The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1881-06-03

that part of it, indeed" They had had
other quiet jokes and word-play; and
Mary went through many Of them ovel
again as she lay still in bed, and thus q
good half-hour went by without sound
escaping her.
1t was a beautiful evening, early in
August; the sun had set, but the Grim.
son clouds in the west reflected his glory
through the window of the room. The
old-fashioned clock downstairs struck
eight in measured tones. The sound
reused Mary from her reverie; she
turned and looked at Aunt Betsy, and
was just going to speak, when they heard
some one outside the front door.
"There; he has come at last" Aunt
Betsy exclaimed.
emo; it's some one knocking at the
door. I trust nothing is the matter
Run down and see who it is, said Mary
Aunt Betsy did as she was bid, pru
IDENTIFY shutting the bedroom door afte,
her. On opening the front-door, she
saw, to her surprise, not one, but foul
men waiting admittance, the foremost
of whom, respectfully dressed man, in
quired if Mrs. Pollarrack was at home
eyes, sir; but she can not see you
just now. viii you come inside and sit
down minute? The fact is, sir, Mrs
Pollarack has got baby; and . fine boy
it is" said Aunt Betsy, as she busted 9
chair with her apron.
Heaven help her, poor thing!" ex'
claimed the stranger.
"Good gracious, whatever is the mat
ter?" asked Aunt Betsy.
But for few moments no one an.
swered her; and she felt q giddy sensa'
ton creep over her as the other three
men glanced significantly at one an
other.
At length the one who first addressed
her began again, with an evident effort
to keep calm: "My name is Captain
Woody; l am agent at Wheal Splen'
dour. Mrs. Pollarrack' 8 husband worked
there
$50 on" said Aunt Betsy, leaning
against the table for support; 81 know
what is coming"
"Poor William!" resumed the Cap.
tain; 81 would not have had it happen
for a hundred pounds. The men were
just leaving work; his comrades had al
ready climbed by the chair to the solar
or upper gallery, where the ladder-road
commenced, when they heard noise
below; it was a run in the shaft. The
planks on which they had been standing
had fallen away with Pollarrack. They
shouted down; but there was no re-
spouse; and as the ground was constantly
breaking away from the sides, they saw
the necessity of getting up as quickly as
they could. It was fortunate they start.
ed when they did, for before they reached
the surface the run became general,
and the bottom solar and ladder werf
carried away"
"Whatever shall we dot" cried Aunt
Betsy. els there any chance that VIII.
liam is not killed?'
"None, I'm afraid" the Captain re-
piled. "When the run had stopped
and we thought it safe for man to de.
scend, we let one down in q Ebble; but
he could not 90 far. The shaft is choked
for several fathoms; some timber must
have lodged across the shaft, and the
stuff accumulated over it. Now, the
chances are q hundred to one against
the poor fellows having fallen into the
adit plat, and that too without being
killed; he is more likely to have fallen
into the water in the shaft. I fear il
will take weeks to clear the shaft and
get down to him.
Just then, they heard Mrs. Pollarrack
knocking with a chair against the floor
in the room above.
"The poor darling," sobbed Aunt
Betsy; 81 must go to her. And what
can I say to her?''
"Is anything the matter, Aunt Betsy
Who are those people downstairs, and
why isn't William Gomez"
Hush, dear; don't be disappointed
William is not coming home tonight 81
ooh! why did he 60 away at this
time?' said Mary, reproachfully.
"He was obliged to go where his
master sent him. But come now; try
and sleep bit, there's DEAR" was the
reply.
Mary answered with q sigh. The
thought of seeing her husband in the
morning brought comfort, and she fell
into pleasant sleep.
The next morning, great number of
visitors came to the house. Aunt Betsy,
however, was up early, and thought
fully engaged neighbor to intercept
them in the garden, that the noise mig hit
not arouse unpleasant surmises in
Mary's mind. Captain Woody called
again at the same time as the doctor
and the clergyman. Aunt Betsy con-
suited with them as to what she should
tell the patient. The doctor said that
if the sad intelligence were conveyed to
her in her present condition, the conse-
quences might be fatal, adding: "She
will know it soon enough"
The Captain informed the party that
he had received orders from London
that morning to stop the mine; that as
it was the general opinion that William
must have been killed by the fall or
drowned in the shaft, he did not think the
adventures would attempt to recover
the body, especially as weeks must
elapse before they could get down to the
adit. The only thing he could think of
was to recommend the company to offer
q substantial sum by way of compensa-
ton to the widow.
ST will try to keep her quiet; but it
-;l1 ho- a hard iOh ~ said Amt Retsv