The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-11-29
THE BEAUTIFUL CLAUD|NE.


Along the dusty highway. still
brilliant with the setting sun. the eve
ming mail man passed in jolting rum
bic of wheels from his ancient carriole.
and ringing of hoofs from his meagre
mare. Then il was that Claudine. the
beautiful Claudine." rs the villagers
called her. showed herself at the sill of
the little white cottage, her hand above
her eyes. her elbow elevated. She
stood there silent and motionless, like
a picture in lighter tints against the
darker back ground of the chamber,
but with joyous expectancy dawning
in her eyes.
Far away over the peaks, the sun
was sinking TO rest. its last rays climb
ing slowly from horn 10 horn Of the
wooded hills. lighting up the sonbre
verdure OF the oaks with points of
briliancy. qniyering like flame against
the blue horizon and cnvelopng. rs
with n parting caress. the rounded
summit of n naked hill, whose long
slopes ended at the turning of the road
that stretched into the shadow. strip
OF dull greyness. soft rs a ribbon.
From among this chain of hills. ex-
tending as far as the eye could reach
in the gathering evening light. rose the
deep and sonorous cry of the carriers,
urging on their beasts. engaged In haul
ing the stone from the quarrics which
gnawcd ont the heart OF these same
peaks. still touched M the crest by the
dying sun. IL WAS here that Claudinc's
thoughts were rowing IN search Of her
man.
In her mind she saw him plainly.
this toiling quarryman. young aud
handsome rs herself. pcrched alOft on
u frail scaiTolding aud working az the
quarry's roof in the trenulous light OF
lanterns like twinkling stars. the
monotonous clink. clink OF the ham
mers repeated by the drip. drip of the
subterranean waters. But now. since
the evening postman had gone hy.
Clandne knew that the days work
was ended. her man descending with
others aud arranging his tools quick
ly. too. thinking Of Ter and impatient
for her kisses.
In fact. some of the men. in gaudy
belts and with coats thrown over their
shoulders. had begun TO appear.
climbing briskly the steep white road,
their voices mounting higher and
higher. like the waves Of sunlight. and
rough and rude as the country. All at
once, even whilst she searched with her
gaze the fast crowdmg pathway q
cloud of dirt and Gebris lcaped high in
the air, followed instantly through the
valley by crash like thunder. The
quarry had blown up. And Claudine
lay senselcss on The ground.
Under the Quilted earth. covered
with crumblcd houses. cracked and
crushed as by monslrous hammer.
deep in the black and inaccessible
depths Of the buried galleries. fifty 81
more of the quarrymcu were buried
also. despairing, hopeless OF rescue.
dying perhaps, If not already dead.
At the point where the engineers
worked with heart and soul 90 pierce
an entombed gallery, Claudine knclt
beside them. eager. heart-sick. refusing
20 stir step and still awaiting her
nan.
For eight days she had remained
here. unable 10 believe in the disaster.
unable TO be consoled. her burning
eyes stubbornly rivetod upon the open
ny. little by little growing larger
But these efforts provoked new crumb-
lings-the waters flooded the passages
the work had to be stopped. Then and
DOT till then did she climb the hill TO
he place where the men who had cs-
capcd the disaster strained at the
pumps.
But soon the pumps, too. gave out,
chokcd. doubtless, with the rubbish
that refused to flow. The rescuers,
white, haggard. helpless. sorrowfuliy
isbanded and turned away. Gland
Inc remained alone by the ravagcd
earth. the abortive. abandoned work.
crushed. inert. feeling in her anguished
soul but single dcsirc-to be herself
at rest.
"Claudinc" murmured a voice at
her ear.
She raised her eyes. IL was quarry
man by the name Of Pierre. whom she
had noticed toiling with the others.
She saw his blistercd hands. the soil on
his clothes. aud suddenly. without
word. before the plying sorrow OF his
gaze burst into storm OF tears.
AS for Pierre. he. too found no word
to say. but sitting beside her allowed
her to cry on. stroking her hand ten:
DERBY at every sob. an answering grief
tlImming his own eyes. Gradually AS
she grew calmcr Claudine knew that
Pierre was talked 10 her OF things
whose sense still escaped her. but
whose soft soothing monotone quieted
her TO the d0cility Of a child.
Sho lstlessiy permitted him to draw
her with him. scarcely conscious OF