River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-10-31

with fright The mutteringa of their
voices reached her How many more
bolts TO loosen before they would ac-
complish their vile work?
She turned and ran up the ladder.
Gaining the platform she looked down
again. What could she do? Her eyes,
accustomed TO the darkness. saw the
wrench steadily at its work, and their
upturned, harsh-looking faces. while
One man held lamp above his head.
There could not be many more bolts to
take out; she must not stand there and
see every thing sacrificed to their
malice.
She felt the hard beating OF her
heart 1t almost suffocated her. Her
breath came fast Then, with strength
augmented by despair, she showed
against the ladder below her. II
moved, balanced, and slowly, gather
ing speed as it circled over, fell. crash
ing, crashing-and she closed her eyes
down into the midst of theml There
was wild cry from the men; the sound
of the falling ladder echoed and
re-echoed against the solid walls OF
the shaft until it died away The
water was still dripping. and the rods
were lunging up and down, but no
sound came from below, save from the
plungers.
Up, now, upi Ladder after ladder,
till the engine-roOm was reached.
Pausing a moment she looked down the
shaft. 1t was totally black. No yell
low spot! Nothing! The walking beam
came to welcome her, and the cog
wheels pounded savageiy. but leaving
il all behind, she sped out across the
rocks to the boiler-house beneath the
hill. 1t was a rough path. She stun
bled many times in her haste and ex-
element. till, with dilated eyes. breath
ing heavily. she dashed into the fire.
room. The two men working there,
shoveIing coal in the furnace doors.
stopped and looked up in surprise on
her sudden appearance.
DO you know where Mr. Marvine
lives?" she asked. One o. you go for
him. Quick! quick! Bring him back,
and as many men as you cam
is =" one of them began to say.
Yes, three men are dead or dying
in the pump shaft.
They did not hesitate after that.
IN go, jim" said one, I'm good
runner"
Hurry. then! You must hurry"
she cried. Bring him, and a doctor
if you can. Go! and oh. be quicll!"
Turning she ran out. leaving the
man called Jim gazing after her, while
the other man started on a run for the
town.
Pu6-puf--puf! The engine was
still going. Some of the bolts had
held! Pound-pouHd-pound! The
cog-wheel still had plenty of work to
do; and the walking beam was coming
and going on its long sweep. as she
entered The engine-rOom. With eau
tious footsteps she approached the
shaft leaned over. and looked down
into its black depth. The water was
dripping, and the cold, damp air famed
her heated face. Shuddering, she
closed the door TO shut the darkness
out. and walked to the greasy. high
backed chair standing by the cylinder.
Sinking into it she closed her eyes.
My story is about told. This all oc-
CURED some twenty years ago. The
three men were found in the bot
tom of the shaft, hurled there by the
breaking of the platform. Luckily the
ladder did not hit any of them, and
as the distance was not great they
were not severely injured. They win
never forget their terrible experience.
The ladder stuck in the midst OF them.
and carried them down with it. Neith-
er will Alice forget during the several
months that Mr. Mcdowell lived, she
continued to run the pump-engiue, but
on the day shift. and, strange as i,
may seem, she kept the position after
her fathers death. showing that the
company remembered its brave de-
fender
have never seen her, but the story
was told me by one who heard it from
her own lips. Phil More, in Youths
Companion.