The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-06-06

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| a bright, winsome little beauty of 20, with
| whom Bob had fallen hopelessly in love, and
their courtship was getting along very nicely
until De Camp saw the girl, and at once pro-
ceeded to pay her attentions that were unwel-
come and made Bob furious. They also made
| Mag furious, because Susie was her pearl among
| women She spent her Winters at the tavern
when it was too cold to work in the dead
Sheds and Susie had Taught her, with great
| trouble to read and write besides many other
things Therefore Mag was Susie's champion.
While De Camp was in the doctors hands there
was peace; but no sooner was he back at the
mine again than trouble began again. He re-
newed his annoyance Of Susie, having had
/ quite enough of Miss Venture whom he treated
with lofty and unspeaking scorn.
" Bob told De Camp that if he didn't let
! Susie alone, he would have to go into the re-
/ pair shop again, if not the scrap heap. De
Camp laughed in his face and persisted. Even
Mag unbent her reserve SO far as to say to the
offender, cheerfully:
a. You jest poster our Susie some more and
4 I'll chuck you down the '"idle hoe."'
This idle hole was an old shaft that had
been abandoned 80 years before. The earth
had caved in for about so feet down to where
/ the rock began, with ashaft-hoe six feet square
and more than hundred feet Deep through
which the earth had run down, leaving crater
| fully 80 feet in diameter. 1t was an ugly
! place, and anyone falling in stood 80 chances
/ in hundred OF going through the square hole
/ in the rock clear to the bottom. The sides of
the crater had few projecting rocks and old
rotten timbers sticking about the sides, which
ran sheer into the hole.
Allison and / worked Sundays off and oil.
! When it was my Sunday on, / went to the mine
on Saturday evening and ran the engine for
couple of hours or so, while Allison went for
/ his supper and talked to Susie There came
Saturday in September when went up about
sunset TO spell Bob, and he started for his
supper, and at the same time De Camp came
along aud they walked away and were soon
behind some bushes that hid the road and the
mouth of the idle hole which was only
/ guarded on that side by pole laid in short
crotches. As they spoke quietly enough paid
+ little attention, and thought no more about it.
/ smoked my pipe read the paper, and was just
beginning to think Bob was talking longer
/ than usual, when, looking at my watch, saw
it was nearly 8 o'clock and quite dark. At the
same time Mag Venture came leisurely in, say
ing:
- Here's Mr.. Allison's supper Mrs Noel
rath concluded he weren't coming, and fetched
it on my way home
90 Didn't come to support / exclaimed,
Good heavens, where is hep
90 Ny soul said Mag amt he here?'
g He has not been here since shutdown, when
! saw him and that De Camp quarreling out in
/ the road by the idle hole
"'0h, my God the idle hole she screamed,
and fed away into the darkness.
I g caught up with her just as she reached
i the rude rail- Bob Bob!' we both screamed
with all the voice we had. We waited, and
! presently we heard a faint groan.
- He is down therel Oh! whatever will we
/ do said Mag in an awe-struck voice. Then
suddenly she exclaimed, The whim- rope!
/ Come and help me get down the whim-rope,
quick!
Now this whim-rope was one used for hoist
/ ing chrome from the mine. 1t was an inch and
half thick and $50 feet long; beside, it was
wound on the big within, as the drum was called.
which drew it up. The engine only worked
1 this within one way, the bucket being let down
/ by means of a friction-strap TO check its de-
scent. To loosen the rope from the bucket. reel
/ il off the within and drag it to the mouth OF the
idle hole was the work of few minutes, for
! Mag was as strong and hardy as myself. Then
came a question who should go down? This
/ Mag, who had gone for lantern, soon settled.
60 We must fasten one end of the rope TO
| tree, so it can't get away from you,' she said,
for am pretty befty.'
While l made one end Of the rope fast to a
! blackjack she made loop in the other end,
which she slipped around her waist. Then
! tearing piece off her skirt she slung the Ian
tern about her neck, and picking up the slack of
/ the rope an arms length from her body, she
said: Now, Ike, eff ever you helt on in yer
! life, do it now
"slipping over the edge she dug her bare
! feet into the loose sides of the crater, and
slowly walked herself down backward as let
out the rope. Sometimes her feet would slip
/ in the loose earth and she would fall on the
earth with surge that threatened to take my
arms out of my body. But at last the rope slack
ened. and knew she was down and had found
8 foothold; but the only sound / could hear
was the awful, dull thunderous sound of pieces
4.
/ down in the old mine itself. Directly heard
her voice:
'' He is here, Bob: but his leg is broke, and
I he has tainted. ] will have to tie him in the
sling and you must drag him up. / can't come
with him. 1t will be dreadful Oh him, but
there's no other way!'
How that girl, all alone managed to get
double loop on the rope under Bob's inanimate
body; how she tied him into this sling, with
strips torn from her underclothing, and care
/ fully arranged him so he would slide up the
steep incline on his back, ] could never make
out. In about 10 minutes however, she called
out:
90 Now, Ike, pull him up steady like and be
| powerful keerful when you git him to the edge.
Wait till ] get outer the way of the stones and
things Remember that the girl was standing
or lying now upon the very edge OF that awful
chasm, with no rope or other support to hold
| to; but minute after she called out without
tremor. Hoist away
Slowly and with terrible exertion sue
ceeded in pulling Bob up and had the satisfac-
ton of hearing him groan as l hauled him over
the edge. As quick as l had him 10 feet away
from the mouth of the crater hastily undid
the rope and then called out idiotically:
Hello, Mag Are you there?'
"'Of course Pm here. What in sin do you
Ak me SIGH fool question as that for? Jest
drap the end Of that rope down. / want to be
some res else
81 dropped the rope down.
No pullin'!' shouted Mag. Make some
more fast to the tree. I'm a-goin' to hand
over up
+" Hand over hand she came up that rope
like old sailor, having her feet braced
against the bank We carried Bob to the en-
gine-house, dashed water in his face and soon
had the pleasure of hearing him swear at us in
the most rational manner. The first words he
said were:
"'Curse that De Camp What time is it?'
!" We told him it was nearly 1890.
+" Mag, God bless youl' said Bob Just do
one thing more for Susie and me. That cuss,
after he showed me over the rail into the " idle
hole" told me he had plan to carry Susie of
tonight, by sending little Tim Stone, that takes
care of his horse, to tell her that you had got
badly hurt and wanted her to come TO YOU He
said he knew she would start and he intended
to pick her up, put her in his buggy and carry
her off to the train at Elkton, and then into