The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-01-13

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:" If she only knew how love her,
1ie ioye! A moment of the love could
/ give her would be more than a lifetime
OF his'Fiebnt L know that never, never
let me make, al, end of IT. .-..
An, and jim Massey, too; lioht
20 .othls.rowder and there'd be no victory
TO any oneerthe sea would cover us too
| close for that! But the otherse
Nsfeoh! it ssonly dying "a little soon
eri ana what is life, to stupid, toiline
drudges like then?''
A terriblersmile passed over his face.
| ne PLACED the. lamp by his side and bent
over the canister. Only light to the
powder and the rocks above would be.
riven, and with a mighty burst the sea
would rush in and whelm them ali, He
took out his knife ana proceeded to open
'ne va OF TIE canister, which, by some
means Fad been fastened down too
tightly. ,gg pr,r>-..I,>
But, hark! Close beside him. inst
beyond the ending of the path, he heard
rnstiing. cracking sound, then crash.
and huge fragment of rock rolled
aown and he was only just in time to
leap aside before the place where he
had stood was covered with shiyered
portions of it as it descended, and, leap =
ing from ledge to ledge, at last, with
sullen roar was lost in the depth below.
St'A he listened, for another and more
dreadfulsopnd canght his ear=-the low.
sWishlng sound of falling water. He
crept as near as he could ALONG the
pathway. and as he did SO his face was
sprlnkled with the cold spray of the tor
rent: He'held out his hand, and then,
touching ton MS lip tasted the, wster. edt
StiH and breathless as aostatue he
stood Tor moment; the next, holding
The lamp before him., he was rushing
with wild speed down the broken path
way away from the place. ,gAs he ap-
preached the entrance he stopped, and
fora moment looked around in bewilder-
'ment--he had mistaken the road, and, 4,
instead of taking that by which he had
come, had followed another, which ab-' 4
'fnpfIIystopped-amass of coal had fallen
and broken it. off. He had no time to
turn back. 10 He threw his lamp down,
and, as fortune would have it, it was
not broken, but only fallen on one. side
aboutten'feet below; then, drawing in
his breath, he prepared for, the leap,
He did not Know the ground-the lamp
had gone out. If he leaped he might
fall into some deep, issure; but there
was no time to hesitate He took the
leap and fell; the firm ground was be-
meath him, ...;-....,. -. ......
His arm was bruised and his ankle
sprained. but he hardly felt it, Relight-
ing his lamp, he dashed along through
the narrow passages towards the main
where the men were at work. 8 9gl.- 4 |
At last he met boy slowly dragging
along small coal wagon. He caught the
lad by the shoulder and shouted to him:
Can you run, ~tVilfp'a----
"Ay, oi can,'' answered the boy.
q" Then run your hardest, Will. Tell
them in the lower main the waters
coming in, and in an hour it'll be
Fayther's therer' the boy cried, and |
without another word, rushed off. g.e
Other boys were sent to the other
parts OF the mine, forced by Georges /
stern voice to obey. as he told them he |
would not let one man leave the pit till
they wereia there! 5'9z noisfRt'i ssli
Then he waited. And if any one had !
seen his face as, he stood alone, a strange
change would have been noticed III #.
There was now a look of such triunipb-
ant gladnessas for many a, wear. had not
rested there 'He Stretched ioiit his
arms like sone who had just ended some
weary labor. Then his hand sank on
his bosom and he muttered. 3'']'' 4
, go God! SavedtSSaved! Thou hast
kept me fromsit add I may yet save
them all. III 80 -. II
Quickly he recovered himself and
vent into a small f1ice where he. kept
MS books and instruments. He took
from box small revolver and some
matches and went out again. He then
set light to q, heap Of shavings and dry
wood lying near the door and this soon
olazed up, Illuminating thewhole place. +
And again he waited -au---
Soon. troop latter. troop of the men,.
lying at their utmost speed, reached
he pit s. mouth and a fearful SIGHT it
vas TO see the struggling mass of men,
Zach one, with maddened shouts and
blows, striving3 to come ;nearerit to the
basket. But, George. Heimers' voice /
vas heard loud above all:
- The first that touches that basket
before | tell him. TH shoot that man!'
They saw the levelled barrel of the
evolver and drew back.
"Those that are married stand here.,' p
And in silence the men obeyed him.
He then signaled to a certain num-
'er of them. to eenter the basket. Not
N instant was lost and they were hoist .
ID out, OF sight ssti Il lfo3toa 8itti; gzad
The others strained their eyes to ,
watch the ascending mass, calculating
low soonitwould return torescue them. l.!
'ome of the men who had their sons
vlth them clasped them tight in their
rms, whispering messages to be given
they were lost, for in nearly every
ase the fathers fchose that the, boys
hould go in their places; some sank to /,
he undlmuttering prayers that they |
sad never spoken since childhood, and
theirs listened to George Heimers as he
old them there was still hope if they.
Tould obey him. 3" 6 iF1s"eT So 81 4
Jim Massey had been in one of the !,
lost distant workings, and was. one of |
ne last to reach the pits mouth. and /