The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1889-02-21

feeble such strength in the great crises
IN lifeP Ask God; it is his secret
The third day the child was still at
the shaft.
IL must put an end to this" said the
engineer. approaching her. "Come,
my little one. be reasonable?"
Papa! seek for papar'
alas! he is dead"
No"
She uttered this"'no" with such en-
ergy that the engineer was struck by it,
why do you say noP' he asked.
He would have told me-"
"POor little une,' murmured the en-
gineer.
And he made sign to the men to
take her away. But she clung desper-
atelv to him, crying:
Papa is not dead. l want to go
down. will find him."
They bore her away and left her
with the school teacher. Au hour lat
er she was back at the shaft, and,
clinging to the engineers knees, she
kept repeating:
Il want to go down! l will find
him,'
He was a tender-hearted man, that
engineer. and he took pity on her.
.'After ALL, he said TO himself. .fhat
will, perhaps, be the best thing. When
she has seen with her own eyes, she
will believe. This excitement. if it
lasts much longer, will kill her.
Aud taking her in his arms. he bore
her to the car and gave the signal to
descend.
She shuddered when she felt beneath
her that yawning pit. from which
arose foul air which almost suffocat-
ed her. The engineer felt her little
arms inclosc his neck, and her curly
head was pressed against his own.
When they reached the bottom she
disengaged herself, sprang to the
ground and rushed straight forward,
calling:
Papa! papar' >
The engineer, who could hardly
keep up with her, was tired of explain
ing to her twenty times what he had
already xpiained-how the explosion
had taken place, where it had occurred
and what they had done TO find the
victims, and the cnild kept questioning
him, and repeated:
.'He is livingi Seek for himr'
She would have remained down
in the mine three days, as she had al
ready done at the surface, if they had
not taken her by force and carried
her mp.
The engineer gave orders that she
should be taken back to the school
teacher, and also orders that if she re-
appeared at the shaft she should be
prevented from going into the mine.
All his measures had been carefully
takon, and the next day. no longer
thinking of her, he was inspecting one
of the galleries when he felt himself
siezed by the arm of his coat. 1t was
Miss Papa.
She had escaped from the school a
second time. Repulsed at the shaft,
she had slipped into an empty coal
car and had thus descended into the
mine.
She told all this to the engineer and
obtained his pardon. Five minutes
later she sgain began her search, still
ers followed her with plying eyes,
Struggling their shoulders, saying.
Poor little papa"
Little papa kept on seeking with un-
abated courage. Suddenly they saw
her running toward them, pale and ex-
cited.
Down therol' she gasped. Down
there! Papar'
"Whatp Down there 9" said the
minor.
His blouse!'
''Bahi WhereP"
Down there!"
In moment every one had heard
the news, and the mine was in tum-
ult. The child declared that she had
seen a piece of blue cloth in a hole,
which she could not raise because it
was held down by an enormous piece
of coal.
"WhereP" they asked her again.
She turned, followed by the crowd
of miners. Then she stopped and
hesitated.
She could not find the spot. All the
blocks of coal resembled each other;
all the cavities were alike, all the
galleries were the same. And yet she
was sure she had seen that blue piece
Of cloth. Where the blouse was the
man must be. living, no doubt, and
that man was her father, and she
could not find him!
One by one. tired of the useless
search. persuaded that the poor girl
was crazed by grief, the men with
drew and returned to their work. But
they had hardly taken up their pick
axes when loud cry recalled them to
the child.
al have found it! l have found it,"
They pushed her aside and looked.
Yes, it was piece of blue iiannei! 1t
was Il blouse! There was man there!
They set to work with q will and in
the twinkle of an eye the wall was
beaten down and in deep excavation
they saw a man extended; it was Michel
Pierron. He had been there three
days aud four nights.
Loud cries arose on all sides, and,
ringing loud above the others cry
escaped from the lips of Il child. She
threw herself upon the body and clasp
ed il in her arms, half mad, weeping
and crying:
Papa! papa! :,
He was nearly dead. poor Michel!
Exhausted by lack of air and notnish-
ment he recovered consciousness only
to sink back fainting; but hewas alive.
Miss Papa had told the truth. The
man would not die without telling his
child, and the thought of her had sus'
tanned him and given him strength tC
conquer death.
A week later he was ont and ready
to recummence his work.
On the evening of the day before
that on which he was to return To the
mine grand banquet was given by al
the miners To Miss Papa. The place o.
honor was reserved for her. A loud
hurr;Su and wild applause greeted hel
when she entered, holding on Il
Michel's hand. There were kisse:
given, shouts of ''Brayon' and wilC
huzzas IN honor of the little queen.
And do You know what she replied
to all this, smiling and clapping he
little hands?
She replied: Papa"
1t would be difficult to describe how
aud in what tone she uttered tha
one word. hut all the. brave fellow