Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-04-19

the 1CrO7lg method He was not smart
and Lawyer Darnley's peculiar system
of training and educating his protegee
had signally failed.
Joe Ham, naturally generous and in
clined to be friendly, had invited the
boy to his home upon the death Of
Squire Darnley, but his patience was
tried good deal. Mrs. Hams patience
gave out in about forty-eight hours, and
the lad proved continual bone of con-
tention between the good woman
and her husband, who insisted
on giving Cuss fair show"
Presently the subject of MIR. Hams
remarks sauntered up the yard to the
small house. He was cheerful enough,
for his hands were in his pockets and
he was merrily whistling his favorite
melody-the only tune he ever knew
which was hymn he had once learned
during the two or three Sundays he had
attended the Sunday -school-an insti-
tuition not largely supported at Punch
Haven. Many time had Mrs. Ham
thrust her hands over her ears that she
might not hear Cuss Jones sing, hum,
or whistle ''There's beautiful land on
high" Yet day seldom passed when
Cuss did not put in a few hours on the
tune, to keep himself in practice.
"For the lands sake, Cuss Jones,
tie still when you come in the house.
Sit down an eat your supper, which you
don't deserve. Beautiful Land on
High indeed! I wish you'd make
bee line for your beautiful land,' so I
do, you lazy, good-for-nothing, shiftless,
stupid, dunder-head!"
Joe Ham had intended delivering
lecture to Cuss, but he now relented, as
he always did when his wife goti ahead
Of him. He only put on his cap, took
his lantern and went on his way to the
mine to take his place in the right shift,
thinking that Cuss was sufficiently pun
ished by being left to the tender, or
otherwise, consideration of "Jane Ann"
The next morning the Fright shift"
came out of the mine much earlier than
usual, and terror was upon the black
ened faces of the big, strong fellows.
There had been great slide" of coal
and old Joe Ham, who had been work
ing alone at the end of long, narrow
passage, was unable to get out, owing
to Che enormous masses OF coal which
had fallen across the passage. Perhaps
ne was actually buried underneath some
OF the coal ana stats. the trouble was
that the slides continues: in 81: quarters
OF the mine. There mad been a good
deal Of blasting lately and it was evil
dent that the seams of coal and slate
had been badly shaken up. No one
knew how long this state of affairs would
continue, and until it ceased it was as
much as mans life was worth to enter
the mine. Most of the men were
brave fellows and would have liked
to rescue old Joe Ham, but that could
hardly be done without risking many
lives-worth just as much, perhaps, as
Hams.
The mine was entered by a long
downward tunnel, cut at an angle of,
perhaps, thirty degrees, instead of by a
perpendicular shaft. It was black as
pitch and out of it came omnibus sounds
of crashing and rumbling.
Presently, without word, into this
gateway of death, darted q lad with
small miners pick and lantern. It
was Cuss Jones. Two or three miners
rushed after him to bring him back,
but they had not gone many steps be-
fore an unusually loud crash sent
them hurrying back to the daylight.
Two long hours passed, during
which time the crowd at the mouth
Of the mine increased in numbers,
until nearly every man, woman, and
child in Punch Haven stood there i'm
patiently longing for the noise of shift
ing coal to cease. At the end of two
hours there walked out of that dark en-
trance-'aot Cuss Jones, but old Joe
Ham! ss:s. 80.
1t was indeed the old miner, saved
from living death. He was very pale
and much exhausted, and for some
moments he could not speak word.
When he did at last recover his voice he
only uttered broken sentences
"Cuss-Cuss Jones-boys, get him
out-poor Cuss-hurr7-hurry boys, for
God's-sake-hurry. Cuss-in my Sec
tion-number TO- Hurry"
Shamed by the bravery of the boy
and urged by their old companion who
had been thus rescued, a small
party of the younger men entered the
mine where the crashes were less fire.
quent. They made their way to the
passage where Joe Ham had been work.
ing and found it completely filled with
coal and rubbish. AS far as they could
surmise (and they were right, Cuss
Jones had made an opening. throuph