The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-09-28

y
years to come"
The younger men gradually dropped
off Que at n time, reluctantly leaving
the field to Rufus Ford the only ex-
ception was Tom Reed.
1t might be said, however, that Tom
Reed was really never in the field. He
did not board at the Aurora hotel.
Kitty had never ''sweetened his coffee
by looking into it'-a plan that was
thought to save her father much sugar.
He had never danced with her, though
once when he did muster up courage
to ask her hand for the next set, she
was engaged.
Tom Reed spent many of his spare
hours at the hotel, watching for Kitty
Minis, and pretending not to see her
when she came in sight.
On her nineteenth birthday Tom
sent her bouquet of wild flowers he
had gathered in the hills that morning
in honor of the occasion the whole
camp took holiday-and in the cen
tire of the blossoms he hid n golden
heart which he had himself rudely
fashioned from nugget he had long
kept by him.
1t was rumored that Rufus Ford had
sent to Frisco for "dime-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 a ballroom, and from the
crowded doorway Tom Reed looked
at the dancers, and he caught the fash
of jewel on Kitty's hand.
After the dancing had progressed
some time the men about the walls
began shouting:
"a song! song from the sage brush
nightingalew Having no cold to urge
as an excuse, and being as willing to
oblige them as they were anxious to
have her, Kitty Minis mounted chair
amid great applause and sang the
favorite songs. But the "Suawnee
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:
''rhank 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 any longer,
but went to his cabin up the noun
tain side and lay down, but it wasnot
TO sleep. He could not define his
feelings, could give, if questioned, no
adequate cause for the tumultuous Joy
at his heart. He was too happy for
reason, too much excited for rest.
1t was near daylight when he fell
into 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 Reed For Gods
sake, come out! The mine is on fire!"
He sprang up and threw open the
door.
There stood Kitty, white-faced and
excited.
'',See, Tom! 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 opening. Even Rufus Ford had
lost his head and seemed paralyzed.
"What are you about, Tom Reed!
Don't go down, man! Don't!' shout
ed the people.
''Stand byl 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
women hushed their wailing.
After long minutes, signal came
up from the smoking depths. The
stationary 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 away, quick!
Tom Reed is roasting!"
The bucket few down the shaft
from which lurid heat gusts now came
with the smoke.
An awful lapse of agonizing seconds,
then came a signal to ''Haul upv'
The bucket few to the surface en-
veloped 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.
"Any other man but bravo Tom
Reed would have died." was the
general comment weeks afterwards,
when it was found Tom would live
live, but never again to look up at the
hills that he loved.
"Why-why did You go DOWN."
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