Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-08-24
The aaehia Daily gaoe riaaY goruing, angust "a,
luton, as they sat Oh the west gallery OF

Button, as they sat Oh the west gallery OF
| the house.
81 declare, Melinda" said Mrs Spratt, sud-
denly, IF them well diggers haven't gone
of and forgot to shut the gap in the fence
around the we'll"
sand 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, u
said Melinda, as Mrs. Spratt was about to
rise.
Melinda ran toward the WELL heading the
! calf OF 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 peered over and looked into the depth
below. She was about TO withdraw again,
but the ground under her feet gave way, end
with loud scream she was hurled to the
bottom of the well.
Mrs. Spratt 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 upon 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 sides of
! the well The earth was loose from the rain
during the day, and the break where Ma
/ linda 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 topple the
next moment.
A faint moan from the bottom of the we'll
reached the ears Of those above.
"Oh, Ben, she is ahvei Save her! save
her" cried Mrs. Spratt
II can't, Mrs. Spratt. That rock in the
side Of the well will fall in directly" whined
Ben.
"Oh, save her, Ben! I'll lower you down
with the windlasS and hoist you out again."
pleaded Mrs. Spratt.
''Taint no use. That rock will tumble in
in a minute, still moaned Ben.
Just then Zip with head bent, came walk
ing toward the house. Mrs. Spratt saw him
and called out to him excitedly: Zip! Zipl
come quick, and save Malinda."
Zip heard 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 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 bot
tom with hollow sound, when Zip with a
Justly 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
crumbIed in and fell with sound as of thun-
der to the bottom of the we'll
Il was a narrow escape
Melinda was carried to the house and a
doctor was sent for. Before he arrived, how
ever, she regained consciousness, and seeing
Zip bending over her, a glad smile lighted up
her fair young face, while she murmured,
Don't go away, Zip; don't go away
Just then Mrs. Spratt, accompanied by the
doctor, entered the room and approached the
bed. When the good mother saw the smile on
her daughters face and Zip bending low
above the pillow, glad tears came to her eyes
and her voice was low and tender.
''You can kiss her, Zip, if you want tor
she said
Zip did ''want to-" and kissed Melinda on
her smiling lips.
Then Mrs Spratt put her arms around
lips neck and kissed him too, and told him
that be must leave the room while the doe
tor attended to Melindas hurts, which upon
examination proved TO be mere bruises after
all
Ben hung around the house for while,
but when he saw that he was left out in the
cold by everybody, even by Mrs. Spratt, he
thought it best to go.-John P. Sjolander in
Times Democrat