The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1888-09-26
Some day, maybe, if erer get to be
4 anv aceesnt 10 mvss.,f or ANYBODY

42t-
No; have madeup my mind te go.
and am sure it is the hest thing that
could happen for us all around, so | am
determined 70 stick to il" said Zip, reso-
lutely.
Melinda was looking out of the win
dow. When she saw man coming up
the lane toward the house and recogniz-
ed in the conner Ben Button, shade of
annoyance fitted over her face.
Zip had been watching Melinda, and
when he saw the slight frown on herface
he, too, glanced ont, and seeing who was
coming, he rose to his feet ready to de-
part, saying
III cali in again before leave and
tell You all good-by. Good evening
Melinda glanced reproachfully after
the retreating Zip, There was suspicion
ef tears in her eyes and a little quiser
around her mouth, as she murmured 10
herself:
Fool Zip, he is going away because
be thinks am going to marry that hate
iui Ben Button, and he is jealous. But l
can't make him see, and l won't ask him
to stay. IN die first There -
The truth was ;hat a serious thought
had at last come TO Zip. he was in love,
and IL, knew it, He bad looked at him
self as in looking-glass, and found out
his own worthlessness. More than that,
he had determined to go away, change
his habits and shif,lessness, and become
a useful man and citizen. He would not
ask Melinda for her love until he had
made himself worthy Of it. If however,
in the meantime some other nan-Ben
Button, perhaps-stepped in ahead of
him. why, be would still be the gamer by
an ambition for higher things which, in
en- indirect way, would be gift from Me
linda
That evening Ben Button asked Melin-
ia to become his wife but she wac in
no humor to answer him then, for Zip's
foolish determination to 20 away iroub-
led her in no small degree. She knew,
too, that her mother favored Ben above
any one else, and that she would be
grieyed if Ben received curt refusal, so
she told him she would haye an answer
ready for him when he should call again
and Ben was happy.
Days passed away. They were days Of
hope 10 Ben, days OF doubt and irresolu-
ton to Melinda, and busy days for hand
and thought with Zip.
The decisive evening came at last, and
Ben was on hand with his usual clock
work regularity to receive what be fully
expected to be a favorable answer to his
suit.
1t had been rainy day, but the sun
had broken th rough the clouds in the
evening and was setting bright and clear,
casting!its last rays upon Mrs. spratt, Me-
linda and Ben Button, as they sat on the
west gallery Of the house
!. declare. Melinda said Mrs. Spratt,
suddenly, if them vel liegers haven't
gone off and forgot to shut the gap in the
fence around the we'll"
And there is Blossie'scalf in the yard
now, and going straight for the well. III
20 and shut up the gap, mother you sit
still, said Melinda, as Mrs. Sprat was
about 20 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 upon the wide opening in
the ground She hesitated moment.
then entered The gap and approached the
well cautiously. On the brink, she peer
ed over and looked into the depth be
low. She was about to withdray again.
but the ground under her feet gave way,
ana with loud scream she was hurled
to the bottom Of the we'll
Mrs. Sprait and Ben saw what happen
ed, for. their eyes had fondly followed Me-
linda in her every movement, and they
now r-shed to the scene Of the eatas-
trophe
Stepping carefully upon some planks
that were Wing across the opening of the
well, they peered into the abyss oeneath
them. There was no sound except Of
crumbling earth and pebbles falling from
the sides of the well. The ear, was
loosened by the rain during the ia aud
the break where Melinda had fallen in
bad started the walls 10 cayins in all
around.
Then a large mass of earth fell crash
ing to the bottom ofthe well and laid bare
huge bowlder. hanging as if ready to
topple the next moment.
A faint moan from the bottom OF the
well reached the ears Of those above.
@Oh. Ben. she is alive, save her, save
her cried NIrs. spratt.
q can't, Mrs. Spratt That rock in the
side of the well viii fall in directly" Ben
whined.
50 Oh, save her, Ben I'll lower youdown
with the windlass and hoist you out
again, pleaded Mrs. Spratt
-'Tain't no use. Tha- rock will tumble
in in a minnie still moaned Ben.
Just then ZIP, With head bent, came
walking toward the house 1Irs. Spratt
saw him, and called out to him excit-
ely:
~Zipi Zipl Come quickly, and save
I Melinda
Zip beard, 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.
Spratt ana 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 lusty shout, told them TO hoist
away.
Melinda was landed above ground at
last, bleeding. bruised and unconscious
4 The rope was lowered again, and just as
Zip's head WIS above ground the large
rock in the side of the well and masses
of earth from all around crGmbled in and
fell with a sound as of thunder to the bot
tom Of the veil.
1t vas narrow escape.
Melinda was carried to the house and