The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1899-06-27

but pleasant face.
who's your map" he inquired.
care you one o that Dyer tribe?"
My names Johnny Dyer, yes, sir. E"
Then so home an tell your ma 1
| amt dependin' on her advice-nor on
81 Dyer's neither" said Briggs, rough
iy. go along with you"
johnny moved away, much crestfall-
en-. He had scarcely reached the
gate, however, when a scream from
Toady recalled him.
ooh, pa! You'll be buried up"
cried the youthful Briggs, dancing
about on the mound.
Curious Johnny ran back to the els
tern.
Put down that ladder-quick!"
Briggs commanded.
He was already to his knees in
sand and gravel. Half n ton of earth
/ had suddenly caved into the cistern
and he was held firmly. Had the lad.
der been within reach it is doubtful if
1T would have aided him.
He saw this in a minute himself.
The soil continued to settle, breaking
off the sides in great. ragged Jumps,
and packing firmly about his limbs
where the Jumps rolled down and
broke.
keep away from the edge!' he
cried. run for help. boys"
Toady was screaming for his mother,
Johnny, for moment, seemed unable
to move. He stood dangerously near
the verge of the caviug cistern staring
down at the endangered man. Briggs
was already buried to his hips.
"Go away! Go awayl" shouted the
man seeing him. you'll fall in, too"
Then Johnny regained his power of
motion. He started for the line fence
to call his father. He could hear the
| steady blows of his axe at the wood
pile behind the house. But at the
corner of the Briggs he had n sudden
inspiration. y strong, new -four bar
rel stood just there
The boy, young as he was, could
reason from cause to effect. He knew
that if the sand and gravel continued
to cave in upon Mr.. Briggs he would
be completely covered and soon
smothered.
He rolled the batrel to the edge OF
the excavation, lifted it sturdily and
dropped it squarely over the mans
head He sprang back then, for all
sides of the hole seemed to suddenly
cave together.
But Johnny picked himself up and
was half way across the lot to his
father when the terrified Mrs. Briggs
and Toady appeared on the scene.
The cistern was then a wide, yawning
cavity, half full of gravel, and Mr..
| Briggs and the barrel were completely
covered
Fortunately Mrs. Briggs swooned.
When she recovered her senses the
yard was full of neighbors who were
working under the direction of Silas
Dyer to liberate her husband. After
two hours hard digging the exhausted
Briggs was rescued. He was badly
bruised and almost lifeless, but the
barrel had saved him from being com
pletely smothered.
a few days thereafter Briggs hob
bled over to see Mr.. Dyer.
You've got mighty smart boy
there, Silas," said Job, awkwardly.
'I-want ye to b'lieve I'm properly
grateful-for your help, too
This amt exactly what l come for,
though. Electrics air goin' clear
through to JonesYiIle in the spring
and the com Us loolin' about for a
site for new power house and car
barn. It's got to be hereabout, too,
an 1 know-er-for fact that they'll
buy part of your land an give you
good price for it, big price, seem
that lands gone up so about here All
you've got TO do is to make EN- an
offer"
1t is enough to say that Silas made
the company an offer for his land. A
new house occupies the site of the old
dwelling. On one side is the great
brick power house and on the other
hand the Briggs smart cottage.
johnny Dyer and Toady Briggs play
together now uumojested, for tie feud
between the families was smothered
when the Briggs's cistern caved in.