Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1889-10-24

uWFel. leaving Dut AlhtlS room lot the
sparse vegetation and weeds TO grow
up IN. Over this Alice walked. brave
hearted aud confident. stumbling nov
aud then in her eagerness. Dark
shadows and piles Of rock surrounded
her. while to her left. barely TO b.
seen in the approaching darkness, the
mining osn OF Carbondale nestled in
the valley.
Tho darkness was complete when
she reached the pump-shaft As she
opened the door and stepped into the
engine-room. the day engineer. who
was waiting for her father To come.
greeted her with an exclamation.
VIVA, be- you a-doia' here?" he
asked.
I've come t run tho engine she
answered.
What, You'll Who liver heard The
ioik o that' Docs yer father know
ectsr
Yes. sir; he has been sick for a
week"
Il know.
- And tonight he's too sick too
come out, 30 | came have been here
often enough with him to know how to
attend to his duties
TO b. sure: IL he's viIlin'. ] am"
he said. taking up his pail. There's
nothin' special only To keep her we'll
lied.
"I1I do that"
III you don't they can't blame me.
I've always ATTENDED 10 nag part. and
oh. well. goodnight" and he banged
the door behind him. aud Alice was
alone.
Alone. With twelve weary hours
ahead Of her. and III. puf-puF- puff
Of the ~ at regular intervals out
side. and the IoHHd-poaHd pound OF
the cog-wheels. meshing into each
other. inside. as her only company,
She took up the Oil-can and went
around the engin@ with the lamp in
her hand. Oiling every part until she
came to the walking-beam which car
ried the rods To the watercylinders at
the bottom OF the shaft Itcame quite
close TO her. and then. with n sayagc
grind. disappeared in the darkness.
only 10 come back again. bringing
with it the cold. damp air from the
shaft. and n volume Of water which
she could hear rushing and roaring
outside. Back and forth IL moved.
approaching till il almost touched her
dress. and then disappearing; but re-
mor-clcssly the engine drove it on.
with its steady pn6-PuF -pnf. and
pouHd-pOnHd-IouHd. until Alice
grew weary Of watching and listening
Setting down her lamp. she walked To
the greasy. igh-backed chair and
watched the c~cascless revolutions OF
the f~y-whecl.
The steam whispered to her in the
cylinder and through the pipes at each
successive stroke. aud the water
roared outside. making the night dis
NAL and drcary. but Alice was brave
and determined. though once she
climbed to the high window and looked
out across the waste and to see il
there was a light burning at home.
She did not see any; it must BE- late
What. eleven o'clocki she had been
there nearly five hours 1t was time
to oil the engine again. aud with it tn,
bearings and pins ON the walking
beam
She had left her lamp standing OF
the stone foundation out by the shaft
and by its dim light she oiled tbs
guides and link-pin. With the can il
her hand she approached the walking
beam. going and coming on its Ions
sweep. To oil the pins she wouls
have to jump on ii, A mi-step woul,
be fatal; it worked closely betweeu
the " walls of stone. pausing at tn.
end OF each stroke before beginnin.
another As 1t passed her. going on,
way. she saw the round hole in il
frame. frightened by use. and fastene,
her eyes on it. Quickly. as she ha'
often see her father do. she spran.
forward; her foot landed light,
in il. and her hand clutched tn
angle in the iron above. Thel
the walking-beam started the otheI
way. carryinging her on its resistles
course Out-OGt-out it went til
she hung over the yawning pit. an,
heard the water dripping on the rock
below; now back on its long. circula
sweep. Out nee more. deity pour
ing oil on the rsassive journals. hang
! ing there as it stopped before goin.
back.
One. two. three seconds, II seemed
as she hung there. till ii moved again
! She looked down into the darkness be
> low. clinging tightly to the greas,
iron. a quick. startled glance into tn,
depths. blacker than night, but
small, yellow flame. far down. caugh
: her eyes
The walking-beam gave its accus
toned jerk; back she came. her hear
beating quickly. and jumped to tn
stone where her lamp was placed.
Who was down the shaft?
The shaft had long been abandoned
and was only used 10 pump the waite
from new workings on higher ground
: Whoever was down there had come ii
that way. Alice knew. as there was n,
other way to go down but on the lad
ders from the engine-room where sh,
> stood Did their presence bode goo,
or evil? She must see,
5 Had she hesitated she would no
have been true to her fathers blood