Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1879-05-27
NUMBER 20.

! down. There were FIVE and thirty men
and boys below, and they would have
them up or die. With that god-like pal
lor on their lips and checks, with those
wide eyes that looked death in the face,
and knew him, and defed him-down
they went. saw these things, who tell the
story. Man after man defed that fiery
hell, and faced its lurid, smoky darkness
undismayed, until at last, their yalor won.
The love-lon William had but little
room in his heart for supcr1uous scnti-
ment as he laid his band upon the wire
rope. and set his foot into the bowk
again. Yet just such a hope was there
that Selma should not grieve too great
Is if this second venture failed, and he
should meet his death. He was not, as
a rule, deyotionally inclined, but he whis-
pered inwardly, God be good 70 her
And there, at that second. he saw her
face before him-So set and fixed, that
in It's agony Of fear and prayer it looked
like marble. The rope grew taut, he
passed the handkerchief about his face
again, and with the memory of her eye,
upon him, dropped ont Of sight The
man at the side of the shaft paid out the
slender line again, and old hands watched
it closely. Yard after yard ran out The
great coil at his feet snaked itself, ring
by ring, through his coaly fingers Still
no warning message came from below.
The engine stopped at last, and they
knew that the foot of the shaft wa,
reached. Had the explorer tainted by
the way; He might, for all they knew
above, he roasting down below that min
ute. Even then his soul, newly released.
might be above them.
Through the dead silence of the crowd
the word flashed to the engine room.
The wheel went round. and the wire rope
glided and quiyered up again, over it.
There was not man or woman there
who did not augur the same thing from
the tenser quiver of the rope, and when.
at last, through the thinner coils of smoke
about the top of the shaft the rescuerS
figure swung with the first of the rescued
in his arms, there was heard one sound
of infinite pathos--a sigh of relief from
twenty thousand breasts-and dead Sic
lence fell again.
Alive" asked one, laying a hand ON
Bowker's arm. Bill nodded and pushed
him by, and made his way toward that
marble face, nursing his burden still.
"Seliner," he said quietly, "here',
your sweetheart"
mo, no, no, Bill she answered
There's on'y one man / the world ior
me, Bill. if ever he forgives me an my
wicked ways
Cheer on cheer of triumph rang in
their ears. The women fought for Bill
Bowker, and kissed him and cried over
him. Men shook hands with him and
with each other. Strangers mingled
their tears. The steel rope was gliding mp
and down at a rare rate now, and the half
sufocated prisoners Of the fire were be-
ing carried up in patches. Selma and
her lover stood side by side and watched
the last skipful to the surface
That's the lot, yelled one coal
smeared giant as the skip swung mp.
Out broke the cheers again, peal on peal.
William stood silent, with the tears In
those brave eyes The penitent stole d
hand in his
"Oh, Bill" she whispered, you didn't
think | wanted him -
"What else did you think fetched
him out for" quericd William, smile
of comedy cleaning through the manly
moisture of his eyes.
She dropped her head upon his breast,
and put both arms around him, and
neither she nor he thought Of the crowd
in that blissful moment when Mr. Bow
kcr's courtship ended, and soul was as
sured of soul.