South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1876-01-14

tt .u'S us hutteu tuouyNt TOOK IN
by habit. Dimly conscious that some.
thing 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 burning
crack appeared at the top Of the furnace.
Then another crack, 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 sound
stuck in his throat, as il he had been in
a fit of nightmare.
A thin stream followed the fallen
brick. and trickled down the furnace
side like running lava. Then came ano-
Their alarming noise. and thin gap half
way down the masonry let out more OF
the kissing metal.
Where was George? Wa. the unfaith-
ful fellow still hunting for his pipe? The
furnace was bursting with only poor.
hali-idiot lad to guard it.
What could he do? lie did what per.
haps n lad in his right MAD 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 funnel-a few quick pry
ing strokes. Stand back now. The
combining clasp fell away, land tie yellow
white flood spurtcl ont with resistless
force. 1t leapei into the clav-lined
troughs, and Kissed it, way. flaming
down to the mouth of the bell mould.
The fool had done q deed worthy Of
q general on field OF battle.
Was it too late? Every moment new
assures opened in the doomed furnacc.
Some of the upper stones toppled over.
Still the metal poured out into tho mould.
But the waste WAS great from those gap
ing flaws. The pressure was relieved
by the open vent, but the leaks multi
piled continually. 1t was art running
4 race with ruin.
Poor ''Mopus" stood powcrles3 before
the coming catastrophe. His knees
knocked together ana his head swan.
4 great heat Of red hot bricks and rub
bish fell ut his feet. He had barely
thought 20 get out OF the way and save
his life. lie heard wild shout of hu-
man voices in the distance, then N aw-
ful roar behind him. and he saw and felt
himself pursued by surges OF seethinr
fire. Sharp, bistsring pains pierced his
flesh at a hundred points. The rest was
all q horrible, unintellisiblc dream. 1t
WAS Us j! lie HAD suddenly sank into the
earth g lad been swIlio--cd up forever.
By seven o clock comparative quiet
was rei3ning again in the scene of the
disaster. Ruins lay everywhere. The
engines had qucnched the flames that
had caught the binding, and the men,
blackenel with smoke, stood in silent
groups around the remains of the fur
n-ce. 1t had fallen TO pieces and moth
ing was left but heaps Of streaming rub
bish.
Poor Inventor who had been found
with the tapping rod in his hands, lying
on his face in the sand, frightiully burn
ed, had been carried 20 his home.
Little was said, but the few words
spoken uttered with 70 mild emphasis,
the natural wra'h Of the master & hands
against the man George. whose excuses
for himselfexaggeratci his offence.
Sec what he's done" said they, q few
days later, rs they stood in the halr-burn-
ed foundry. Five thousand dollars
gone 10 waste in minute The best
job in twenty years spoiled The ras-
cal, TO 60 hunting for his pipe, and leave
that suffering idiot 90 watch! Is that
all he can say for himself? Out upon
such carelessness Why, the boy didn't
even know enough to bawl out when lie
must have seen the furnace tumbling to
pieces -
The master who had more at stake
than the men ofcourse felt the loss more
keenly than they. lie almost wept with
mingled grief and rage. Suddenly some
thing peculiar caught his eye among tho
debris. aud he cried in startling voice:
Halo What's this? What is this?"
lie snatched up fragment Of one Of
the troughs which had led from the
mould. There were traces Of tic stream
of bronze still running in IL. Then the
possible meaning OF the iron found in
the injured boys hand flashed upon him.
Bring ne shovel uick !'he shouted
\ spade was put into liis hands, and
he began nervously to heave away the
hot mass that lay piled over the bell
mOulds IL was q herculean task, but
he worked like q giant and three or four
OF his men took hold AMI helped bin.
Brick bats. orc. Stag, and ashes few in
every direction. Presently tie masters
spade penetrated tic sand and touched
something hard. He stopped down
Then he leaped up like one half frantic,
and plying his spade with redoublcd en-.
orgy. tore away the remaining sand.
disclosing what locked like great INC.
tallic ring.
Men" he cried out. lifting bis flush.
cd face, the bell is cast -
"Who did this2" asked every excited
voice, IS soon as the cheering died n.
way.
Come with inc two or three Of you -
cried the master II think know who
did it. It's q miracle -
They hurried away 70 the home Of the
half.witted boy. Tne attendant met
them with his fingers on bis lips.
The poor boy is in a brain fever"
said he.