Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-09-22

him.
It was rumored that Rufus Ford had
sent to Frisco for 'tdime-ant ring"
and that Kitty would wear it at the
dance that evening.
As often before, the dining-room OF
the Aurora hotel did service this night
as ballroom, and from the crowded
doorway Tom Reed looked at the
dancers, and he caught the fash of a
jewel on Kitty's hand.
After the dancing had progressed
some time the men about the walls be-
gan shouting:
a songi song from the sage brush
nightingale" Having no cold to urge
as an excuse, and being as willing to
have her, Kitty Minis mounted a chair
amid great applause and sang the IA
vorite songs. But the 'Suwanee
River" and Home, Sweet Home" were
not given tonight, there being no wish
to divert thought from the present
festivities to other scenes
During the evening Kitty managed
to get near to where Tom Reed was
standing. and she whispered:
Thank you, Tom"
His eyes did not deceive him. Some
of his flowers were in her dark hair,
and the golden heart hung from a
chain that encircled her smooth, white
throat.
Tom Reed did not wait longer. but
went to his cabin up the mountain side
and lay down, but it was not to sleep.
He could not define his feelings, could
give, if questioned, no adequate cause
for the tumultuous joy at his heart.
Hewas too happy for reason, too much
excited for rest.
It was near daylight when he fell
into a doze, but in his dreams he still
saw the blossoms in her hair and the
heart of gold upon her breast.
She was calling his name-louder-
louder. She was beating on the door.
"Tom Reed! Tom Reedi For Gods
sake, come out! The mine is on fire.
He sprang up and threw open the
door.
excited.
'See, Toni see! There are eight
men in the shaft and eight of them
married."
Tom Reed did not wait to hear more
He saw the pillar of smoke shooting up
from the mouth of the mine, about
which the people crowded, the bravest
not daring to descend the fatal open
ing. Even Rufus Ford had lost his
head and seemed paralyzed.
What are you about, Tom Reedi
Don't go down, man! Don't!" shout
ed the people.
"Stand by! the fire has not touched
the shaft. Pull up-usual signal"
That was all Tom Reed said. The
next instant he was lost to sight He
had gone down the chain, ''hand over
hand
Encouraged by this daring example.
the men got their senses and the wom-
en- hushed their wailing.
After long minutes, a signal came up
from the smoking depths. The sta
tionary engine was started, and the
bucket rose holding four blackened,
half-suffocated men.
Again the signal was given and again
the bucket rose, with four other men,
and one of them gasped out: ''For
heavens sake, lower awayi quick!
Tom Reed is roasting!"
The bucket flew down the shaft from
which 1urid heat gusts now came with
the smoke.
An awful lapse of agonizing seconds,
then came faint signal to Haul up!"
The bucket flew to the surface envel-
oped in flame.
A cry of horror burst from the
throats of strong men, and Kitty Minis
fell. fainting, beside the blackened,
blistered form that was snatched from
the mouth of the pit
'tAny other man but brave Tom Reed
would have died" was the general COM
ment weeks afterwards, when it was
found Tom would Twelve, but never
again to look up at the sky and the
hills that he loved.
.'Why-why did you go down ?" asked
Kitty, as she sat beside his bed, Won
dering why he was feeling her fingers
they had no jeweled ring now.
'sI thought of the wives of the mar
ried men, Kitty. I was single. What
mattered it so that saved them"
''Hushl Toni"
He felt a tear on his hand and he
knew her lips were near mis- sightless
face.
'You will want wife now, Tom Let
nv eyes do for both. Father is will
ing"
It is the privilege of queens to pro-
pose, but then Kitty was queen, and
she is none the less one now that she is
Mrs. Reed and the landlady of the Au-
rora hotel.
If Tom Reed ever bemoaDed his
calamity no one knew it-not even the
wife, from whom he could have no Sc
crets.-N. Y. Ledger.
Second Thoughts.
The sound of the door closing behind
him fell like a kneu.