St. Paul daily globe., 1896-03-15

goln' to save un? Then / Wullp
She pressed forward toward the pit,
but dozen strong arms restrained her
and one old fellow said:
Keep back, lass! It'll be death to-
go down there for nigh an hour yet.
This be no place for women fowk."
She needed not and, breaking away
from them, entered the cage. Two or
three men followed her, ashamed to
think that girl should be Drawer than
tney, and down they went from the
lights into the darkness down among
the noxious, deadly gasses-down to
the unknown
1t seemed to the anxious watchers.
Two or three cages full of miners
came up, but they were not among.
them Great heavensi was it possible
that all had perished in the heroic at
tempt?
The news that Jessie had gone be-
low reached her mother, and Mrs. Mac.
Davitt, with her sleeves tucked up,
fresh from the washtub, her cheeks
pale as death, her eyes streaming,
rushed madly to the spot.
Even at that moment the cage was
coming up again. A deafening cheer
rang out, loud and long, upon the
murky air. 1t was they-they at last,
thank God! But were they alivePs
Two inanimate forms were lying down,
upon the black, dusky bank-tfe forms
OF Jessie MacDavitt and Steven Arm
strong.
Jessie MacDavitt sat all alone. at
work In the little front parlor of her
mother,s cottage. She was quite well
agafn now, but her recovery from the
effects. of her adventure in the mine
mad been slow and painful
mere was knock at the door. She
called out: Come, in~ in sweet.
cheery tones. 1t was Steven Arm
strong who entered the apartment
one looked up, surprised; and coloredi
up TO her very brow as she rose to
greet him. She had not seen him since.
that fearful day; perhaps this was tiH
reason of her confusion He did not
wear his working, nor yet his shift
IN F" clothes, but was habited in a.
tweed suit, and wide awake. How
brave and noble he looked, albeit a.
trlfie pale just now!
Mr.. Armstrong" she said. 81 am So
glad to see you fettle again. haven't
seen you since"
mot since then-no; it wur churlish
O me not to COON an thank
thee-only-only there be nae thanks
possible for sic things as that. oh.
Jessie. why didst do it; why didst risk
tina life?'' -
Because you gave your chance O.
life to him, she answered simply, but
with an unsteady tremor in her, voice.
NOW L ha' come to bid thee good
by, Armstrong said, like a man who
has an unpleasant duty to perform,
and wants to get it over quickly. "a
be goin' away
to?"
rect away-forivver To America
or Australy-a' hardly know where yet.
A be tired O. t life here But renem-
Der, if there be ivver onything 1 can do
Tor thee. a wull. Tha shalt know
where 1 go to, and if tha should iyver
want friend or a helpin' hand. an
come to thee if 'twere half across t.
world! II a han't said mooch, remem-
Der a know that a. can nivver hope to
pay ma debt to theei'
On, dunnot talk like that; please
dunnot talk about It'll hadn't an
idea you were thinkin' O. goin' away
IL 1ts-ye've took me so sudden like-I-
dunnot know what TO say cfH
Say, Jess, ma lass, Just say. Good
py, ana God bless thee, Steve Arm
strong, or SOON sic words as all be
able to TAX wi me, an cherish i mem
ory O. thee when a be far away"
God bless thee, Steve Armstrong,
wi all ma heart, but not good-byr' Jes-
sic SAID, in voice that was even more
unsteady with emotion than before.
"Ah, dunnot it nun be. I say-tha.
would not torture me?''
Wouldn't that stay, Steve, if a. were
to ask yep
There's naething I wouldna do that
you bid me-excep' that-excep that.
why a be going fro theet"
Fro me?"
surely, a medina tell thee all over
again. A wish thee an tha husband
well, wi all ma heart-but 1 Gamma
''Ye said just now ye'd do anything
Tor me- Jessie answered, clasping her
hands, and the bright color mantled in
her cheek hotter and redder than ever
such a coy, pretty blush They were
hard words for girl to speak. but
she had made up her mind all at once.
and felt impelled to go on. "Ye said We
nlvver could hope to repay yer debt to
me. Suppose L show ye t. way? Stay
here for ma sake. an'-dunnot We un-
derstand ?-Dunnot make me have to
say ony moor"
What madness is this? And t. mon
tha'rt plighted to?"
I'VE are no plighted now. He be-
gone rect away. Heven't ye heerd?"
NO; hav ma been mooch among t
chaps O. late"
1T was small thing that parted us;
something I asked un to give up for
my sake-only drink But he said
no: no wench should ivver max a milk
sop O. him. Then a. cam to compare
We both togither; he, who wouldn't even
do that mooch; you, who would ha'
given yer life for ma sake. A thing T.
were at t pit mouth t thought first
came to me. A weighed both l. scales.
and then a knew which way ma heart
had goner
And that was where she nestled now
her pretty head; to that brave heart
which was to be her home forever
more.