The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1880-11-10
.B0WKER'S TRIUMPH.

bUWhhh . IhlUMFHs
r. BLrssFuL END OF A-ooIIrER's COURT
SHIP.
William descended to the pump in
|e back yard, and had wash in the
'lf-ight OF four o'clock, and Selma got
u Of bed and took sly peeps at him
4bii1h her tears. William, his ablu-
a|as over went out for dreary stroll,
s tho Hilly piece, and over Steven
'i'H hills and down Jacobs ladder, and
ad Mans lane, and on to the brook
Ma again. There, on June bridge, he
bod and watched the eddies circle
paind the great stones, and found that
Retive and bewildered comfort which
1nble always finds in running water.
8anwhile Selma had gone back to bed,
|a had there renewed her tears, and
's finding some comfort in running
4 cr also And, at the moment when
''I1inm stood upon June bridge, Abra-
H Gongh, in q suit of hannels, was
LING his way to the day shift in the
sand-at-it. Lest you should find
eif too mnch disturbed by the
|.'ase, let me explain that the Strip-and-
was coal mine, so named by its in
MA from the cant phrase of some
tlegyp or gangor: "Now, lads, strip
por William regretted his holiday,
NJ longed for the hour when work
p',ld begin again. He beguiled the
tx hours of the day by the compost
3 pl woe-begone verses, whereof for
has preserved fragment, which ]
embalm:
+ lhe sun that shines SO bright above,
r,ws naught about my wrongful love;
|e birds that Sing in Wigmore lane
ing nothing TO my heart but pain.
II Is q very dismal thing
hhtjn my ears The birds do sing,
While my Selma has gone off
o walk with Mr.. Abraham Cough"
Apilliam's muse was in the right. 1t
very dismal thing to the wounded
1hrt, grown egotistic through its pain,
at nature should seem out of sympathy
|',h it---that the sun should shine and
' birds should sing just as brightly
|ld as merrily as though Selma was
''ll true and gentle.
William took his humble meal at a
tile public-house in the aforesaid lane,
hid then strolled home again, still very
but trifie soothed by the
orse-making process. He was due at
be mine at six o'clock, and an hour be-
pre that time he was upstairs exchang-
ag his Sunday costume for the work
nv coaly fannels, when he became con-
Nous of hustle in the street. Look
lg through the window, he beheld men
inning hatless and coatless, andl un-
onneted, unshawled women hurrying
long as fast as their feet could take
hem. Everybody ran in one direction,
nd in the crowd he caught q moments
limpse of Selma and her father. The
irl's face was white with some strong
xcitement, and there was look of the
'ildest imaginable fear in her eyes.
10Th hands were pressed to her heart as
he ran. A Black country lcollier's in
tinct in case like this is pretty likely
D be true. William threw the window
pen, .and cried out to the hurrying
rowd:
"Wheer is it ?"
AT the Strip-and-at-it," some famil-
AZ voice called out as the struggling
rowd swept by.
"What is t?" he cried again.
Shaft on fire" cried another voice,
d answer; and in a second the street
ras clear William Bowker dashed
ownstairs and hurried 6limself along
be street.
Anybody down ~ he gasped, as he
uned the corner and passed the hind
lost figure in hurrying mass. The
roman knew him.
For Gods sake, lend me thy hand,
Yilly-yum," " she gasped in answer. "My
Oe's in"
He caught the shriyeled little figure
n his great arms as though the old
goman had been baby, and dashed on
gain. Aye, the tale was true There
,elched and volleyed the rolling smoke
There were hundreds upon hundreds oi
,eople already crowded upon the phi
mound and about the shaft, and from
very quarter men and women came
dreaming in, white-faced and breathless
William set his withered burden down
md pushed through to the edge of th,
haft. There was water in the up-cast
md the engines were at work full
power. Up came the enormous buckle
md splashed its 200 or 300 gallons dow
5he burning shaft, and dropped like
stone down the up-cast, and after long
long pause came trembling and laborinl
up again, and vomited its freight agaii
and dropped like stone for more.