The Arkansaw traveler., 1889-10-05

 not do all that 1t would be far too much for your strength"
 "But have, I can, and will, rather than have father lose his place." Alice said, emphatically. "You know we need the money, and as long s father is sick, be 1t a week or month, can run his engine and draw his pay"
 Mr. Mcdowell smiled in spite of hts weakness. "Well, wife, what do you think1" he asked
 "The girl Is right" she answered. "It will not do to have you out of work, and see no other way but for her to take your place till you we'll If the company don't object"
 "I will sec to that tomorrow" Alice said. "I thought it all over while you and mother were talking"
 Suppose something unusual should happen"
 "Then will run down to the slope boiler house and tell the men there. I planned 1t while 1 was changing my dress, and don't want either of you to worry about me. It's half-past six now, and must hurry" and after kissing her father she tied hood over her head and hastened out In the gath ering dusk, leaving her mother bemoaning the fate that had decreed her only child to be girl" It was nearly mile to the pump-shaft, across common of waste land, where rock and "horney" coal has been dumped, leaving but little room for the sparse vegetation and weeds to grow up in. Over this Alice walked, brave hearted and conf- dent, stumbling now and then in her eagerness. Dark shadows and piles of rock surrounded her, while to her ef barely to be seen in the approach ing darkness, the mining town of Carbondale nestled in the valley. The darkness was complete when she reached the pump shaft. As she opened the door and stepped into the engine- room, the day engineer, who was waiting for her father to come, greeted her with exclamation.
 "What be you a-doin' here?" he asked.
 "Pve come to run the engine" she answered.
 "What! Youl Who iver heard the loik O that Does yer father know eet1"
 "Yes, sir. He's been sick for 6 week" "I know"
 And tonight he's too sick to come out, so came. have been here often enough with him to know how to attend to his duties"
 "To be sure, if he's willin', am," he said, taking up his pail. "There's nothin' special only to keep her well iled."
 "I'll do that"
 "lf you don't they can't blame me. Pve always attended to my part, and-oh, we'll, good night" and he banged the door behind him, and Alice was alone.
 Alone! With twelve weary hours ahead of her and the puff-puff-puf of the steam at regular intervals outside, and pound-pound-pou of the cog wheels, meshiDg into each other inside, as her only company
 She took up the oil-can and went around the engine, with the lamp in her hand, oiling every part until she came to the walking. beam which carried the rods to the water-cylinders at the bot tom of the shalt.
 It came quite close to her, and then, with 8 sav- age grind, disappeared in the darkness only to come back again. bringing with it the cold damp air from the shaft, and volume of water which she could hear rushing and roaring outside. Back and forth 1t moved, approaching till It al- most touched her dress and then disappearing but remorseessy the engine drove 1t on with its steady puf-puf-puf, and pound-pound-pound until Alice grew weary of watching and listening. Set ting down her lamp, she walked to the greasy high backed chair and watched the ceaseless revo- lutions of the fly wheel. The steam whispered to her in the cylinder and through the pipes at each successive stroke and the water roared outside, making the night dismal and dreary, but Alice was brave and determined though once she climbed to the high window and looked out the waste land to if there was light burning at home.
 She did not see any it must be late. What, eleven o'clock She has been there nearly five hours. It time to oil the engine again. and with it the bearings and pins the walking