The San Francisco call., 1898-11-20

AdO gone QON II luS SIld1I OL IIAC
 Hard Luck mine. Some one said
 that Jim had been drinking. He
 was heard to shout soon after he reached the bottom of the shaft. Then came rumbling sound, and, few sec onds later. dust arose from the mouth of the shaft. There had been caVe-in AS Bradshaw did not signal to his part ner. Old Silas, to pull him up, the fact was plain that there was trouble In the mine.
 Bradshaw was not popular. In fact, he had earned fairly the uI-Wlu or every one in the camp by churllshneSS and bad temper Nevertheless, there was no lack of volunteers to go down to his rescue. But when a rope was fastened around Bill Akers and the "boys" began to lower him, strange suffocating smell came up the shalt. The cave-in had set free dangerous gases. Bill Akers had not travelled more than half his downward journey when he signaled to be pulled up. lmmedl- ately upon reaching the top Of the shaft. strong man that he was, he fell forward in a heap, fatnting.
 Then the miners, one anC all thought that Bradshaw must already be dead, and. after three other men had tired to reach the bottom of the shaft and had failed. they concluded that it would be impossible to reach the place where Bradshaw lay for several hours, at least.
 Then it was that Lucy Gray. Little Lucy" as she was called by all the camp. for she was mite of girl, al though eleven years old. suddenly rec ollected that when she had been down in the Bully Boy shaft, a few days be- fore, she had heard Bradshaw, or some one, at work very near and had told her father so. She insisted upon having party go down the Bully Boy shaft with her, to try to break through into the Hard Luck mine.
 Three cheers for Lucy" shouted the miners and thev were on their way di- reCtly.
 Armed with picks they dug acting under Lucy's direction. and soon were rewarded by making small opening into the adjoining mine. Through this rent came a rush of air, but 1t was not suffOcating. The caVe-in had made wall that shut the gas out from that part of the mine. Lucy w-uld not wait one moment for the aperture, which was surrounded by finty rock, to be enlarged. Placing a miners lamp upon her hat, she plunged boldly through the hole and soon her feet struck some thing soft It took but a second for her to see that she had found Brad shaw. But was he dead or alive?
 Her voice rang shrilly in that under ground place. Her lamp cast strange shadows in the shaft. Behind her she could hear the sound of picks, where the miners were toiIiry with all their might to enlarge the aperture in the rocky wall to let them get through. She placed her hand upon Bradshaw's wrist and fancied that his pulse was beating but very faintly. lis face was discOlored by blood. A stone had struck him on his head when the cave in in took plaqs and he had been wound
 Hurry. .oh hurry" shouted Lucy; .1y s+ -r-fl1 r, lot
 Answering shouts of CT engagement greeted her; but how long 1t seemedi She made her way back to the aperture and took flask of liquor from Harry Long, and with this ran to Bradshaw. She poured some of the liquor down his throat, and no member of the Red Cross could have acted more promptly or more braVely than she Directly Bradshaw sighed faintly. At that in- stant Lucy's lamp went out. She start ed to retrace her steps for another lamp, struck her head violently against a protecting stone and fell backward insensible.
 When the miners reached Bradshaw and did not see Lucy, they were greatly excited. A few paces distant Lucy was lying. Her father was first to reach her. She was alive, and, soon after she reached the fresh air. she was all right. Bradshaw was taken out with some difficulty. He recovered after a little.
 The next day was Thanksgiving. All the miners gathered at Harry Longs cabin to eat turkey and to celebrate Lucy was the guest of honor and many kind words were spoken to her. In the middle of the dinner time Bradshaw, who had been invited to the dinner, stood up and said:
 I'm not much at celerbratin' or at givin' presents; but I want to say, right here and right now, that Little Lucy is the bravest girl in all Cali forny and she saved my life"
 Right you are. Hurrah for Brad shaw" shouted Harry Long, good na- turedly.
 Thanks" said Bradshaw. "and I mean to say that I would never have