to his home.
Little was said, but the few words
spoken uttered with no mild emphasis
The natural wrath of the master and
hands against the man George. whose
excuses tor himself only exaggerated his
offense.
"See what he's done," said they a
ew days later, as they stood in the half
burned foundry. ssFive thousand dol.
ars gone to waste in minute The
oest job in twenty years spoiled Thel
'ascal, to go hunting for his pipe, and
cave that suffering idiot to watch Is
hat all he can say for himself? OatI
lpon such carelessness !? Why, the boy
tidn't even know enough to bawl out
Vhen he must have seen. the. furnace
umbling to pieces - /
The master, who had more at stakeI
han the men, ofcourse felt the loss moreI
ieenly than they. He almost wept
vith mingled grief and rage, Suddenly
peculiar caught his eye among
he debris, and he cried in q startled E
,oice: 8 .E' &
Halo! What's this ? What,sthis ~ I
He snatched up fragment of one of t.'
he tronghs which had led from the.E
nold. There were traces of the stream.
t broze still running in it. q Thenss the
ossible meaning of the iron found In the
Injured boys hand flashed upon hin.
Bring me a shovel, quick r. be
houted. -. S. -. q.
A spade was put into bis hands, and
e began nervously to Heave away the
ot mass that lay piled over the bellI
loid. It was q herculean task but he
1orked like a giant. and three orr f6ari ]
his men took hold and helped him.
Brlck-bats, ore, Stag, and ashes dew
every direction. Presently lie ,mas-E9tI
er's spade penetrated the sand and :
ouched something hard. He stopped :
own Then he leaped up like one half
Fant,c, and plying his spade with re-
ounied energy, tore away tho remain
'g sand, disclosing what looked like q I
lelailic ring. ' ssssss
Men, he cried ont, lifting his flushed :
zee. the bell IS cast z, s1
" no did this ?'' asked every excited
olce, as soon as the cheering died away. !
Come with me, two 81 three of yonps
REQ the master. 81 think I Ixs,f,ssr xuleJf s s