Smyrna times., 1877-12-19

uolently concluded that nothing wrong
could happen, he was sadly to blame for
charging himself so little with the import.
ant duty before him.
Not word was said by either watcher,
and only the deep roar of the furnace was
heard through the vast foundry.
George finished his supper and sauntered
INTO one OF the tool shops to find his pipe.
inventor sat alone before the great
| blast. The one rational faculty OF his
! feeble mind enabled him to comprehend
what it meant, and even something of the
magnitude Of the enterprise that was
ripcning inside those burning walls. lie
knew that the furnace was full of valuable
metal, and that close beside him, buried
out OF sight i'll the deep sand was the huge
mould SO soon to be filled with the precious
cast. He knew and could see that all the
| channels Tor the flow Of the fiery linuid
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 mOultcn stream.
Suddenly something startled him. There
was slight noise, and IL burning crack nm.
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 and shrieked.
bat so terrified was he that the sounds |
stuck in his throat, rs if he had been in n
fit of nightmare.
A thin, red stream followed the fallen
ntlck, and trlckled down the furnace side |
like running lava. Then came another
alarming noise and thin gap half way
down the masonry let out more of the |
kissing metal.
Where was George? Was the unfaithful
fellow still hunting for his pipe? The fur |
mace was bursting with only a poor, half |
idiot lad to guard it.
What could he DO? He did what per.
haps 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 des
perate thrust with a sharp point up the
terrible funnel. few quick prying strokes
Stand back, now! The coniining clav fell
away and the yellow white flood spurtcd
out with resistless force. 1t lcapcd into the
clay lined troughs and hissed its way.
The fool had done deed worthy of a
general on field Of battle.
Was 1t too late? Every moment new
assures opened in the doomed furnace.
Some OF the upper stones tcppled over
Still the metal poured oat INTO the mould
But the waste was great from those gaming
HAYS. The pressure was relieved bv the
open vent, but the leaks multiplied CON
tinualiy. 1t was running race with ruin.
Poor " MOpus' stood p0Werless before tho
coming catastrophe. Ills knees Knocked TO.
Sether aud his head SWAIN. A great heap
OF red-hot brick and rubbish fell at his
feet. He had barely thought to 20 ont of
the way and save his life. He heard a
wild shout Of human voices in the distance.
then an awful roar behind him and he saw
ana teit himself pursued by surgcs Of secth-
lng hre Sharp blstering pains pierced his
Hcsl at hundred points. The rest was all
a horrible dream. 1t was as if he had sud.
denly sunk into the earth and had been
swallowed up forever.
by seven O'Clock, comparative ou;et
reigned on the scene of the disaster. Ruins
lay everywhere. The engines had quench4d
the flames that had caught the buildinc.
and the men blackened with smoke stood
IN silent groups about the remains of the
furnace. 1t had fallen to pieces and moth
ing was lett but heaps Of Steamng rubbish.
Foor inventor" who had been found
w tn the tapping rod in his hand, lying on
, ms iace IN the sand, frightfully burned,
had been carried to his home.
Little was said, but the few words
spoken, uttered with no mild emphasis the
haluial wrath OF the master and hands
against the man George, whose excuses for
himself only exaggerated his offence. !
" See what he's DONE" said they. few l
lays later. as they stood in the half burned l
foundry. Five thousand dollars gone to :
waste In minutel The best lob in twenty /
years spoiled! The rascal to 20 hunting I
or his pipe, and leave the suffering idiot {
20 watch Is that all he can say for him I
sell? Out upon such carelessness Why. {
he boy didn't even know enough to baIyl S
out when lie must have seen the furnace |
to pieces y c
he master, who had more at stake than {
.he men, of course felt the loss more keenlv a
nan they lie almost wept with mingled c
tnei and rage. Suddenly something pecu.
lar caught his eye among the debris, and
ne cried in a startled voices c
"Hollo! What's this? What's tb;s 9u S
lie snatched up fragment Of one Of fho '
roughs which had led from the furnace 70 a
he mould. There were traces of the stream t
u bronze still running in it. Then the t
possible meaning of the iron found in the t
INJURED boys hand flashed upon him. C
Bring me shovel, quick p he shouted. o
A spade was put into his hands. and he c
began nervously to heave away the hot i
mass that lay piled over the bell mould
{ was a herculean task, but he worked A
ike giant, and three or four of his men @ v
ook hold and helped him.
Brick bats, ore, Stag and ashes few in o
very direction. Presently the masters n
pade penetrated the sand and touched t
hard. lie stopped down. Then "
le leaped up like one half frantic. and n
plying his spade with redoubled energy n
ore away the remaining sand, disclosin9
what looked like great metallic ring.
Men," he cried out, lifting his flushed Il
ace, "the hell is cast" Il
: Who did this ?" asked every excited "
'oice, as soon as the cheering died away. n
Come with me: two or three of Won r
,rled the master. 81 think know who G.
I'D 1t. It's miracle" I
They hurried away to the home of tho p
lalt-witted boy. The attendant met them Il
With her finger on her lips. q
The boy is in brain fever" she said. il
" Does he say anything in his delirum ?" d
the master.
F" y, yes, he raves all the time about the
,ig bell mould. / hope it will fill hone
will fill he says"
The men exchanged glances. It was =;
indeed true. The idiot had cast tha oroot -