Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1892-07-15

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its sluggish flow OF oil, Arthur eagerly
watched his friends operations. They
two were alone in the derrick, for none
of the men would have any thing to do
| with nitro-glycerine, and so Brace. who
needed some assistance, was glad TO
have that of the bright, careful boy
who SO willingly offered his services
a long, tin tube, that they had
| brought with them, was hung IN the
mouth Of the we'll by a stout cord that
ran over pulley above it and down TO
an iron reel attached to one Of the
derrick posts. When it was in position
Brace began to pour glycerinc into 1t
| from the square, twO-quart can that had
| been slowed under tho wagon-sost,
| while Arthur looked on with bre2thless
| interest. The long tube was almost
| full, and a weight Of nearly two
hundred pounds hung from tho cord
when slight, almost inaudiblo snap,
caused Arthur to look up.
Something, perhaps q jagged bit Of
| iron in the pulley, had cut the cord half
| in two, and the rapidly increasing
weight that il was made to bear, was
untwisting and parting its remaining
strands. II was the swapping of one Of
| these that attracted Arthur's attention.
| A moment later the cord would have
given way. The torpedo would have
plunged into the well and would prob
ably have exploded from conclusion
with the iron casing before 1t had drop
ped many feet. With such an explosion
| both Brace and Arthur would instantly
have been blown into unrecognfzable
| fragments.
Hold the she'll, BraceI' cried the boy.
''the ropes breaking!"
The torpedo-man was quick 10 act in
an emergency, for his life was made up
of them; and, without hesitation, he
| did as directed AS the strain was thus
| taken from the cord, Arthur drew IL
| down, cut i. at the weak spot, tied the
ends in a firm knot, and recled it taut
again. Then Brace rose from HIS stoop-
ing posture, and, not till then, did he
realize what had happened. As he
! comprehonded the situation he said
| quietly:
you have just saved my life. Arthur,
and | thank you for It,"
| Then he completed his task as though
nothing had happened. Two minutes
| later the torpedo had been successfully
| exploded, and the friends were driving
| homeward talking over the incidents
of the shot.
Brace set tho boy down at a cross
road not far from the Dustin House,
and, bidding the torpedo-man good
night, the little fellow ran home, feel
s->cr hammer than no N-1 f.,- weeks
Though he hardly realized tho fuIi
value of the service he had just rendered
his friend, he was sure that he had
been useful at critical moment, he
knew that he had been praised for what
he had done, and he felt more manly
than ever before.
1t was growing dusk when he reached
the front gate, where faithful little
| Cynthia was anxiously watching fer
him and wondering where no could be-
"Oh, Cynthia!' ho cried as he drew
near and saw her, 'I've had such
q good time. I've been well
shooting with Brace Barlow, and
saw the rope just as it was going to
break and told Brace, and he held the
torpedo while / tied knot in 1t, and he
said had saved his life, though ] don't
see exactly how, and tho very minute
get grown up I'm going TO be we'll
shooter"
1t was absolutely necessary for the
enthusiastic little fellow TO pour
into some sympathetic ear the tale OF
what he had done. lie had performed
brave act; and, In the first flush OF his
| excitement, he longed to be praised for
il, as we all do whenever We have done
| any thing that we consider especially
good, or worthy Of commendation- II IS
| a reward Of merit, TO which all who have
earned 1t are entitled, and TO withhold
| just praise is as cruel "a TO extend un-
| Just censure.
| CYNTHIA would not have been guilty OF
any such unkindness. Her eyes opened
| wide as she listened to the tale her
| Prince told of his brave deeds She was
Just catching her breath 10 tell him how
| splendid she thought them, when they
were startled by the sound Of harsh
voice calling:
ARTHUR Cynthial Come into the
house this minute, you naughty chill
drem, and don't stay out there breathing
| the-night air"
"a boy must breathe some kind Of air,
Aunt Nancy, and when IL Is night time
/ don't see how he can help breathing
night air." laughed Arthur, as he
reached the house; for not even his
| aunt's harsh tones could, at once, dispel
his good spirits.
Don't tell me-" answered Mrs. Dus-
tin. 'I say night air is poison, and |
won't have you breathing It. Now,
suppose You think don't know where
you have been all the afternoon; but
| do. You've been of with Brace Barlow,
who ought TO know better than 20 take
you, shooting wells and trying 70 get
| yourself blown into mince-meat Just TO
mako more trouble for me. Yes,
know all about it, in spite Of you sly
ways. Now you may go right TO bed,
and not a morsel Of supper shall you
have this night, which may be it'll be a
lesson that you will remember for one
while any way"
Mr.. John Dustin, who sat smoking bis
evening pipe by an open window, rarely
| interfered with his wife's management
| OF the children: butmow he spoke up,
saying:
THAT won't do, wife; you only gave
| the boy breadrand Nsb&tE loE MS hAthNAr
and il won't do to send him 20 bed with
out any supper. j believe In proper
punishment, when It IS deserved, as
much as anybody; but when 10 comes to
starving, that's quite another thing II
shall never be id that1Dy brother Rich-
ards only son was starved in his uncle's
house So givc the bog his supper and
| plenty of il. Then youican send him 70
| bed II you seesft."
Mrs. Dustin knew that when her hus-
band spoke in this tone he meant TO DO
obeycd; so, without a word, she set a
plain but bountiful m .al before Arthur
From boy experien &C Of bread and wa
ter punishments, and suppcrlcss nights
he was wise enough 10 cat heartily al
that he possibly could. in spite 81 his
heavy heart. He ate in silence. and FOR
some time nobody else spoke; only
Dick, who sat at the farther end Of tho
room with the other children. chuclSled
and made faces behind Arthu's back
for the benefit, and 10 the hugc-delight.
Of his companions. He was greatly
pleased at the result Of his talc-bcaring;
for 1t was he who, overhnaring Arthur
| tell Cynthia that he had been we'll
I shooting with Brace Barlow, had hur-
/ ried to the house and repeated the in-
/ formation, with some picturesque ad-
ditions of his own devils ing, TO his