The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-06-11

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 revere; 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. / 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 after
her On opening the front-door, she
saw, to her surprise, not one, but four
men waiting admittance, the foremost
of whom, respectably-dressed man, in
quired if Mrs. Poilarrack was at home.
"Yes, sir; but she can not see you
Just now. viii you come inside and sit
down a minuteP The fact is, sir, Mrs.
Pollarack has got a baby; and a fine boy
it is" said Aunt Betsy, as she busted
chair with her apron. .
"Heaven help her, poor thing!" ex-
claimed the stranger.
tsGood gracious, whatever is the mat
terP'' asked Aunt Betsy.
But for a few moments no one an
swered her; and she felt a giddy sensa-
ton creep over her as the other three
men glanced significantly at one an
other. .t..'H.. t... d.,
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's husband worked
there" .... s.........
$50 on" said Aunt Betsy, leaning
against the table for supports; 81 know
what is coming.'
"Poor William!" resumed the Cap
tain; al 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 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. 1t 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"
"Whatever shall we dol" cried Aunt
Betsy. els there any chance that Will
liam is not killed." .H.
'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 go 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
adit plat, and that too without being
killed; he is more likely to have fallen
into the water in the shaft. L fear it
will take weeks to clear the shaft and
get down to him.
just then, they heard Mrs. Pollarrack
knocking with chair against the floor
in the room above.
"The poor darling" sobbed Aunt
Betsy; 81 must go to her. And what
can l say to herP"
"Is anything the matter, Aunt Betsy?
Who are those people downstairs, and
why isn't William Gomez"
L" Hush, dear; don't be disappointed;
William is not coming home tonight"
"Oh! chy did he go away at this
timer" said Mary, reproachfully.
"He was obliged to 90 where his
master sent him. But come now; try
and sleep a bit, there's DEAR was the
reply. ......
Mary answered with sigh. The
thought of seeing her husband in the
morning brought comfort, and she fell
into a pleasant sleep. ..s..-..
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: 4" 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
a substantial sum by way of compensa-
ton to the widow. 'li''
GO will try to keep her quiet; but it T
will be hard job,'' said Aunt Betsy.
=" She will be asking all sorts of ques-
tions; and how to conceal the truth | |
don't know. could not think of telling
her downright lie about it'
Aunt Betsy was right in her conjec-
ture. 1t was no easy task to induce Mrs. !
Pollarrack to rest satisfied. Every few
minutes she would restlessly INQUIRE if |