Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1885-03-13

afternoons just to cheer her up bit.
She made the lonely old place very !
pleasant in so many simple ways, and,
indeed, they seemed quite happy to.
gether, as the flush of health came back |
on her clear cheeks and the light of hope |
and comfort frightened her eyes again.
Often as passed up the road to my
work, just in the edge of evening" | used
to stop before the cabin and listen, while
all unconscious of anyone outside she
sang some old melody, the clear, sweet
voice floating up the mountains across
the snow like the notes of a lost bird,
and making the work Of the long night
pleasanter, as l remembered.
The cold months of the winter rolled
on into the dangerous spring-dangerous
in all mines, but doubly so in ours, be-
cause the rising waters of Snake river
were only kept from flooding our CALLER.
les by an artificial barrier of earth and
rocks. We watched with anxious eyes
as, inch by inch, the waters, fed by the
mountain snow, steadily crept up higher;
the owners had pronounced it safe, and
we had to believe them.
Such was the unchanged situation of
things, when one night, early in April,
l pushed up the rocky path to my work,
and, turning the edge of the pines, saw
Mary McGinn standing in the door OF her
poor shanty, shading her eyes with her
hands and watching Phil's stubby little
figure trudging away in the after-glow.
As / came up, unnoticed, l spoke to
her and marked the light of welcome IN
her eyes as she he'd out her hand to
me.
''Oh, sir" she said, looking up into
my face, as if reading every thought, Il
have wanted to see you all day. heard
/ some of the men saying, at the store last
night, that the mines were unsafe while
the river was so high. / asked Phil, and
he laughed at me. But oh, sir, is 1t
| true?"
1t was hard for me even to attempt
lie to her, yet could l tell the truth
just then1
Bolton and the engineer both pro
nounce them safe" l said gravely; land
they should know better than the rest of
u.s.
She read my face while listening to the
words.
"But you? you do not2" she cried.
struck my tin pail against the post
and drew long breath.
"Marv," | said, with a tenderness new
to me, II am not satisfied, but l hope
for the best"
She stood there as if the news had
touched her very life.
"Poor Phil" aim ost in whisper,
"and all l can do is to pray for him"
l bent lower and closer to hear the
words.
"And will you forget all the others3
/ asked, longingly. "lt makes mer
stronger to think some one remembers
them at home"
She looked up into my rough face
moment with tear-dimmed eyes, ther
paced both her little hands in mine.
, ~ have always remembered you, she
said, and, as a shrill whistle came down
, the frosty air, recalling me to duty,
, followed the impulse of my heart ant
kissed her cheek, now flushed with red
1 What | saw in the blue eyes is hard t.
| tell. but turned away happier-withou
: knowing why-than l had been in man
S years.
G Twenty of us went down in the Gag
:. that night together, and | remember ye
the last grand scene as we sank slowl
!, into the shaft. The sun was just goin
: down behind the ridge, and the distan
snow-crowned peaks stood out lik
d cathedral spires against the rosy sky
d while across the valley bridge of golde
a wire seemed suspended in the air; an
l. then we dropped away into the blacl
damp depths below.
After seeing that the men were we'll
t, work, led a small party up into one
the side tunnels to fix some props whic
|, had fallen down.
1t was hard work, pressed together
D we were in that narrow space and breatl
d ing the hot, damp air, the room
r: by the small oil lamps tiicI
is ering on each miners cap. They toe
turns with the timbcrs, and for over {
e, hour nothing was to be heard save Il
le heavy breathing of the men, and o
at casionally low-spoken order.
l thought over my little talk wit
e. Mary as | stood there leaning against tt
Id rocky side, and was building air-castl
and making her their queen, when su
- denly we were startled at hearing swi
y. footsteps echoing along the tunnel, al
is the next moment, with face ghast
. white, under the glare of his haitian
at McGinn burst in among us.
"Runn he cried. "Run, lads, for t
n stablesl Snake river has broken out =
With pale faces and cries of fright, t
?n men droppcd everything to plunge in
ut the darkness, and we stood there alor
he needed to ask no questions. | was mil
enough TO understand it NIL.
i" Come, Phil" | said, for the b
stood there painting for breath; -
is; must get out of this!"
ne He looked up, startled at hearing
voice.
in; "You herem he cried, "why did
YOU 90 with them2 Don't wait, sir
oor must cut the barricade."
ew Like flash the whole situation bu
The upon me, and my cheek paled at
,irl thought. Every life in the mine depcl
,lf, ed upon that. Impulsively | stepT
forward and clapped my hands ON
my shoulders.
re. 81 had forgotten, said. "We v
len go together, my lad"
Hand finland, to steady our steps o
do, the wet rocks, we went down into
main gallery; feeling our way in the
ioft tense blackness, hearing the gurgle
ept the water, already sweeping to
ers, waist.
wn We could distinguish some cries
off in the mine, and hear the frightel
ely, bats fitting about our heads, as
finally struggled up to the heavy timb
less and / hacked at them with an AK.
my They would not start! Inc I'VE
= L IL h.n.,cr rrritln