The Portland daily press., 1889-10-16


out into our room because, the weather havin'
turned gloomy like, there was better light by
Dig window there. So there he stayed
1nssin' over it, just as if he was on guard
Then It began TO thunder, and there was
> sudden dash OF rain, so that Jim Bryce's
little girl, who had come down with his lunch
pasKet, conidn' t &c home: Jim was piece
worker and always said he could do twice
| as much work in an afternoon ii he had
snack bout O'Clock.
Jim looked sort of uneasy now and then,
when little Jinny'd get off to the back part
| OF the room anyways nigh where tnat Dox
| was But he couldn't say nothln ana maybe
| there wasn't any danger; only was sure he
didn't like her round there. and was glad
| when she wandered off into the room beyond
"a storeroom where she was let stay some
| times while she waited for her fathers
|The storm grew heavier instead of lighter,
till we could hardly see to work. At once
there was blindin' flash of light and a
crash, as If the whole earth was a-tearin' to
pieces, and we all started and tumbled in
every direction. The minute we could get
our senses and look round we found that
the whole end OF the room was blowed off
and gully plowed way down to the founda-
tions like as if bomb she'll had tore
through.
Beyond that ragged openin' the great
brick wall was standin', but we could see
that Il was swavin' and weavin' just ready
"
awful as that tremblin' wall did, for over
on the other side of it run another buildin'
where the finishin' rooms was, and all hands
at work.
once that the only hope for 'em was a. peal
OF the bell that would send 'em all hyin' to
the entrance at the far end of the buildn'.
Twas in the old days, you see, before the
alarm connection with all the rooms. There
was only the big bell, and the rope to 1t was
danglin' beside that totterin' wall.
"You can't tell about such things as quick
as thed are in happenin'
The bell! says somebody; but there
boss sprang past us with Just a word or two,
left,
Back men, back That is my place. You
..'In minute he was leapin' down over the
piles OF rubbish, and almost before we were
sure what he was amin for he had reached
the place, and the white hands, strong and
steady, had hold of the rope and was maxim
the old bell shout danger If ever a bell did.
I'VE hardly stirred or breathed while we
watched him, till he started toward us again.
then long shivering, breath ran round the
crowd.
81 b'lieve he'd have made it to get out then
Il 1t hadn't been for little jimmy Bryce.
That youngster was naturally scared nigh to
death at the uproar, and instead of stayin'
where she was safe, what does she do but
come creepin' out of the st0reroom-it was
on to the right you understand, and consider
able tore up, like ours and try to make her
way over the ruins to her father.
"The boss heard her cry, turned back like
flash, and catchin' her in his arms, began
to climb over the rubbish piles again.
"'Catch herr he called the minute he was
near enough, and tossed her over into her
fathers arms. But the movement made him
loose his fvotin' and, though dozen of us
had our hands stretched QUO to catch him, he
slipped and rolled back down among the dirt
and stones.
81 s'pose /. hadn't needed but the least
little jar : or maybe 1t wasn't the jar at all
but anyway the next minute there was a
crash, and the St0utest of us shut our eyes to
to keep out Of the sight. The wall was
down, and he was under it..
He was the only man about the mill that
was hurt-badly, that is; of course a few
was struck with flying stones, and hurt in
the crowd. But they'd got out alive and the
one that had saved 'em was buried under the
ruins.
THAT was a queer night. l don't re-
member when or how the storm stopped,
but shall always remember what a clear
starry night 1t was, and how the fires that
was kindled to light the workers famed and
danced, while the shadows lay black in the
corners of the mill.
"How we worked at that pile of brick and
mortar! one set takin' the palce of another
as soon as they were tired, and as many
workin' at once as the space would allow.
''Once, goin' back into the mill to rest a bit,
found Jim Bryce and Tom Clarkson a-carry-
m that model that Boss had been worEin'
over, back into the office where it would be
safe, and they were liftin it as tender as if
twas a baby, and the tears running over
Jim's brown face all the while.
"sTd give anything if | could jest git
back to this mornin' again. says jim, with
groan. To think
"But he couldn't finish sayin' it, and it was
best not. Most folks thought it was the
lightin that had done all the damage, and
the rest OF us didn't know but the lightinin'
might "a done it all; and, that not bein'
sure was the only comfOrtiD, thing about |
"No, he wasn't killed after all, Darlin' |
wasn't. The pile of rubbish he had fallen |
between mostly saved him from being |
crushed. everybody thought he was dead, |
and, even after we found him alive, it seemed
for long time as if he couldn't live. But
the mill to finish up MS invention.
1T was success, toe. Yes, sir, that's
what built up these mills the way they are |
now-the most lourishln' ones in this part |
of the country-and brought better times to
he was amin for all the time, only we didn't |
know it, and that was why he come here.
That's his house over there, that big one
on the hillside. He brought his wife here
when he married, and settled down among
his mill folks as he calls 'em.
Should think he'd be considerable used
s'pose anybody can go through that sort of
thing and come out jest exactly as they was
when they went into 1t. But if you happen
to meet Boss Darlin', and don't think he's
good lookin' now, why, this valley wouldn't
be healthy place for you to mention it in