South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1891-03-06
His First Thousand

Nneuoct ZIG uret l,UUU i
ever earned ? echoed Henry Westfal.,
wealthy resident Of Colorado. in
answer TO a rather leading question
from the writer. well rather. I
was a young lad at the time ami tue
only child of the poorest family in a
coal mining town in Pennsylvania.
One day. while engaged in picking
slate, heard big commotion OF tic
top OF the mine. The men we're very
much excite :, and the owner, who was
the richest and most devout church.
man In the town, was wrinping bis
HANDS and imploring the men 10 do
something. Running up I learned
that the meu lad fred fuse attached
to an extra lsrge cartridge ard ha d
just com, from the N ne when thew
discovered that they bad left the
pretty little dau sbter of tie owner
behind. She had gone down with
her father, and while the latter ca me
up fIr an etrand bad wandered away.
The cartridge had not yet exploded.
as the fuse had purposeiy been made
long 10 enable the men to get UP.
The ia'her, "a you may imagine. was
agon'zed. He offered $1,000 to apy
one who would 20 down after the lit
tie one. But no one would stir. All
had families OF their own-except, of
course, myself-aud would not run
the risk of death. The sum was a
fortune to me- especially as nv father
was from sickness, unable to work.
Jumping on the car called 10 be let
down, and amid the cheers of the me IN
descended. Each moment had death
In 1t Tor me unless the fuse was
longer than was thought. But tried
not to think Of it, and when reached
the bottom the child vas LAYING at
the mouth of the shaft. grabbed
her, put her on the car aud gave the
signal to be hoisted up. But The car
did not move. repeated the signal
but still without avail. In agony of
fear. | jsrked it again and the G r
still remaining at the bottom. /
babe the little girl stay where she
was. and then l ran into The new
DRIFT where tho explosion was TO
take place.
"A spark revealed the whereabouts
OF the fuse. The fuse was still an
inch long, md I took hold of IL and
pulled 1t out. 1 tried TO cheer. mt
bad tainted instead. When / come
to was on tue top of the ground.
taken there by the men who, when in
answer to my last signal they bad
not received the other two had rails
ed the little girl and then oome down
after me.
We'll, the next day the father
thanked me, but said nothing about
The : 1000. The men ADVISED me to
ask Tor II. refused. Then some
OF them asked for me, and the owner
told them that they we're mistaken F;
be bad offered nothing. So mad we're
they that they threatened TO throw
him down tho mine, but they desIsted
at my request. A few weeks later I
was discharged. probably because :
vas On eyesore 20 the owner. My
father having In the meantime rec1v.
cred, i went and soon secured a fair
position. One day aboul fifteen years
after this event a charming lady drove
up m her carriage, and, coming IN
called for mo. She did not at fret
give her name but asked me II would
do her a favor. OF course, 1 said yes
She then told me II was she whom /
bad saved that her father had died
. short time before, and that 10 louk-
Ing over his papers she had found a
letter OF come OF the men TO him. M.
6ralding him for not paying me no
$1,000. This was the first sho had
heard OF the obligation, and she had
immediately set out to fnd me. As
sue said this 7he handed me q check
for $500 being, sLe explained, the
interest. was about to refase 10
accept the check bat enc reninde
me & at promised to do her a favor
and so must keep my word. So ]
took II With her card. and she Jeff
Whel Became Of her ? Wei, six
months Ia er che became my wife.