The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1889-03-30
lips moved and knew she was pray

IN satisfied to go In such COM
pany, ifgo must, said l to my
sell, and then turned to work again.
In the meantime the water had
beeI steadily rising. From being as
high as the first joint of my fore
finger; it had risen while we were at
work to the height of the third. Ned
made several journeys to and from
the shaft, and found it always burn
ing, but the fire in the mine itself was
fast lessening.
Dick made his way to us, bringing
a huge piece of a mule, which the
party he was with had slaughtered.
Then he told us that it was for the
sake of the lass he had left us, so the
food would go further. The mule
meat was precious gift, for Ned
and l could eat it and leave the good
food for her.
Then Dick went back to his chums.
Soon the oil in our lamp became ex-
hausted-the light flickered for few
mlnutes-then we were left in utter
darkness. We sat there, Ned and l,
side by side, l just touching the hem
OF Lizzie's dress, and occasionally
moving to let her feel that Twas pres
en- and watching.
At intervals of hours-or such it
seemed-I would leave the spot an6
crawl to the edge of the heap of coal
on which We were seated, and plunge
my arm in the water to see how deep
it was. In time this was useless, for
when it had raised to the length OF
my arm, and found the next time |
measured that my fingers would not
touch the bottom left off trying it.
Ut the other men we saw nothing.
At times we could hear one man call
ing to another through the darkness,
then these became less frequent, then
remained-unanswered-then thefrst
man said: 'ELord, have mercy on me
on me; have mercy on us ALL" and we
heard his voice no more.
Ned shouted for Dick-no answer
then my brother reused himself; he |
shook hands with me,
81 must go find Dick" he said.
nodded 'yes," though he could not |
see me in the darkness; but I said not |
a word, and I heard him lower him
self into the water and splash as he
tramped off into the midnight black
ness-and death.
never saw my brother alive again.
Then drew close to Lizzie and laid
my hand upon hers. No word passed
between US, no sound save a dull,
heavy, sluggish creeping of rising
water was to be heard. So far as we
could tell, we were the only living
in that great cold pit.
Slowly, but surely, the water con-
tinued to rise I could not test it's
depth, but it was easy to tell that
it was steadily approaching us.
There was stupor came over both
Of us; seemed to be struck dumb, I
had no desire to move, no wish for
God or drink. We had no knowledge
IF the passage of time, but it seemed
Is though l was living for years.
was reused to something like life
~ Lizzie. With many feeble effort
he put her arm about my neck; I
vas too weak to raise her head level
With my own. l stopped, a little
more she exerted herself, our lips met
-one long, long kiss, her body re-
axed, then became rigid and lay mo-
ionless upon my knees.
And thus sat. Offood or drink I
ever thought.
Still the water continued to rise;
felt it touching my feet. spent the
ime in sleep mostly, and when awake
was dragging Lizzie's form, inch by
1ch to the highest point. When ex-
austed would drop down at her
ide and duly wonder how long it
'ould be before the water rose above
ur heads. I did not feel any par
ocular dread of this, now I had be-
ONE so familiarized with this idea
nat only speculated in a dreamy
ind of a way an what the sensation
ourd be like when it did take place.
rom what l know now ] must have
ept many hours at a time.
l woke once more; I felt that my
ct were no longer in the water. I
'retched them out, still without :
'uching it; had to push forward
,me distance before I reached it.
Then knew that the fire must be
,tinguished, that the pumps were at |
ork freeing the mine. |
Could we still be saved!
No sooner did find that there was
en- the faintest hope of rescue than
q resignation or indifference, which
er it was, left me, and instead OF /
ing able to sleep or browse as I
I'd been doing I became all alive.
18th the soles of my feet just touch
3 the water, I sat for hours before G
Gould say to myself with certainty =
at it had sunk any more. IL
This was the most terrible part OF
= imprisonment. When I parted
tn Ned and he came not back to
! me of Dicks safety, I felt that
tn were lost, when Lizzie fell help
8 before me I thought she had gone
join them beyond, but it seemed
though the separation was to be
only a few short minutes.
Vow my thoughts were busy. Sup 7
Sc l were saved to tell the story. ssT
w was to face that poor girls ~
her, how tell the story to my ito.
icken mother? mao
sat there in the darkness, cold .nd
damp, and thought until my III
hin reeled, I wondered if I we're not n
ewing myself in belief that the
ter had sunk at all.
Vas Lizzie dead? I half hoped so, 4!
alf hoped not. / dared not try ~
rouse her, if she lived, to share in
at might be only decisions in my
ordered mind. tried, and tried
sleep, / could not.
t last, in desperation, I lowered T
self off the ledge on which we had
ed; the water barely reached to IL
knees. thsn
back, found the food s Hos1
and ate some dried bread and torn
vt from them; the bottle of liquor md
there untouched-I tried to force -
le of it into the mouth of Lizzie, Ia
her hodv was rioid hor tooth eot O