Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-10-20

and Ben was happy. Days passed awa ay
They were days of nope to Ben, days of
doubt and irreso,I ,Iction to Melinda, and
busy days for hs.od and thought with ZIP.
The decisive e.eening came at last, and Ben
was on hard with his usual clock-work
regularity to receive what he fully ex-
pected 20 be favorable answer to his suit.
1t had been rainy day, but the sun
evening, and was resting bright and clear,
casting its last rays upon Mrs. Pratt, Me-
linda and Ben Button, as they sat on the
west gallery of the house. q declare, Me-
linda" said Mrs. Pratt suddenly, if them
well-diggers haven't gone off and forgot to
shut the gapin the fence around the we'll"
"And there is Blossie's calf in the yard,
now, and going straight for the well. I'll
go and shut up the gap, mother; you sit
STILL" said Melinda, as Mrs. Pratt was
about to rise. Melinda ran toward the
well, heading the calf off at the same time.
She was about to close the gap in the
fence, when her eyes fell on the wide open
ing in the ground. She hesitated a mo-
ment, then entered the gap and approached
the well cautiously. On the brink she
peered over and looked into the depth be-
low. She was about TO withdraw again,
but the ground under her feet gave way,
and with loud scream she was hurled to
the bottom of the well.
Mrs. Pratt and Ben saw what happened,
for their eyes had fondly followed Melinda
IN her every movement, and they now
rushed to the scene Of the catastrophe.
Stepping carefully on some planks that
were lying across the opening of the well,
they peered into the abyss below them.
There was no sound except Of crumbling
earth and pebbles falling from the side of
the well. The earth was loose from the
rain during the day, and the break where
Melinda had fallen in had started the
walls to caving all around.
Then large mass Of earth fell crashing
to the bottom of the well and laid bare a
huge bowlder hanging as if ready to toppIe
the next moment.
A faint moan from the bottom of the
well reached the ears of those above.
90, Ben, she is aliyel Save her Save
her " cried Mrs Pratt.
g can't, Mrs. Pratt. That rock in the
side of the well will fall in directly"
whined Ben.
80, save her, Benl I'll lower you down
with the windlass and hoist you out again."
pleaded Mrs. Rratt.
"Tain't no use. That rock will tumble
in in minute" moaned Ben.
Just then Zip, with head bent, came
walking towards the house. Mrs. Pratt
saw him, and called out to him excitedly:
Zip ZIP come quick and save Me-
linda"
Zip heard it, and did not lose moment
in running to the well.
He took in the situation at once. With
all speed possible he unwound the rope
from the windlass, and after telling Mrs.
Pratt and Ben to stand ready to hoist.
went down in the WELL hand over hand, on
the rope.
The earth was still falling, striking the
bottom with hollow sound, when Zip,
with a lusty shout, told them to hoist
away.
Melinda was landed above ground at
last, bleeding, bruised and unconscious.
The rope was lowered again, and just as
lips head was above ground the large
rock in the side Of the well and masses of
earth from all around crumbled in, and
fell with a sound as of thunder to the
bottom of the well.
1t was narrow escape.
MeIlnda was carried TO the house, and q
doctor was sent for Before he arrived,
however, she regained consciousness, and
seeing Zip bending over her, glad smile
lighted mp her fair young face, while she
murmured; "Don't go away, Zip. Don't
so away"
Just then Mrs. Pratt, accompanied by
the doctor, entered the room and ap-
preached the bed. When the good mother
saw the smile on her daughter s face, and
Zip bending low above the pillow, the
tears came to her eyes, and her voice was
low and tender
"You can kiss her Zip, if you want to-
she said.
Zip did "want to" and kissed Melinda
on her smiling lips"
Then Mrs. Pratt put her arms around
lips neck and kissed him, too, and told
him that he must leave the room while the
doctor attended to Melinda's hurts, which
upon examination proved to be mere
bruises after ALL
Ben hung around the house for awhile,
but when he saw that he was left out in
the cold by everybody, even by Mrs Pratt,
he thought it best to go.-New Orleans
Times Democrat