The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-03-21

4 -crrE QGaQe t2cn OJnST y d4AldACSs
On the day they first met, Jerry stood
near the bottom of the shaft. The
baby's father had put the baby, who
WAS growing heavy, down on the track,
and was talking to some miners The
baby seeing a light few yards away,
it was on Jerry's head, went toward it
| and found Jerry. He was half doing,
| when. rudely awakened by something
grasping one of his fore legs. vicious
| CLEAN shone from his eyes, and his ears
were laid back fiat along his head as he
| prepared to repulse the daring person
who was taking such liberty with him.
| Then he looked down and saw a
little, laughing, rosy face gazing
up into his, and pair OF tiny
arms grasped tightly around his
muscular leg. The next minute, when
the miners and the baby's father turned
| and, with cry of horror. saw the light
of the vicious mules lamp shining on
| the baby's head, Jerry's ears were
pointed downward and he was whin-
nying softly. The men sprang for
ward, one snatched the baby away, an
other drove the mule back; but the
baby began to cry and stretch out her
tiny hands toward Jerry, while he, still
whinnying, gazed at her with such a
look of intelligent curiosity that his
driver said: 81 don't believe tibet brute
'ud hurt her." and moment later, the
baby, in her fathers arms, was strok-
ing Jerry's SCARED and rough head.
while & row OF miners stood at the ami
mails side, ready to drive him back
with blows and kicks, if he attempted
TO bite. But Jerry was as quiet and
gentle as the baby herself
Ever after that day they were firm
friends. Every time the baby came
down the mine, a visit she insisted on
making every week or two, she would
see Jerry and stroke and play with him,
and give him sugar and apples to eat,
until it was said among the miners that
she came down expressly TO see Jerry.
and so, before long, she became known
as Jerry's baby.
Jerry's driver had henceforth an
easy task: the mule which was formerly
so vicious and stubborn was now the
most gentle and docile in the mine, and
he was always pointed out to the visitor
as ''the mule that was tanned by John
Williams baby"
The baby had been away for three
weeks on visit. On the day of her re-
turn she said: Papa, take baby down
mine: baby wants to see Jerry" And
Mr. Williams obeyed.
AS the inside foreman told the foot
Ia - 10 10 L., l.,
shifts changed, consequently when the
baby and her father reached the foot
of the shaft the day men had finished
their work and the mules were in their
stables, but the stable boss considered
it no trouble to bring Jerry out to
where the baby was sitting in the mid
die OF the track upon an armful of
straw, brought for her by one of the
driver boys. After the three weeks
separation, the greeting between Jerry
and the baby was most affectionate;
the baby clapped her hands and rubbed
her soft, white cheek against Jerry's
rough nose, while he whinnyed to ex-
press his delight. Jerry had become so
gentle that Mr.. Williams and the stable
boss had complete trust in him and
knew that he would not harm hair of
the baby's head, so after watching
them for minute or two, and hanging
q lamp on a timber near the pair, they
walked a few yards up a side gangway
to inspect some brattice work.
The baby had a couple of apples
which she gave to Jerry, laughing at
his efforts to take each piece with his
lips, SO as not to endanger the tiny
hands by his teeth.
Suddenly Jerry lifted his head; dull
boom, the sound long drawn out,
echoed a'ong'the gangway; it was fol-
lowed almost Immediately by rush of
sir, which TO an experienced miner
would have indicated fail of top coal
or rock near by. The baby laughed on,
holding piece of apple toward Jerry,
who, with his head high in the air,
listened intently. In a moment there
was crashing, rafting, tearing noise
in the stables where five mules were
confined, then the swift thump of hoofs
down the narrow gangway-the mules.
frightened by the fall. had broken out
of the stable and were dashing toward
the bottom OF the shaft. To reach that
Ioint they would pass Jerry and the
baby; the gangway was narrow, two
mules could hardly pass abreast, the
baby was in the middle of the track,
the cruel hoofs Of the rapidly advapc-
ing animals would crush out her life
in their wild rush. Jerry seemed 70
realize it all. He backed away from
the baby. who, innocent Of the danger,
held out her hands and called him. His |
head was turned TO one side, his ears
laid straight back; the rushing animals !
came nearer; with backward heave +.
of his whole body, Jerry's hoofs flew /
out and struck full on the breast of the !
first mule. The force of the bow was
terrific. The animal was hurled back /
against the other four, who stopped /
bewildered. At that instant the three 4
men rushed ont Of the side gangwsv .
and the baby was snatched up into her !
fathers arms.
The stable boss understood the situa-