Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-06-16


stove-rag In her hand as she knelt be-
fore the range, - always give the
name an extra polish, for IL seems 10
mean so much to Us. Thisis our first
real home. Nobody under Ms aud no.
body over.us, land such heaps of room
4 AL round"
Mary's intense delight in all she
saw, and the deep gratitude she ex-
pressed for all that was done for her,
made every Que anxious to give her
pleasure. She was thoughtful and
unselfish and the whole settlement
learned TO love Cronin's Daughter. "
Was child unruly? The mother
would call Mary In to help her, and
soon the unhappy little one was List
ening with open eyes and dirty mouth
expanding into a smile, TO her account
of some st. Patrick's day parade, or q
Fourth OF July exhibition OF fire.
works on Boston Common. To Mary
versed In city lore and sights, the
county was one thing to be desired
but the Katahdin children, tired of
monotony and loneliness of life in
the woods, could never hear enough
of the crowds and noise.
So ''Cronin's Daughter bscMne the
story-teller Of the settlement. Often
the workmeq stopped and joined the
circle OF Children and crowded around
her in the summer twilight and list
ened to her story.
Seems a different pfece, some
how, since 'Cronin+s Daughter
came" said many of the people.
The children don't fight half 80
much as they did, nor torment the
critters. They've Dtce folks, them
Cronins."
Before her mother YVES taken ILL.,,
Mary's hands and feet and head had
been at the service OF the whole set
Element. Every one loved, petted
and tyranni1ed over her.
In spite OF her mothers sharp but
short illness, from which she was now
recovering, the summer and autumn
had passed happily with Mary. Her
father had kept sober. and no one
suspected his past shame. John
Cronin was a good workman and soon
rose from being driver of the four
horse wagons which caSried the ore
down from the mountain ID the
works. TO being q "top-man.
The duties OF the top man weDe of a
very responsible nature. Eight
times ar. hour the elevator, built be-
side the chimney, came creaking and
grooming up to the top house with its
load Of ore and limestone. The top
man fastened the elevator with a
bolt, and the car 70 the rear mouth of
the chimney. Over this the car rest
ed while the top-man pulled chain
which opened the bottom and precip-
itated the mass Of ore and rock
down the chimney and into the fur
haInu Tho VafnNnn1 10
the elevator, the bolt pushed back, a
bell rung, the man below started the
machinery and the elevator began its
downward journey.
All this required metfodioG care
and wakefulness. The children OF the
settlement had told Mary OF an awful
night, two winters before. when,
owing TO the neglect OF the night top
man, an explosion had occurred which
wrecked and burned the works and
brought oil the men in the top-house
TO a fearful death.
No wonder Mary's heart stood still
with fright when her father reeled
through the door, nor that she re-
solved TO follow him 20 the top-house
TO make sure that he had not fallen
asleep. She had watched the furnace
and knew by the shower of sparks
that we're sent up that the ore was be-
ing dumped regul larry; but at any
moment sleep might overtake him
sleep that means dismissal and dis
grace, and possibly death 10 himself
and others.
The road was white aud lonely.
The frozen river had no word of en-
couragement as she. crossed the old
red bridge, and the stars we're far
away and cold. She avoided the front
works for fear of being seen by some
Of the night force in the casting room.
Around the charcoal house and
through the chick smoke, up the hill,
over the bridge and up the ladder the
child went, with chilled hands and
feet, but with heart warm with love
and desperation.
Surely that is the elevator rafting
up beside her. Now she stops for
breath on the landing, waiting for
welcome noise from above that will
drive her fears away. How her father
will laugh and kiss her, and, with
CHEEKY word, send her home for the
night. The intensely cold air may
have brought him to himself, she
thinks.
There was an omiDous silence above
and the child hurried up the ladder
John Cronin lay asleep on the floor.
Mary had no time for thought. She
drew the bolt and secured the elevator.
Then she seized the handles of the
car and wheeled IL toward the fiery
pit. The heat grew more and more
intense. Could she guide the car and
dump it? Before she knew it, it was
done. The car was replaced, the bolt
vNnokA1 hooly md tho hall nhA
elevator had gone down and the
floor had been replaced.
Then Mary crouched beside the
sleeping man and moaned and cried
90 father! father! Wake up! I
can't stay here all night! II | call
for help you will be dismissed. I'm
afraid to stay here alone"
The man slept on. 1t was impossi-
BILE TO rouse him. Mary had feared
one weakness, but suddenly she be-
came conscious of her inner strength.
She knew that she would stay here
until morning and hoped that by that
time her father could be reused and
that they might go honfe without
suspicion.
The elevator was coming again, and
again she must nerve herself TO roll
the heavy car at that awful brink.
Well she had done it once and she
could do it again.
Again and again she had bent her.
self to the heavy task. The hours
went by, Mary counted them by the
loads-eight to an hour. At first they
went quickly, for she dreaded the re-
turn OF the car bat Ms the night wore
on, the child became conscious of ON
overpowering desire TO sheep.
The draadIul Sansa OF reSnonSihil-