Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1880-09-16

On the 22d of February, 1912, q miner
Hubert Coffin of Aus, near Liege, descend
ed the shaft of mine with one hundred
and twenty-six men, who were under his
orders. His son, Matthias, brave boy of
twelve, accompanied him.
When this miner descended into the
depths of the earth, he left, five hundred
feet above, wife and six children. SuffO-
eating vapors may poison him, the gas
may take fire and explode, the walls may
fall in and crush him. And yet he Is hap
py and Of good courage, in his subterranean
halls he sings and rejOices at the sparkling
splendOr of the metal. Hubert instructed
his son Matthias in the art of discovering
the veins of ore.
About ten o'clock in the morning some
water suddenly rushed down upon them
out of an old mine, and threatened to in
undate the shaft. The prudent Hubert
wished to call his men together, but the
water pressed in with such force that he
could not get at the alarm bell. Another
workman risked his life to save his CON-
panlons. He waded TO the bell and rang
it. His life was sacrificed in vain; it was
too late when the others came. The water
rushed down the shaft by which they gen.
orally ascended and their retreat was cut
off.
The food rose higher and higher, and
threatened To drown them. All pressed up
TO the saving rope, which alone could bring
them up above. Each wished to be the
first, but the stream rushing violently down
seized them and carried them onward with
it,
Hubert was stall and strong. He lifted
up his son in his arms. He was nearest
the rope, and might have saved himself;
but he looked upon the others.
''No; they are my friends, " he said. 81
cannot leave them to perish. "
But his son he weuld save at all events.
But the younger miner protested:
Father | came with you; | will return
with you, too, or remain where you re-
main"
Hubert took courage lie called to his
comrades:
''Let us see whether we cannot break
through into the next shaft. Our lives de-
pend upon it. Let us make the attempt"
But this was not 80 easy.
Two days passed away in this terrible
position. They work on unweariedly, still
the hard walls of the mine yielded but
slowly. Once they thought they heard
noise, and with joy exclaimed:
owe are saYedl We are saved!
But they were deceived, and the young
men among them threw themselves down
before Hubert, and exclaimed:
''Sir, you have led us hither; you must
save us, too-we cannot die SD youngl"
Hubert himself was utterly exhausted,
and seemed to have lost all courage He
thought of his wife and children who were
for him above; he thought of his
son and of his companions who were
down with him in the mine, and to whom
death and destruction were so near. Not
one of them was able to strike another
blow.
linen Matthias came up to him, and
boldly striking into the rock with an ak,
said:
''If men weep like boys, boys must work
like men,"
These courageous words nerved them TO
fresh hope. They worked on bravely.
Suddenly there was fearful cry they had
come upon a suffocating stream of gas.
Hubert rushed up quickly and stopped
ehS oPSAtuIC oACAOS II piOCCCO, pOlulluR
the workmen to another part where they
could continue their labor.
In this sad state they had already Passed
thirty six hours. The last lamp had gone
out. Thick darkness reigned around them.
All were suffering the keenest pangs of
hunger. Several sunk down utterly ex-
hausted. Matthias clasped his father firm
ly and said to him:
Courage, father; all will be we'll yeti"
Still they worked on In the darkness. At
last voices came to their ears on the other
side of the stone through which they were
breaking. Other strokes were meeting
theirs. Yet few minutes more and they
would be saved.
Hubert and his son were the last who
were carlied up above.
Il should never have dared to 10 Jk upon
the light again if had returned without
my companions" said the brave miner.
The Emperor Napole N presented HIM
with the Cross of the Legion of Honor, and
gave his son free admittance to the college
at Liege.