Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1897-02-06
FROSTBJ RG, MD, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6. 1897.

when a gentle rattle in the elevator
shaft sounded in his ears. 1t was simply
habit that led him to it, for as luck
would have it, he darted from his room
and CROPPED his way to the kitchen. He
was none too soon. The light was burn
ing, the door of the shaft was wide open
the cable was running down, and above
the rattle and clatter there came a soft
scream. Old Mr.. Pyn was strong man,
determined man. Like flash he
| jumped to the shaft, leaned in, seized
the cable and held on to it with mad
mans fury. Oh, is it my play?
1.-The car of course stopped short in
its downward career. Then there was
vigorous tug from below-a scream Mr..
Pyn clinched his teeth, braced himself
and held 1t as firm as "a rock. As | have
SAID before, my cousin Jack Dimly is
man of pluck, but he is small and not
strong. SO his efforts to drag down the
car-for you have surmised, of course
that he was at the bottom of the shaft
and its precious burden proved una
valling against the strength and deter
mination of old Mr.. Pyn, who never
slept wink unless he had just swung
the Indian clubs through several miles
OF circles. Tug as my cousin might, the
Car did not bulge below the third floor.
On the other hand, all the power of old
Mr.. Pyn's muscles availed nothing
against the combined weight of the car
and my cousin Jack Dimly. Grind his
teeth, pull and struggle though he did,
he could not draw the precious burden
an inch nearer him. Did he let go? No.
That was not
MY dear, interrupted Mr.. Possiter,
laying down his cards and pushing his
chair back from the table, 'you never
told me before that your cousin jack
"Ogglesby, cried my pretty oppo-
nent, Il do wish you would watch your
end of the game. l led that ace. Did he
give Don't stop playing, lieutenant.
l have such lovely hand"
Swash, too, had laid down his cards.
THAT reminds me of the time''-
My wife from the corner interrupted
him with, "Now, lieutenant, do let me
hear first who won-that poor, dear Mr.
Dimly Or that horlid''-
There, you've spoiled such splen.
did hand" cried Mrs. Ogglesby Pos
sitter, tossing her cards on the table.
"Just as get seven trumps you all stop
playing. We were sure of three points,
and if
"Ethcl,' said her husband firmly,
''you were telling us about your cousin
Jack Dimly."
"Oh, was l? Dear NE, how stupid l
am! Where was | last?'
''Evangeline was in the center of the
shaft, and your cousin and old Mr..
Prim, or Plim, or what's his name,
were trying to get her up and down." "
said my wife.
81 remember now. Did old Mr.. Pyn
give up the ship, or the dumb waiter,
rather? Nc; he held fast. He called
down the shaft to my cousin Jack DIM
ly and demanded that he release tho
rope, and my cousin Jack Dimly called
back up the shaft that he would hold
on until he was skeleton sooner than
allow the one he loved to return again
into the clutches of such a cruel father.
Then old Mr. Fyn retorted that his dust
would tumble down the shaft and get in
the eyes of the abominable suitor for
his daughters hand before he released
the rope. And he show cred down words
of rcproach and abuse upon his faithless
child, and my cousin Jack Dimly called
up to her to be of good cheer, as he was
near. She did not answer All night
long those two determined men clung
to the elevator cable Morning came,
and the sunlight WAS coming into the
kitchen, VIXEN Old Mr.. Pyn, nearly ex-
hausted, whispered hoarsely down the
shaft that the milliman would soon be
coming and proposed i, truce.
'My cousin replied that he dare not
let 60 lest the old man drag up the car.
Mr.. Pyn replied that he would give his
word of honor not to if the young man
likewise pledged himself not to drag it
down. The parley was Il long one, and
finally 1t was agreed that my cousin
should come up stairs, and that they
would raise Eyangeline together So
Jack Dimly went to the Pyn fiat, and,
with the irate father, drew up the car.
What did they tind? 1t was empty"
''Why, what became of Evangeline?"
cried my wife
''That WAS what puzzled old Mr.. Pyn
anu my COUSIN. f0Ht WAS gone. w mere
and how, neither knew. And, equally
bereaved, they made mp and rlourned
together.
SIT seems TO me Ev.reeline was !,
sort of genius yeAjured Lieutenant
Swash.
"She wasn't at all. She was simply
lovely girl" cried Mrs Ogglesby Pos
sitter, "She married another man, that
was all. a week later her father and
my cousin Jack Dimly got letter
from her from Niagara Falls, where she
was spending her honeymoon. She apol.
ogized and explained that she got off at
the third floor and eloped with a nice
young bachelor who lived there"
And how in the world had they be-
come acquainted:" cried my wife.
"Why, through the speaking tubes. of
course How else could they?"-Ncw
York Sun.