Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1876-04-08

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. Dimly concious that some
thing great was to be done, he sat with
his eyes Oh the furnace, absorbed and
intent.
Suddenly something startled him.
there was slight noise, and q burning
crack appeared near the top Of the fur
mace Then another crack, and a
scorchins 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 sound stuck in his
throat, as if he had been in q fit of
nightmare. 4,-...--
A thin, red stream followed the fall
len brick, and trickled down the furnace
side like running lava. Then came an
other alarming noise, and thin gap
half way down the masonry let out
more OF :he kissing metal.
Where was George? Was the uD-
faithful fellow still hunting for his pipe :?
The furnace was bursting, with only a
poor half frightened idiot lad to guard
it!
What would 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 fun
nel-a few quick prying strokes! Stand
back now! The confning clay fell
away, and the yellow white flood spurt-
ed ont with resistless force. II leaped
into the clay-lined trougbs, and hissed
it's way, flaming, down to the mouth of
the bell mold.
The fool had done 4 deed worthy
of general on battle.
Was it too late? Every moment new
assures opened in the doomed furnace.
Some of the metal poured out into the
mold. But the waste was great from
those gaping flaws. The pressure was
relieved b. the open vent, but the leaks
multiplied continually. 1t was ait rum
ming q race with ruin.
Poor " Mopus'' stood powerless be-
fore the coming catastrophe. His knees
knocked together and his head swami
! A great heap of red-hot bricks and rub
bish fell at his feet. He had barely
thought enough to get out of the way
and save his life. He heard wild
shout of human voices in the distance,
then an awful roar behind him, and Ee
saw and fe!t himself pursued by surges
of seething fire. Sharp, blistering pains
pierced his flesh at hundred points.
The rest Was all a horrible, unintelligi-
bo dream. It was as if he had sud-
denly sunk into the earth, and had
been swallowed up forever.
By seven o'clock comparative quiet
reigned again on the scene of the dis
aster. Ruins lay everywhere. The
engines had quenched the flames that
had caught the building, and the men,
blackened with smoke, stood in silent
groups about the remains of the fur
mace It lad fallen to pieces, and
nothing was. left but heaps Of steaming
rubbish.
Poor Inventor" who had been
found with the tapping rod in his hands
lying on his face in the sand, frightful
ly burned, 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 for him only aggravated bis Of
fense.
sSee what he has DONE" said they,
few days later, as they stood in the
half~burned foundry. ''Five thousand
dollars gone to waste in minute! The
best job in twenty year spoiled. The
rascal-to go hunting for his pipe, and
leave that suffering idiot to watch Is
that all he can say for himself? Out
upon such carelessness? Why the 10y
didn't even Know enough to bawl out
when he must have seen the furnace
tumbling to lieces!'
The master who had more at stake
than the men, of course felt the loss
more keenly than they. He almost
wept with mingled grief and rage.
Suddenly something peculiar caught
his eye among the debris, and he cried
in startled voice:
"Hal!oo. :Whats this? What's
this?"
He snatchesl up fragment Of one of
the troughs which had led from the fur
mace to the mold. There were traces
of the stream: of bronze still running
in it. Then Che possible meaning of
the iron founGin the injured boys hand
flashed upon Elm.
Bring me a shovel, quick!' he
shouted. A spade was put into his
hands, and he began nervously to heave
away the hot b1ass that lay piled over
the bell mold. 1t was hurculean
task, but he worked like a giant, and
three or four of his men took hold and
helped him.
Brickbats, ore, Stag, and ashes flew
in every direction. Presently the mas
ter's spade penetrated the sand. and
touched something hard. He stopped
down. Then he leaped up like one
half frantic, and plying his spade with
redoubled enc 4gy tore away the remain
ing sand, disclosing what looked like a
great metallic ring.
"Men,' he cried out, lifting his
flushed face, 8: the bell is cast
"Who did this? asked every excited
voice as soon rs the cheering had died
away
Come with me, two OF three OF
YOU cried the master. s'I I think
know who did it. It's a mirace!'
They hurried away to the house OF
the half-witted boy. The attendant
! 1nat fharn Will har Il n rnr on har li11S