The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1881-08-25

| On every side the mine had been rent
and torn, and instead Of the wide pass
ages where the men worked all was
blocked up with debris, and large shafts
of wood used to stay up the mine lay
torn an twisted, proving the fury of the
power that destroyed them. H..
We gazed at each other in mute des-
pair-then Selling any impliment that
came to hand begand to work with
will. | never knew | could handle a
pick before, butt certainly made Il
good progress, and succeeded in burst
ing open lead. one of the most inn
portant in the mine.
"Here!" shouted, as found num-
Der of men piled together. "Come and
help me out with them. Some of
them at least are alive"
BY the yellow light OF the lantern |
recognized the party that had gone
down to the rescue. Lilies father first.
He was insensibie but still breathed;
his arm was doubled under him and
broken; what other injuries he had
sustained / could not tell.
He was placed in the liftand It ook my
place beside him; as many of the other
men as the lift would accommodate
were laid there and we were soon on
our way to life and light.
The first face saw On gaining day
light was Lilies, in fact saw it as l
gazed upward anxiously; it shone white
and pure above the dark abyss Of woe
from which we assembled like star Of
hope.
When we came into the light and
she saw her father lying in my arms
rs knelt to support him, she proved
her courage by neither screaming nor
fainting. She assisted me to lift him
out and place him on litter that had
been provided.
I examined him now and found that
in addition to the broken arm Mr..
Hardwick had sustained other injuries,
none Of them necessary fatal, still
placing his life in great danger. at
7 tended to his wounds and had him re-
moved to his house, which was for
tunately near. Then returned to the
mine. Ali that woful day! as the sun
, set that night there we're sorrow and
weeping in almost every humble home
in the town.
i l lost no time and the other doctors
!. were also kept busy. I visited Lilies
I father a6nuE Nv y fWC hours anu All
ministered such remedies as thought
we're needful. asked Mrs. Hardwick
4 if she wished another doctor, but she
: answered:
oh! no. You saved my husbands
life and / have every confidence in
your skill. Let the other doctors at.
tend to the rest of the poor men,"
We had all of us enough to do tina,
!. day and many days after.
No more explosions followed, butal
the wounded men we're not rescued al
once. Some of them were buried
among the loose masses Of coal, and
!, had to be dug out.
4 Many who we're given up for los
were brought up alive after all hope
: had been abandoned. But the valley
: was full Of sorrow and grief, too painful
to dwell upon.
!. / attended Mr. Hardwick through tn,
4 long illness that followed, and with tn,
\ help Of God brought him back t.
: health and strength as the hawthorn
4 was in bloom, and the robins begal
= their spring songs among the old elms
saw Lille daily, and her sweet fac,
became dearer to me every time me
: her. She found time To visit anon,
4 those on whom the hand of God ha.
s been laid, speaking words Of comfor
/. and healing. A true womanly wOma,
q such as are given to bring men near
4 er 70 God than aught else. can do.
s II was beautiful balmv evenin
when | paid my last professional visi
10 her ho.ee-.!scc perfume os spin
!. vi0iets in the Air and the dewy mist &
3 carly nightfal lay over the valley.
found Lille sitting alone on III
y sidesteps Of the porch, her iacewor
q lying in her hp.
"A It is too dark TO work, doctor oh
d said pleasantly. II am taking advar
4 tAge Of the lazy hour. like to sit her
md enjoy the perfume Of my violess-
= you know have perfect mania Il
flowers. Do you remember wore
IS othc1se roe that morning that To-
:. yible morningl do not think eha
q ever love roses again-their ecel
= brings il N back 70 me. One a
s. hardly imagine associating anythir
: te1ibls with the perfume OF . rose, b,
3. / do.D
e. ss,es;;sasss hhsf and spoke on nj Sol
g of subjects EXCEPT the one nearest n
hsast ahat had not courage to me
4 y