Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1883-05-26

struck something; l bent over what ap-
peared TO BE a corpse, and the CLEAN OF IN
lamp fell upon its face. 1, was Jack.
caught him in my arms, and with thu
strength Of q gan, and the speed Of a deer
hardly conscious. hardly breathing
made "A dash for the shaft.
Ii Was easier work going back, when you
were IN the main or horse road. and | found
that Jack was breathing when l reached
the shaft. The discovery kept all my senses
a: work without my seeming TO notice IT. !
o.!y telt that there would be another eA-
%plosjon. | placed Jack on the straddle anu
tied him hand and foot; then pulled the
sgoal rope, and as the people above hauled
the tackle, l hung on by my arms.
It wasn't I'LL We had reached twenty feet
up hat | telt the strain Of standing on
nothing but from that moment II became
terrible. Ny hands seemed re'1y to snap
ana NY head spun round III an agony.
watched the mouth Of the PIT lntl my eyes
7~a,n. and | thought | must drop before !
reached the top. Then they began to ho's:
faster c,uld see the walls of the shaft
/ could feel the purer air ! heard voices
| srd presently strong arms caught me, and
| was landed on the bank.
They had Jack off The straddie before you
could look round aud he was carried awey,
! while they raised my head and poured a
! little brandy into my mouth. ] called out
for the viewer.
WHAT'S it, Charley Bastou ? he asked,
bending over me.
"Everyaody away from the month Of TIE
pit, ar, aid.
Won arr right it Will come il a minute
Or two. lie answered.
They got me to the top of the bank, when
I heard a scream, andthere was Amy trying
10 threw herself on her brother, but kept
back by the other women. She never
glanced at the. | wished then that | had
sta ed in the pit, or let myself drop from the
BAY az | came up, and so escaped seeing
her again. But ! made up my mind that !
mad looked on her for the last time. | told
my helpers that | could walk now and when
they let 90 my arms ! turned toward the
moor intended to pick up pack and drag on
TO the next village. But | could no more
walk five miles than | could fly. When |
to my pack sank down by It and
felt that [ must give up. l was so beat
that though the second explosion at the pit
shook the ground under me, | ( didn't lift my
head All l thought of was lying quiet.
my thoughts took me to my old lodging,
where | decided to res; before | set out on
wanderings,
The day passed. and the night. and the
next day, and | was still in bed, the good
folks Of the houee attending me like a
child. Ny limbs, which had been racked
with pain, now telt easy, and was ready
Tor a start again. But | thought there
wonId be opposition, so | got up very quie:,
and was putting on my things, when the
door opened, and in came Jack Glover.
"Hilloa, Charley, here we arer' he cried,
stizing rny hand and giving it a hearty
squeeze. WHO would rave thought Of US
two being alive 10 day
Well. Jack, l am glad for you. but l
shouldn't have cared for myself
? How that 2
Il have something on my mind"
You he said, laughing and giving NE
i. little push. H re, sit down and have a
PIPE, AID il will all 20 off like the smoke"
II don't care if | never smoke a pipe
again. 4 said savagely.
Now, | II tell you what lis; you se been
having a utf with our Amy,
Il haven't
Well. YOU know best about that, but you
were seen talking with her. and she had q
crying tt directly after And when she
heard from me that 1t was you who brought
me up from the pit, she fell f~ainting in my
arms
Didn't she know that natil vol told
her asked.
No"
Then IL just tell you 81 about her ADD
me. | sail.
| WAS a lorg time telling il, br: jack sat
~ asi he WAS listening 20 q play or 8 ser.
mon at ehapel. | tod him Of the feelings
Amy had raised IL my heart, told him how
| had watched for her, thought of her
dreamed OF her and, finally ecoun,ed our
latest colloqy JACK never moved a muscle
aud no. tal | stopped &, breath did ne pu,
IN a word
Don, you think You have taan a ,i,tf
fast, old boy ? be then said.
How DO you meanY'
Why, in giving up so. Suppose she-
Amy said she couldn't nave you, you has
plt your arm around her wais. aid SAID shs
must ?
TIE view had ueva- struck ne. and rattle,
took me abacs.
Bat there sas her promise e you anc
her mother never 10 marry s pita1an.'