The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-04-03

Ask God: il is His secret.
/ The third day the child was stlli at the
shaft.
must put an end TO this said the
chief engineer approaching her, Come
my little one, be reasonable"
Papa Seek for papai"
Alas he is dead
@No.o
She uttered this no with such ener-
gy that the engineer was struck by it.
Why do you say no - he asked.
He would have told me-
Poor little one - murmured the en-
gineer.
And he made a sign to the men to take
her away. But she clung desperately to
him, crying;
Papa is not dead. want to 90 down.
/ will find him
They bore her away and left her with
the scheol-teaeher. An hour later she
was back at the shaft, and, clinging 10 the
engineers knees, she kept repeating:
want to 90 down I viii find him
lie was tender hearted man, that en-
gineer. and took pity on her
After all" he said to himself, that
will, perhaps, be the best thing. When
she has seen with her own eyes. she will
believe. This excitement, if it lasts much
longer, will kin her"
And, taking her in his arms, he bore
her 10 the car aud gave the signal to de-
scend
She shuddered when she felt beneath
her that yawning pit from which arose
foul air which almost suffocated her The
engineer felt her little arms inelose his
neck, and her curly head was pressed
against his own.
When they reached the bottom she dis
engaged herself, sprang to the ground,
and rushed straight forward, calling
Papa. Papa
The engineer, who could hardly keep
up with her. was tired of explaining to
her twenty times what he had already
explained-how the explosion had taken
place, where it had occurred, and what
they had done to find the victims, and
the child kept questioning him, AMI re-
peated
He is living, Seek for him.
She would have remained down ther
in the mine three days, as she had al
really done at the surface, if they had not
taken her by force and carried her up.
The engineer gave orders that she
should be taken back 70 the school teach
e.. and also ordered that if she reappear-
el at the shaft she should be prevented
from going into the mine.
All his measures had been carefully
taken. and the next day, no longer think
ing OF her, he was inspecting one Of the
galleries when he felt himself seized By
the arm Of his coat 1t was Miss Papa
She had escaped from tie school a sec
ond time Repulsed at the shaft, she
had stepped into an empty coal car and
thus descended into the mine.
She told all this to the engineer and
obtained his pardon. Five minutes later
she again began her search, still fall cf
undiminished faith. Theminers followed
her with pitying eyes, struggling their
shoulders, saying
Poor little Papa"
Little Papa kept on seeking with una
bated courage. Suddenly they saw her
running toward them, pale and excited.
Down there she gasped Down
there Papa"
"What Down there" said 4 miner.
His blouse
Bah Where?"
Down there"
In a moment every one had heari the
news, and the mine was in tumuIt. TnS
child declared that she had seen Il piece
Of blue cloth in a hole, which she could
not raise because it was held down by an
enormous block Of coal
Where they asked her again.
She turned, followed by the crowd of
miners. Then she stopped and hesita-
ted.
She could not find the spot Al the
blocks OF coal resembled each other all
the cavities were alike; all the galleries
were the same. And yet she was sure
she had seen that piece of blue CLOTH
Where the blouse was the man must be-
fixing, no doubt, and that man was her
father, and she could not find him.
One by one, tired 10y the useless search.
persuaded that the poor little girl was
crazed By grief, the men Withdrew and
returned 10 their work. But they had
hardly taken up their pickaxes when
loud cry recalled them to the child
Il have found it have found il
They pushed her aside and booked
Yes, it was piece Of blouse flannel 1t
was a blouse There was man there
They set to work with a will, and, in
the tvinkling Of an eye the wall was
beaten down, and in a deen excavation
they saw a man extended it was Mi
chael Pierron.
He had been there three days AMI four
nights.
Loud cries arose on all sides, and ring
ing loud above all the others a cry escap-
ed from the lips of the child. She threw
herself upon the body and clasped it in
her arms, half mad, weeping and crying.
Papa papa -
He was nearly dead, poor Michael
Exhausted by lack Of air and nourish-
ment, he recovered consciousness only 10
sink back fainting but he Was alive.
Miss Papa had told the truth. The
man would not die without telling his
child, and the thought Of her had sus-
iained him and given him the strength
to conquer death.
\ week later be was out and ready to
recommends lis work
On the evening Of the day before that
on which he was to return TO the mine
grand banquet was given by all the min
ers to Miss Papa. The place ofhonor was
reserved for her. A loud hurrah and
loud applause greeted her when she en-
tered, holding on to Miehaefs hand.
There were kisses given, shouts Of bravo
and wild huzzas in honor Of the little
queen.
And do you know what she replied to
oil this smiling and elanuin1 her little