The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1880-07-22
Down in a Coal Mine.

II Adams lived In the small min
ESYa ing village ofiKingston. They
S$S were inseparable friends, hav
ing been schoolmates together for
some years, and when, q few months
before my story opens, they were
both made orphans on the same
day, by 9 terrible. accident in the
mines, each found a. family depend
ing on him for support.
Neither shirked this burden oi
responsibility. ManfLlly and well,
during the long summer months,
they worked side by side in the
| gloomy caverns of the earth. io
Ph One bright autumn day, in the
latter part of September. an 'acci-
dent occurred which neither of the
two friends will be likely to fot get
though they live tobe centenarians
A new shaft. some seventy feet in
Idepth, had been sunk during the
preceding summer, and great
mant minersAJohn Barton and
Harry Adams among the number
were still employed in making ex.
cavations. Hl q" t''.'i.'-i-I s.
Blasting by powder is by no
means unusual in mines; or, in fact,
in any work requiring the speedy
removal of masses of earth and
rock.uug $50 Eo s-5iu pcf ~ 81"
On this particular occasion blast
of more than ordinary proportions
had been prepared, only few yards
from the bottom o the shaft.
10 the barrels of powder was at
tached fuse, by means of which 1t
would be fired when the proper
time arrived. aa 3. ,n -- go 81:
1.-THE miners, in groups, were
drawn up to the sunlight above,
untiIro only a few remained in the
dusky, half illumined recesses un-
derground. Ip s.-t.Gur 1E5 -il1
.nGJ ohm Barton had been the first to
volunteer, and therefore he was ap7
pointed as the person whose busi-
ness it would be to ignite the slow
match. 81 rrtnttur $50 u. ~ sal
''Let me take your place, y Harry
pleaded. "Think of your mother
and sister, if any accident should
happen. John, you know it is dan
gerous." a.,.at aam I5 ,IuB 4..
''I know that it is dangerous,
Harry, and think that a very good
reason why should not let you
take my place" /l-sf
s"Then let me stay with you,'' the
boy said, an expression of anxiety
on his cOuntenance as he thought
of his friends peril. . .sr...
"a very sensible idear' Harry
exclaimed, laughingly. eff you
stay with me the danger will be in-
creased because the bucket viii go
up more slowly with two than with
one. Now, no more. arguments
you know how obstinate l am, and
hello! That's the signal! Good
by, old fellow; I'll be with you up
above in a few moments r -G
Remember, John, be carefuln'
we're Harry's last words, as he and
the few remaining miners assembled
in the buckets, leaving Barton far
below, every instant growing more
and more indistinct, until only the
light in his hat could be distin-
guished glimmering family in the
darkness. s414
Soon even that disappeared, and
Harry Adams, looking very anxious
and discontented, found himself in
the glarlng sunshine, and stepped
out OF the oucket on terra firma. i.
He was bewlldered by the sudden
transition from gloom to light.
Then his eye rested on the pale, ag
itated face of pretty Annie Barton,
who had brought her brothers s
midday lunch, as usual. . .fa.
He went over to her side, spoke
reassuringty and tried to convince
her that there was no cause for
alarm. 3
"They have lowered the. bucket, !"
he said, presently. 'fWatch and
you will see the rope jerk twice,
the signal from John that he is
ready to be drawn up'' A"'I a"ii'
The girl endeavored to be calm,
but she trembled violently.
An indefinite fear, a strange feel
ing of apprehension, weighed on
Harry's heart. 4 I'n'' ,i- Ja
The groups of jolly, swarthy-vis-
aged miners, who were chatting
with wives and sweethearts around
the opening of the shaft, suddenly
grew silent. -" ."'
1t was moment of suspense, for
the boy ino the gloomy caverns,
seventy feet underground, was then
engaged in lighting the slow match.
The men who were to turn the
crank grasped the handle firmly
and no one spoke. "i-i '.'' hi
r"Ahm 7~"Iufa aHi f11
1t was with sigh of relief that
Annie Barton, Harry Adams and
every person in the crowd saw the
rope jerk twice. i.te ' i'17 Il
% The match had been applied, j ohm
would be with them in a few mo
ments, and all would hear the Ihuf-
fled, rumbling sound of the great
explosion in the bowels OF the earth.
A flush of color rose to Annie
Barton's cheek and Harry Adams
felt his heart beating rapidly and
his breath coming TO short gasps.
The men at the crank worked
with a will, when suddenly they
heard dull thud, the rope slack
ened and .a..i
'SOb, heayensr' .t 7t
1t was a woman's cry. Anne
Barton started forward, her face
blanched and a look of horror giaz-
ing her wide open eyes. 4It
Harry Adams staggered as il he
were shot. Then a man spoke:
''The bucket has capsized--struck
the partition. The boy has fallen
outr a...1aI
Women tainted, strong men grew
feeble aud shuddered as they
thought of the explosion which was
now expected every moment,
The suspense was terrible. A
boy. perhaps mangled asd helpless,
was lying at the bottom of the
shaft, and the fusee was burning
slowly towards the mass of powder
Courage, Annie. I'll save himr'
1t was Harry Adams who spoke
In a second he had regained his
presence Of mind, and now, running
his arm throuOh tho Ioan of a Ian