Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-11-14

the trouble, Walter; all That has become
small by comparison. But shall we ever
see her sweet face again, or hear her
voice."
Father" said Walter, trembling, you
terrifv ne. This sudden change in your
voice iGdt | never heard faiter before;
some great calamity must have happen
ed. Tell me the WORST 1T once"
"Waifer." said the Old man, stand
firm; TO not despair, for there is hope"
Thank God for that father; now tell
me all"
Walter. there has been an explosion
in the mine-a fearful explosion: the
shaft has fallen Il; there is no getting
access to the mine. and all the poor
souls confined there are in mortal peril.
Those who are best acquainted with the
mine do not think that many of them
have been destroyed by the ruin, but
they tell me these explosions let loose
poisonous gases, and SO now those poor
souls are all exposed to three deadly
perlIs; choke-damp, fire-damp, and
starvation"
cts pitiable." said Walter: "but sure
ly this is a calamity to BARLEY, and to
the poor miners, butnot to any one that
| love, and that you have learned to re-
spect."
my son." said the Colonel, solemnly,
@the mine was fired by foul play"
as it posSible?"
at is believed that some rival owner,
or else some personal enemy of William
Hope. bribed a villain to fire some part
of the mine that Hope was inspecting"
Great heavens" said Walter; "can
such villains exist? Poor, poor Mr..
Hope; who would think he had an enc
my in the WOrld?"
'Alas!" said the Colonel, that is not
all. His daughter, it seems. overheard
the villain bribing the ruffian to COM
nit this foul and terrible act. and she
flew to the mine directly. She despatch
ed some miners to seize that hellish vii
lain, and she went down the mine to
save her father"
"Ah!" said Walter, trembling all over.
"She has never been seen since"
The COlonel's head sank for a mo-
ment on his breast.
Walter groaned and turned pale.
"She came too late to save him; she
came in time to share his fate"
Walter sank into a chair, and a dead
ly pallor overspread his face, his fore
head, and his very lips.
The Colonel rushed to the door and
called Tor nelp, ana IN moment john
Baker and Mrs. Milton and Julia Cliff
ford were round poor Walters chair
with brandy and ether and salts, and
every stimuIant. He did not faint away;
strong men very seldom do at any mere
mental shock.
The color came slowly back to his
cheeks and his pale lips, and his eyes
began to fill with horror. The weeping
women, and even the stout Colonel,
viewed with anxiety his return to the
full consciousness of his calamity. BE
brave" cried Colonel Clifford; 'be sol
dier's son; don't despair; fight; nothing
has been neglected. Even BARLEY is
playing the man; he has got another
engine coming up, and another body of
wOrkmen to open the new shaft as well
as the old one"
"God bless himl" said Walter.
"And | have an experienced engineer
on the road, and the things civilians al
ways forgot-tents and provisions of all
sorts. We will set an army to work
| sooner than your sweetheart, poor girl.
shall lose her life by any fault of ours"
"My sweetheart" cried Walter, start
ing suddenly from his chair. There,
don't cling to me, women. No man
shall head that army but me. My sweet
heartl God help me-She'S ny aCJe."