Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-11-30


But when Norton asked his opin-
ion be said: "Deuced fine girl-bril-
liant, you know-all that sort of
thing-give me a cigar"
He thought his plan was working
well. Perhaps it was, but Norton
did not commit himself.
o. their arrival at A0onviIle, a
pleasant little village with small
but old fashioned, we'll kept inn, they
found Mr.. Corson seriously i'll. How
ever, two days of his daughters gem
tie treatment brought him TO state
Of convAl9sence. 1t was arranged 90
rather short notice, that the party,
with the addition of Miss C)rson's
friends, who would join them in
week, should mako a flying visit
through New England, and then go
to Europe and remain through the
winter.
well have a jolly time" Miss
Corson sad. She would not tell the
name of the friend who was to join
them Of you know her, you like
her already; if you don't, you will
like her when you do" was the rath-
er ambiguous reply the young men
received to their repeated inquiries.
On the fourth day of their stay
the artist went out to make some
sketches of the beautiful scenery in
the nelghborhood. His daughter ac-
companied bin with her book, but
soon strayed away and was separated
Our masculine friends, firm believers
in the maxim that "the early worm
gets caught" arose at II and strolled
out for smoke. Rambling aiml9sly
through the woods, they emerged
through an open space, and foand
themselves at the bottom Of a quarry
and in the presence of scene which
baff1 cd their under, landing.
At one end OF the quarry which
was some 200 feet long, was hud i.
died together a crowd of workmen,
their eyes riveted in fixed intensity
on the furtherest wall of the immense
granite BASIN 10 which they stood.
Norton had just perpetrated a witt
cism, but the laugh died away on
his l.ps.
"Whst i the matter 2" h. asked
hastily.
The men looked fercely at the
city swell" whom they hated ; but
one of them, forgetfu of small ami
mosities in tho supreme terror Of the
moment, snatched him by he arm.
"Look," he said "thore's the largest
blast in FIVE yoars-it will be off in a
minute. I od help the lady E"
Chailey looked. In the extreme
end Of the quarry, on ledge some
thirty feet above the level Of the
quarrg-bod a young lady in white
was lying asleep, with book half
fallen from her hand she had evil
IDENTIFY come from the road but few
feet above, and the workmen under
the ledge had not seen her; not
more than two yards beneath her
the snake ko fuse, much longer
than usual to guard against danger
from tho large blast, trailed its
length over the rocks.
Hs saw it all in q moment.
"The CorSon girl, by George"
A bucket of drinking water stood
near him. Selling this he was over
the inter vening space and just be,
low the blast al the foot of the in
cline The workmen strong, rough
men, who know tho terrible agency
he was about to defy, thoaght him
mad. The silence in tho quarry was
deathly; no one spoke they scarce
Iy breuthed momentarily expected
to zoe launched into eternity, that
couple-thc one so unconscious of
her peril, the other 80 fearlessly
striving TO save her. Only the foot
steps of the climber were heard,
With their CHASTITY echoes reflected
from the granite walls The slope
near the bottom was quickly mounted
until be stood eight ieet from the
charge, at the foot of perpendicu-
lar wall. Here he paused moment.
There WAS no crack or crevlce In
the wall the treacherous fire from
above could be zen SLOWLY crawling
toward the blast. A half minute
more and all would be over. He was
thinking how to act; ring of
smoke assembled through the air he
was only smoking his cigar, but
what 8 shiver that wretch sent to
the heart of those who watched A
moment only hO paused, then placed
the bucket at his feet, stood on it,
and stretching his body to the ut
most, reached the top, hooked his
foot in the bucket handle, and with
strength he never had known be-
fore, drew himself up until be stood
quietly over the burning fuse. Stoop
ing he poured mrre cupfuI of wa
ter on the powder, and-it was out
He had saved her LIE
Ii looked for a moment at the
pretty picture above him, arranged
his necktie and cuffs in dandi6ed
way, knocked the ashes from his CT
gar, picked up the b19ket, still al
most full, and descended.
The workmen, God bless their
honest souls, went mad. Cheer at
ter cheer went up, such as those old
stones had never before heard. The
hated city chap Of yesterday was
the hero to-day. Poor fellow be
was martyr to their enthusiastic
admiration. Finally Norton came
to the rescue, and be escaped with
| that individual
When the two friends were alone
together, they clasped hands only
as old friends could clasp.
"Charley, it was nobl' act, was
all Norton said.
Doom. Jess, you'd have done
the same if you'd been in front"
They walked along together, put
fing their cigars 10 silence.
"Don't say anything about this,
Jess" said Charley when they
reached the inn, "not to her at any
rate-I mean Miss Corson-l hate