Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-06-02

other quiet jokes and wOrd-pIay; and
Mary went through many of them over
again as she lay still in bed, and thus Q
good half-hour went BY without q sound
escaping her.
1t was 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. "a.
No; it's some one knocking at the
door. l trust nothing is the matter.
Run down and see who II Isl said Mary.
Aunt Betsy did al she was bid, pru-
IDENTITY shutting the bedroom door after
her. On opening the front-door, she
saw, to her surprise, not one, but four
men waiting admittance, the foremost
of whom, a respectfully dressed man, in
| quired if Mrs. Pollarrack was at home.
| Yes, sir; but she can not see you
just now. Will 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
| !" Heaver help her, poor thing!" ex-
claimed the stranger Eta k# &
"Good gracious, whatever is the mat
ter?" asked Aunt Betsy.
| But for a few moments no one an
swered her; and she felt giddy sensa-
| ton creep over her as the other three
men glanced significantly at one an
| other. Fl
At length the one who first addressed
her began again, with an evident effort
to keep calm: envy name is Captain
| Woody; I am agent at Wheal Spleen
dour. Mrs. Pollarrack's husband worked
| there & -
"Go on" said Aunt Betsy, leaning
against the table for support; 81 know
what is coming ~
| Poor William!" resumed the Cap
tain; IS would not have had it happen
for 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 a noise
below; it was 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 were
carried away" 5stSse NStsssst"
l"Whatever shall we do!' cried Aunt
Betsy. ss Is there any chance that Will
liam is not killed."
I "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 kibble but
he could not 60 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 hundred to one against
the poor fellows having fallen into the
adits plat, and that too without being
killed; he is more likely to have fallen
into the water in the shaft. I fear it
will take weeks to clear the shaft and
get down to him."
just then, they heard Mrs. Pollarrack
knocking with q chair against the floor
in the room above.
ssThe poor darling,'' sobbed Aunt
Betsy; 81 must go to her. And what
can I say to her?'' s.5HA ~ Is
"Is anything the matter, Aunt Betsy?
Who are. those people downstairs, and
why isn't William come?''
Hush, dear; don't be disappointed;
William is not coming home tonight"
ooh! anhy did he go away at this.
timer" said Mary, reproachfully. 80
"He was obliged to 60 where his
master sent him. But come now; try
and sleep bit, there's dear, = was the
reply.
thought of seeing her husband in the
morning brought comfort, and she fell
into a pleasant sleep.
The next morning, q great number of
visitors came to the house. Aunt Betsy,
however, was up early, and thought
fully engaged sneighbor to Intercept
them in the garden, that the noise mig ht
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 70 what she should
tell the patient. The doctor said that
if the sad intelligence were conveyed to
her in her present conditions; the conse-
quences might be fatal, adding: !" She
will know it soon enough.
The Captain informed the party that
he had received orders from condor
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-
ssIwin try to keep her quiet; but it
will be hard job" said Aunt Betsy.
s.She will be asking all sorts of ques-
tions; and how to conceal the truth I
don't know. I could not think of telling
her downright lie about It."
L