The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1890-06-18
A ROMANCE A WITH BIG II.
Did the Mercenary Motive That Prompted
the Rescue Move Him to Marry Herr

Westfall. a wealthy resident OF
Colorado, in answer to the question
ola fellow lod ,er at the Grand Pa
cific hotel.
"Well, rather, | was young
lad at the time and the only child
of the poorest family in a coal
mining town in Pennsylvania.
zone day, while engaged Eiek-
ing slate, | heard big commotion
at the mouth OF the cave. The
men were very much excited, and
the owner, who was the richest and
most devout churchman in the
town, was wringlng his hands and
lmploring the men to do something.
Running up | learned the men had
fired fuse attached to an extra
large cartridge and had just com
from the NINE when they discover
ed that they had left the pretty
little daughter of the owner be-
hind. She had gone down with
her father and while the latter
came up tor an errand had wan
dered away. The cartridge had
not yet exploded as the fuse bad
purposely been made long to enable
the men to get up.
"The father, as you may mag
inc, was agonized, He offered
81, 900 to anyone who would &c
down after the little one. But no
one would stir. All of them had
families Of their own except, Of
course, myself--and would not run
tie risk of death. The surl was a
fortune to me. especially as my fa>
Their was, from sickness, unable to
work. Jumping on the car called
to be let down, and amid the cheers
If the men | descended. Each
moment had death in it for me,
unless the fuse were longer TIL II
was thought, But | tried not to
think of it, and when | reached
the bottom the child was playing at
the mouth Of the shaft. | grabbed
her, put her in the car and gave
tn, signal to be hoisted up. But
the car did not NOV. | repeated
the signal, but still without avail.
In agony OF fear | jerked it again
ana the car still remained in the
bottom. | babe the little girl stay
where she was and then | ran into
the new drift where the explosion
WIS to take place. A little spark
revealed the whereabouts of the
fuse. The fuse was still an inch
long and took hold of it and
pulled it out. | tried to cheer, but
had tainted instead. When | came
to | was on top of the ground,
taken there by the men who in
answer to my last signal-they had
not received the other two-had
raised the little girl and had then
come down for me.
"Well, the next day the father
thanked me, but said nothing about
the 81 900. The men advised me
to ask for it. | refused. Then
some of hem asked tor me, and
the owner told them that they were
mistaken he had offered nothing.
So mad were they that they threat
ened to throw him down the mine,
but they desisted at my request
A few weeks later was discharged
probably because | was DIN eyesore
to the owner. My father having
in the meantime recovered, | went
away and obtained work in New
YORK, and after awhile secured a
lair position.
Gone day about 10 years after
this event, charming young lady
drove up in her carriage, and, com,
ing in, called for me. She did moi
at first give her name, but asked
me if ! would do her a favor. y
course | said yes. She then tolo
me that il was she whom | hao
saved, that her father had died ;
short time before, and that in look
ing over his papers she had tounc
a letter from some of the men tt
him upbraiding him for not pay
ing the 81, 900 This was the frs
she had heard OF the obligation,anC
she had Immediately set out to fine
me. As she said this she bande,
me check for 81 800, the extr
$500 being, she explained, the in
terest. was about 30 refuse t
accept the check, but she reminde,
me that had promised to do he
II favor and that / must keep m