Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-10-16
[Continued from first page. I

lace. Then, with the machine strapped i
securely across his shoulder, he stepped /
one foot in the bucket and laid hand up
on the rope.
A man ran forward with slender chain, /
which he passed rapidly round the volun- /
teer's waist. and fixed to the rope which 1
supported the bowk. Another thrust an /
end Of rope into his hand, and stood Nv TO
reeve out the rest as he descended Then
came the word: ''Short, steady The
engine painted, the rope frightened, the
clumsy figure, with the machine bound /
about it. swung into the smoke, and with
death-like stiffness, with here and there a
smothered gasp, the man went down.
His comrade at the edge bribbled the rope +.
through his coal-blackened fingers a. del
icately as though it had beer a silken |
thread. Then came sudden tug at it. l
and the word was flashed to the engine
room, and the crcak of the wheel ceased /
and the gliding wire rope was still. Then /
for space Of nigh a minute. not a sound /
was heard, but every eye was on the rope.
and every cheek was pallid with suspense. 4
and every heart was with the hero in the /
fiery depths below. Then came another
warning tug at the rope. and again the !
word flashed 10 the engine-room. The |
wheel spun round, the rope glided. quiv- |
cred. stopped, the figure swung M
through the smoke again, was seized, I
lowered, landed. When his comrade,
laid hacds upon him, the flannel garments
fell from him in huge blackened flakes. so
near to the flames had he been. lie east
these garments from him. and thew fell.
half finder, at his feet. Then he drew of
the handkerchief which bound his ftcp.
and, to the god-like. heroic pallor II his
countenance. and the set lips and cleaning
eyes, women whispered pantingly. God
bless him ~ and the breath of those bold
fellows was drawn hard. Then he reelcd,
and pair Of arms like bears were
round him in a second In two minutes
more he was outside the crowd. and bot
tie Of wbiskey, which came from nobody
knew where, was at his lips as he Law up
on the ground, and two or three women
ran Tor water. And while all this WI,
doing. another man. as good as he, WA
swinging downward in the binding
smoke. So fierce leap the flames male
at this hero. that they caught him fairly
for moment in their arms and when he
was brought Ia the surface, he hung limp
and senseless, with great patches of smol-
dering fire upon his garments. and his
hands and face cracked and blackened
But the next man was ready. and when
he, in turn. came to the light, he had said
good-by to the light forever in this world
Not this, nor anything that fear could
urge, could stay the rest There were
five-and-thirty men and boys below. and
they would have them up or die. With
that god-like palor on their lips and checks.
with those wide eyes that looked death in
the face. and knew him, and detied him
Il. 81. \ Al
tell the story. Man after man delied that
fiery hell. and faced its lurid. smoky
darkness. undismaycd until, at last, their
vaior won the day.
The love-lorn William had but little
room in his heart for superfluous senti =
ment rs he laid his hand upon the wire
rope. and set his foot in bowk again. Yet
just hope was therc-that Selma should
not gricve too greatly if this second VEN
ture failed, and he should meet his death
lie was not as u rule. devoiionaly incln-
ed, but he whispered nwardly, God he
good TO her" And there at that second he
saw her face before him--so set and fixed
that IN its agony of tear and prayer it look
ed like marble. The rope grew taut. he
pissed the handkerchief about his face
again. and with the memory of her eyes
upon him. dropped out of sight The
man ut the side of the shaft paid out the
slender line again. and old hands watched
II closely. Yard after yard ran out The
crest coil Mt his feet snakcd itself, ring by
ring. through his coaly fingers. Still Ho
warning message came from below The
engine stopped at last and they knew that
the foot of the shaft was reached. Had
the explorer tainted by the way? He might.
for all they knew above. he roasting down
below that minute Even then his soul.
newly released. might be above them.
Through the dead silence OF the crowd
the word flashed to the cngine-room. The
wheel went round, and the wire rope Gid
ell and quivered up again. over il. There
was not II man or women there who did
not augur the same thing from the tenser
culver of the rope. and when. at last.
through the thinner coils of smoke about
the top of the shaft the rescuer's figure
swung with the first of the rescued i'm his
arms. there was heard one sound ofiufinite
pathos-a sigh of reliet from 20 900 breasts
and dead silence Tell again.
"Alivep' asked one. laying 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's your
sweetheart.
mo. no. no. BILL" she answered.
There's on'y one man i the world for
me. Bill. if he ever forgives me an nv
wicked ways
Cheer and cheer of triumph rang in
their ears. The women fought Tor 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 up and
down ut rare rate now, and the hall-suf- |
located prisoners of the fire were being
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 rs the skip swung up Out |
broke the cheers again. peal on peal. |
William stood silent, with the tears in
those brave eyes. The penitent stole
hand in his.
"Oh, Bill" she whispered. ''you didn't
think wanted him ~
''What else did you think fetched him
out ior?.' qucried William. smile of
comedy cleaning through the manly