News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1892-06-09

vat, Vat, aV We mere crled a
old man, an hour later, tripping q
full length over something that la
near the corner he had first turned
"Let us 'av a look" and, striking
match, he held it so closely to Willie
pallid cheek that he singed it. "B
my faith, it's a bye, an not a liv
one ayther. lest I'm much mistool
'Ow in the name o. common sins
did he a get here?"
Perhaps Willie was gradually RI
covering consciousness, or the singe
cheek stung keenly enough to brinI
him to, in a moment he sat upright
and gazing about him in dazed be
wilderment, he family asked where b
was.
Don't expect the loikes of me tt
tell you ware you vas, but ] can tel
you ware you is, an that is here, il
an ole mine-hole, alongside of oil
Hammer, who amt goin to let moth
IN harm you, my ladl" answered. tn,
I old Elan.
He was a strange looking old
creature, his beard and hair long anC
unkept, his clothes tattered and worn
to shreds. An old axe; which he still
held in one hand, as he helped Willie
to his feet, explained his presence in
this part of the mine. He had come
there to gather old props and laggins
for fire-wood.
Don't tell no one, my lad, request
ed the old man, as he dropped the
burnt match and lighted a candle
which he drew from the remnant of a
pocket, cts not much that an old
one like me can find to git, an thin
the air-hole a opening into this yer
part o the mine, from me own lot
above, makes it convaynent like for
me to come. Ef ye're yerself now, I'll
take We above to me house."
Willie trembled visibly as he tried
to walk, but reaching the air-hole, "
and the broad shaft of light it sent
into the mine, he was gradually re-
stored to perfect command of him
self.
"Is thar anything the matter with
my forehead?" he asked, after a
moment, wiping a rivulet of blood
from his face.
"Mabbe thar is, an mabbe thar
aint, replied the old man in his own
peculiar way-'come along oop wild
me, an know the stuff as will fix it
all right. It's this many a year long
gone that / have been bad with the
miners asthma, an wat'll 'elp the
one ell elp the other"
Too badly hurt to wonder at this
liberal method of prescribing, Willie
slowly clambered from one rock to
another, in the wide, gaping air-hole,
then, reaching a natural flight of
stone steps, he finished the ascent
with little trouble, and followed his
guide into an old tumbled down log
hut near by.
All night long Willie remained un-
der the patient care of his aged host,
and it was fully two weeks later be
fore he was strong enough to drive
his first mule-car in the mine. Sum
mer was changing it's green gown foI
autumn's brilliant garb of yellow anC
red when Willie, now on "day shift,
took his favorite short cut, leading
past f'old Hammers" house.
Often would he stop for a shor
talk with the old man, whose clothes
neatly mended by Anna Is deft fingers
and hair and beard neatly shaven
and shorn, was no longer the dilapi-
dated old creature who found Willie
in the mine.
"It's no more wood I'll be taking
that way" he confided to Willie one
day, "aven if / does fale it's them
mines as owes me a living, after
smotherin' both me some vid it's fire
dampl"
This afternoon, however, Willie
first looked, then stared in vain, for
the old mans hut. 1t was not there
1t had disappeared as completely
from sight as if it had no more exis-
tence than a chateau in Spain. What
did it mean? Stopping in dismay,
then rushing forward, Willie stood
on the brink of cave-in," that but
a few moments before had carried the
old man, his garden patch and house
to the depths of the mine below.
"Here, Carlo, Carlol" Willie called
to the old mans yellow dog, bowling
near, ego fetch him."
Carlo bounded into the chasm, and
wildly at the earth be-
meath with his paws, barked tiercely.
"He is therel" exclaimed Willie to
81 feared it" and, catching
off his hat in his hand, he ran toward
calling loudly Help, help"
1t seemed but a short time before
call was answered, and a hundred
willing hands, from above and below,
were digging and shoveling to reach
the buried man. Morning was just
hanging her golden disk in the sky
when a ishout of "We 'av i'm, he's
alive, and sitting on his chair as
loike as a iverl" gave Willie a thrill
of Joy. 1t was true; the old man,
seated in a chair, his pipe still in his
hands, had scarcely changed his po-
sition since the cave-in. The roof
beams, so strongly joined together
that the crush did not divide them,
had saved him, fortunately, from all
but a rough shock and a sprained
foot.
"Take him straight to our house,
please ,sirs," said Willie, in great de-
light at having his old friend once
more above ground, and, calling
Carlo, he led the procession down the
side and to his home,
where he and Anna, aided by kind
cared for the old man
several weeks.
It's q foin toim I'm havin' here
yid you and Anna so kind to me"
said their aged charge one day, "but
it won't be long now, afore / goes
to me own funeril. Willie, me lad, We
reminder that ould corner in the
mines, that lid to our suddint an in
innate acquaintance
Il does, indeedp ~ answered Willie,
touching a narrow blue scar upon
his forehead.
"Well. thin, my lad, We must go
there agin, and raching up, to the
lift hand side of that vera rock that
did that Job for We, yell find hole, "
the old man, "an' in that
hole is a stockin' that'll pay well for
me funeril, an a good big bit to
spare for new 'ouse fur you and
Anna, an a liberal edication fur We
both. Father Goodman has prom
ised to see me well carried hout, an
to set We both to a good schooling"
Willie and Anna could not at first
the old mans plan, so
it seemed; but before au-
tumn was wearing winters ermine
his wishes had been fulfilled. The
stocking bought them a new home
in large town, sent them to a
good school, and, best of all, they
thought, amply defrayed the expenses
&C Ahn lr ,.rrn E,nnrnl frllnrrinnr mhirh