Smyrna times., 1878-09-25

eyes, Jack, but Tom Wilcox has never
done you wrong"
The man laughed.
He has entered my house and robbed |
me OF the one thing my soul prized-has
despoiled me Of my all! Do we not punish
those who steal from us?"
"Not if they steal that which is their |
own. | know you, Jack, better than you |
know yourself, and know the noble heart |
which you cover tonight with SO false a
mask. Remember, Jack-you say you love |
do to him you do to me. He is the shrine |
which holds my heart, even as his is here" |
striking her breast. Then, with a low
good night, a swift touch of her hand, she |
left him to his own gloomy thoughts.
Six men busy at work-a little group
apart from the others-on the new hall in
the mine. 1t was a strange sound which
suddenly made each man throw down his
tool and start with white faces to their feet
the sound of CHEEKY whistle echoing
through the silent vault-lke place
Hush, man! are you mad" said one,
"to whistle in the mine? Don't you know
it has never yet failed to bring swift pun
ishment?"
Nonsense, boys" laughed Tom, the
offender, in answer "That's an old SUI
perstition, fit for croning hags by the
| freside. An honest whistle can do no
man harm. Lsten!" And once again the
CHEEKY sound rang out-this time the
whistler's feet keeping time. "Ah, if you
were happy as am |, you'd whistle, too,
! since I've won the prettiest lass in all the
village for my bride"
On the listeners face these words brought
blackest frown; but he steruly kept his
| Ivvhi MI
none noticing the instant start, the half
clenched hands; but none had time to
answer, for, as though far off, came dull,
heavy sound they knew too well. One
moment they looked with blanched faces
upon each other, then followed a crash.
| The wall had fallen and hemmed them in
their living tomb. In the darkness rose
cries of vengence and curses upon him
who had brought the curse home to them.
{" Let us find him." they cried, cropping
in the darkness-"he who dared whistle
the evil spirits to do their work ?"
But, singular to say, he, the instrument
of their vengeance, was the one who had
fallen helpless and disabled, and lay half
unconscious under heap of stones.
Jack Howard was the first to find him.
Why, then, did he not denounce him ?
Once more his hand clenched, his face
darkened, but girls white, pleading face
seemed to rise up out of the darkness, and
quietly he took his stand in front of the
PROSTATE form.
"We will kill him !" shouted the men,
Perhaps then we can appease the wrath
of the spirits of the mine, and they will
! show us some way out, or keep life in oul
bodies till they dig for lis. All, here he is
starting forward as one stumbled over hin
for whom they sought.
) Back, men Would you do murder?'
; shouted a voice. Has not the old wal
threatened danger for many days, that yol
should suppose a mans whistle cOulC
cause it to come tumbling about our ears Z
lie put the spirit to work y said one
ats never failed yet. Well give him t.
them as one Of them.
"Not unless you give me, too!' sale
Jack, his face growing very white, and th
words rushing from his lips as though h,
could not repress them. lie can't defenC
himself. It's only coward who would
+ strike helpless man
The men paused with flush of shame
while their hands sank quietly to thei
sides, and Jack Howard knew his defens
had proven good. So the long, wear
hours dragged themselves along, each ma
!; busy with his own thoughts some think
Il ing of the wife and BARNS who waited thei
return some the mother and sweetheart
+ Occasionally would sound a rumbling noise
{ drawing nearer and nearer, and unleS
rescue soon reached them, all knew tn
e wall surrounding them would soon Civ
s. way. They knew not whether it were da
l, or night, or, save by the pangs of hunge
II and thirst already assailing them, how lon
l. they had been entombed, when hope ros
IL once more in their breasts, as, faint an
distant, came n human voice. With or
le accord they answered it, and grasping the
tools with new earnestness, fell to work
ht meet those digging their slow way towaI
u them. All, the ecstacy Of the momel
- when the first ray of light penetrate
III their darkness
er We dare dig no moreW shouted
a voice. "One by one you must ente
is crawling through this hole. There
y room for but five on the shaft. How MAJ
ne of you are there?"
re Silently they counted; there were six.
nj "No need for lots" asserted one. "V
er will leave the whistler. He is almost gon
e' anyway. They can come back for him
as there's time"
So they decided, and one by one crawl
= through the narrow space. Jack Howa
came last. He cast one look upon t
'st silent, death-like place, the silent, deaf
like form, while Ray Bernard's words sto
w written in letters of fire in the blacknel
re- What'er you do to him you do to mt
!. Then he turned back, and raising t
lis PROSTATE form, and whispering in his ei
es. "Tell her | kept sacred the shrine whi
my held her heart, and did it for her sake,"
1t dragged him as best he could to t
70 aperture.
Ter "Lend hand, boysI'' he shout
=, Well send Tom up first. He has
lF sweet heart waiting. II have no one.'
I'm There was no time to parley, and
swering, "Courage, Jack, we'll soon
'ed back for your they obeyed him. So ia
the went back to his doom.
lrst 1t was a glimpse of Eden to the mel
leS who thought themselves shut out from
re- forever-as once more they saw the gre
all fields and the sunlight, while weep
women and children clung, sobbing,
'ice their knees. But they suddenly grew W,
OF and tender as they, as great crash SIN
) on their ears, and they knew Jack How
.lon had expiated his sacrifice with his life
TINS Like faint dream, the words whispe
in his ear came to Tom Wilcox as
nat nursed him to health and strength,
VINO wonderingly he repeated them to
arp, Then, as though unveiling some sac
rant thing, sobbing breath she told him
you Jack Howard had done this thing. I
d 1t great, how true an act Of heroism was
cen through no marble shaft nor sculptu
you urn record it.
not -
pon A doctor went out for days hunt
hath and, on coming home complained that
hadn't killed anything. That's bee