The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1885-04-15

cd upon that. Impulsively stepped
forward and clapped my hands on his
shoulders.
81 had forgotten, 1 said. "We will
go together, my lad"
Hand-in-hand, to steady our steps over
the wet rocks, we went down into the
main gallery; feeling our way in the in
tense biackness, hearing the gurgle Of
the water, already sweeping to my
waist.
We could distinguish some cries far
off in the mine, and hear the frightened
bats fitting about our heads, as we
finally struggled up to the heavy timbers,
and hacked at them with an AK.
They would not start The lives of
every man in the stables hung with that
barricadc, yet still it chung there, and as
we toiled, the water kept creeping up,
until it had reached the boys throat.
Like rain l showered my heavy blows,
scarcely able to keep my own feet in the
sweep of the current.
"FOr Gods sake, lad 70 I groaned in
despair and agony, "what can we do2"
Il know, sir, he cried out, for could
not see him in the darkness, land may
God help me to do itp' And catching
the lower timbers he clambered up.
What he succeeded in cutting can
only guess, but heard a cry and crash,
then down came that great mass, COM
petely blocking the passage and sending
an immense black wave over my head,
and clear to the top of the tunnel.
Oh, heaven, what night of horror
that was! / have wondered since that
it did not turn my hair to snow. Back
of me the black, gloomy, silent mine
yawning like a grave; before me the
barricade and on every side the eddying
currents of water.
In vain l called for Phil and felt my
way back and forth along the wet rocks
Nothing answered but the fitting of the
bats and the gurgling of the waves.
Sobbing, crying, PRAYING, half crazed
the long night wore away: sometimes
dreaming that saw the boys face in the
darkness-calling to him only to have
the echoes of my own voice come back
in mockery. l think l was truly mad
when the party of resclers came at last,
guided down the tunnel by my cries.
In the tlickering rays of their lights,
the first thing my eyes saw was poor
Phil, lying crushed under the timbers
At the sight, and before they could reach
me, tainted dead away.
1t was up in the pit-house, with a
crowd of rough, sympathetic faces about
me, that came back to life once more
and looked eagerly around.
"The girl?" asked, for she was the
first thought, where is the girll"
They drew back silently, and then /
saw her kneeling over shrouded body
in the corner. For her own sake she
must be taken away, while the men did
all they could with the poor battered
figure. The lads helped me to her ten
derly.
''Mary," whispered, taking her cold
hand in mine, you cannot help Phil
any more, now. Come, let us go home u
She looked up at me, her face like
death, but without a tear in the clear
eyes.
"It is so hard to leave him here, " she
said, piteously; els it right2"
"Yes, my girl, " my own voice tremb
ling. 81 think so, and you must trust
me, Mary"
eyes"
led her out of the sad place, down
Ile ulll IOWdTu tnelT llJJlG CdDIu. Az Iue
bottom she stopped and looked wistfully
back, and as she did so, the tears broke
forth at last.
"Oh, Phil, she sobbed, "you were
all had in the world
The heart came up into my throat at
the pitiful loneliness of that cry, and
knew l loved her.
Not all, Mary, - whispered, tenderly,
"not all, if you will turn to me-"
She looked up into my face bending
over her, and, | think, read there my
earnestness.
"You were good to him." she said,
simply, 'and love youl"
The early morning sun came out above
the crags, and showered CLEAN of gold
across che brown hair, as l led her into
the little house alone.
That is Phil's grave out yonder, by
the trail. with the white cross and the
snow-covered cedars standing silent
guard above it, and somewhere in the
years, think, God has wiped away the
trouble, has covered up the roughened
hands of toll, and rewarded the boy ac.
cording to his deeds. - George R. Parrish