The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1889-10-24
AT THE PUMP-SHAFT.
How Alice Pluckily Saved II from
Destruction

i shall no, Do able 70 ran ny en-
CINE tonight, wife, said John Nc
DowelL YEARLY resting HE head On
bis hand.
Poor Mrs Mcdowell dropped down
81 q chair that was near
We'll it yUu can't you can't,
John. she said. and that's all there
i 10 Il. ! suppose"
No. il isn't az there Is 10 il. 3" he
answered. If am not there to
night the company viii have . man IN
nv place tomorrow. But / cant 60.
] can hardly breathe here, and IN that
close. dirty enEiae-room ] would
smother II MzryIae. the boss. only
knew ! was sick. he could get soma
one till / am weil-n l ever an
smiling family Last night ] could
hardly walk around 10 oil the engine
and / thought morning would never
come. ] coald not go tonight if my
lie depended on il
You must not give up John. Mrs
Mcdowell SAID. a suspicious moisture
appearing in her ege& We've had
lots Of trouble since the strike,
know, but y0u have not missed 6 night
In years and the company can bot
blame you nov.
There are some things women
don't understand, and that's one Of
them, John Mcdowell said I've
worn myself out n the company ;
serrioe. bat let me miss tonight and
I'd be diseha1 ged just the same as if !
were 3 new hand
De had 10 stop TO catch his breath
When he was q young man he had run
a pump inside. and the steam and foul
sir had given him the miners asth-
na. and though he lad fought it Tor
years it had conquered ST last
Wont Carson run IN your placer
she asked
Mot he It would be asking too
much Of the man. for no one knows
when / wll be out again Is Alice
insn
shes in her room Shall l call
herr
lie nodded his head. she can
cheer Us boa up, be said
Alice. their only child. nearly eight
cen years of age. who had left the
room bat a few minutes previous TO
the time when John Mcdowell decided
that he was not able 20 run the pump
engine that had been under his care
for nearly twenty years. was not long
ia answering her mothers call What
was her parents surprise TO see her
clad in a heavy wooden dress when she
came IN
Where are you going, ohIldg" her
father asked.
You are too SICK 20 work tonight.
aad ! an going II your place, :" she
answered, looking from one 10 the
other.
Your exclaimed her mother. In
unteigned establishment
Why not? Haven't I often been
there with. and learned how 70 run the
engine2 I know when 70 put tallow in
the cup. and how 70 oil every part, I"
che said, with determination ia her
eyes and voice
How about the walking beam al
the top and the plungers al the bot
tom Of the shAft?" asked her father,
gasping a little.
When they need oIing ! can 20
down the ladders and OH them. as
sften have shea you were there"
And carry your lamp and oil-can7''
Yes, father you have seen me do
Il more than once.
mo, Alice, said her mother. gent
". you can not do al that. it would
Be far TOO much for your strength
But ] have ! can. and ! viii.
rather than have father lose his place. SO
Alice said emphatlcally. You know
we need the money. and as long as
father IS sick. be il q week or a month.
can run hi engine and draw his
pay
Mr.. Mcdowell smiled IN spite Of his
weakness Well. wife. what do you
thinks" he asked.
The girl is right she answered
at viii not do 10 have you out Of
work, and l see no other gay but for
her 70 take year place tall you are
we'll il the company don't object
Il will see 70 that tomorrow, ="
Alice said Il thought Ii all over
while you and mother were talking. -
Suppose something unusual should
happenF"
Then viii run down TO the slope
boiler-house, and tell the men there
] planned il while was changing my
dress. and don't want either Of you
70 worry about me It's half-past SIX
now, and must hurry" and. after
kissing her father, she tied a hood
over her head and FASTENED ont in the
gathering dusk. leaving her mother
bemoauiRg the fate that had decrsed
her only child 70 be a girl
Il vas nearly mile TO the pump
shaft, across a common waste Of Land,
where rock and horny coal had been
dumped, leaving but little room for the
sparse vegetation and weeds TO grow
UP in. Over this Alice walked. brave
hearted and confident. stumbling nor
and then 10 her sagerness DARK
shadows and piles Of rock surrounded
her while 20 her left barely TO be
seen In the approaching darkness. the
mining town OF Carbondala nestled in
the valley
The darkness was complete when
she reached the pump-shaft AS she