Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1895-04-26


head, while a row of miDers $1,000
at the animals side, ready to drive
him back with blows andklcks it b'
attempted to bite. But Jerry was
as quiet aud gentle as the baby
herself.
Ever after that day they were
firm friends. Every time he.baby
came down the mine, a visit she
insisted on making every wee k oil
two, she would see jerry and
stroke and play with him and
give him sugar and apples to eat,
until II was said among the miners
that she came down expressly 10
Jerry and so, before long she
became known az JerrS's baby.
Jerry's driver had henctf rth an
easy task. The mule which was
formerly so vicious and stubborn,
was now the most gentle and doc
lie IN the mine, and be was always
pointed out to the visitors as "the
mule that was tanned by John
Williams baby"
Tue baby had been away tor
three weeks on a visit. Ga the
day of her return home she said:
Papa, take baby down mine,
baby wants to see jerry" and Mr..
Williams Obpyed.
As the inside foreman told the
foOtman, the visit was to be made
when the shifts changed con.
sequently when the bah, aud her
father reached the shaft the day
men had their work and the mules
were in their stables, bnt the sta
BILE boss considered It no trouble
to bring J,rTy ont to where the
b ,hy was sitting in The middle of
the track upon an armful OF straw,
brought for Der by one of the
drivers boys. After the three
weeks separation the greetiol
between Jerry ald the baby wa
TOst aft .ctionate; aud bAb, clap2
ed her hands and rubbed her silt
white cheek against Jrrry's rough
nose, while he whlnnypd tOexpreSS
his delight. jerry hal become 40
gentle that Mr.. Williams aud the
stable boss had coWplete trust in
him, and knew that be wOnId not
harm q hair of the bdby's head, so
after watching them q minute or
two. aud hanging a lamp on th'
timber near the pair, they walked
a few yards upa gangway TO H.
-pect some braItlce work.
The baby had a couple of apples
which she gave to Jerry, laughing
at his effOlts to take each piece
with his lips so as not TO endauger
tue tiny hand by his teeth.
Suddenly jerry lifted his head,
dull boom, the sound long drawn
ont, echoed along the gangway
1t was followed almost immediate
lv by a rush OF air, which TO an ex
perlenceI miner would have in1I-
Gated a fall of top coal or rock near
by. The baby laughed on, hold
ing a piece of apple toward Jerry
who with his head high IN the air,
listened intently. In mODen
there was a crashing rattlln g
tearing noise III the fables where
I've mules were confined then the
swift thump OF boots down the
narrow gangway. The mules,
frightened by tHe fall, had broken
out of the stables and were dash.
ing toward the bottom shaft. T.
reach that point they would pass
Jerry aud the baby. The gangAaN
WAS narrow. Two mules could
hardly pass abreast. The baby was
in the middle of the track, The
cruel boots of the rapidly adNan
clng animals would crush ont heI
life IN their wild rush. Jerr,
seemed to realize it all. He back.
ell away from the baby who ~
nOcent OF danger, held out her
hands aud called him. His head
was turned TO one side his ears
laid straight back; the rushiDL
animals came nearer; with a back
ward heave of his whole body
JeTry's hoofs few out and struck
tnll OIL the breast of The FIRST mule.
Tue force o. the blow was terrific.
The animal was hurled b ,ck again
st the other four, Who stopped.
AT that instant the three men
rushed out of The gangway AMI
the baby WAS snatcbed up into her
fathers al ms.
The stable boss understood Tho
situation at q glance, and spring.
ing pastJerry wth whip and voice
drove the i've mules back, while
the babS's father kissed her again
and again, and jerry calmly