Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-07-21

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umes Of black smoke, crowds of waiting
women and children focked to the
month Of the hideous monster that had
swallowed up their husbands and faith
ers.
was soon on the spot, for / knew
there would be.work for me when the
burnt and mangled victims of the explo-
sion were brought to light.
Volunteers were not wanting to go
below and do what they could for the
unfortunate beings imprisoned amid
darkness and death. ] offered myself,
but Mr.. Hardwick pushed me back, say
ing:
"No, doctor, stay where you are. You
will be more needed when we come
up. Stay here, l beg of YOU"
So speaking he stepped into the
bucket with as many more as it woul ii
mold, and rapidly descended down the
dark chasm through which the black
smoke still rolled.
/ stood in sad uncertainty as to what
would come next, when / felt light
touch on my arm, ard turning found
Lille beside me.
She wore light morning dress and
slippers, and was without hat; her
bosom rose and fell rapidly, for she had
evidently lost no time in coming here.
"Oh, doctor" she cried, clinging to
my arm, ~ have ran all the way and
I am out of breath. Tell me where
papa is?"
| | looked at her flushed face and eager
eyes; I noted the trembling Of her
hands, and the pink hot-house rose that
nestled in her breast, as il mocking her
agony Of fear.
"Miss Lille, come back little, your
father was not in the mine at the time
of the explosion +; have seen him since !;
he is safe"
"Oh, thank God-thank Godl she
cried, tears starting to her sweet brown
eyes.
"Ies, come back, Miss Lille, it is not
good for you to inhale that smoke ;
come back :"
Something told mo to get her away
from the mouth Of the pit, but it was
hard to do. At length left her irving
to console an old woman whose three
sons had gone down a few hours ago,
hale, hearty young men, and who might
be blackened corpses for all she knew
burned and bruised past hope of recog-
milton even by their mother.
As | returned to the shaft dull,
booming sound came suddenly from
underground-the earth shook-a roar
like the blast of thousand cannons was
heard and huge masses OF inky smoke
rose above the fatal pit. A second cx-
plosion had taken place.
Screams from the women rent tho
air, and above them all, ringing ont.
/ heard the voice OF Lille Hardwick
clear as a bell:
"Oh, papa, papa"
Ny heart stood still q crowd Of men
had gathered round me, another party
going down to help the dying men below.
No one tried to stop me now but
could not go without one word to Lille.
If went to my death let her at least
know how loved her She was by my
side aud caught her hands in mine.
"Lillie, | will try to save your father
If cannot will die with him"
"Oh, thank you," she said. looking
straight into my face. "Come up alive
for my sake !"
With these words ringing in my ears
jumped on the lift and was soon spin
ming downward into the vault of dark
ness and despair. The air was thick
with noisome vapors, and we could dis
tinguish nothing at first; but after
awhile our lanterns revealed huge
masses Of coal thrown ont of place, i'm,
prisoning men in living tombs, for with
out fresh air life could not be sustained
On every side the mine had been
rent and torn, and instead Of the wide
/ passages where the men worked all was
blocked up with debris, and large shafts
of wood used to stay up the mine lay
torn and twisted, proving the fury OF
the power that destroyed them.
We gazed at each other in mute
despair ir-thon seizing any implement
that came to hand began to work with a
will. mover knew 1 could handle a
pick before, but certainly made good
progress, and succeeded in bursting open
a lead, one Of the most important in
the mine.
"Here r / shouted, az / found n mum.
Der of men piled together. "Come and
/ halY, vnn 1f,N ~r,4E