The Opelousas courier., 1899-12-02
BARWOOD MINE,
BY r CRANE.

that was the name we'd given IL
level that was maxim toward the OIL
shaft, after the mar that worked it.
But I couldn't keep quiet no longe
and 50 l just up and spoke out m
mind to the manager that mornin',a an
at first he laughed; and then, when
got the map and p'inted out the bea7
ms Of the workin's, and the distanc
we'd holed out toward the old shaft
he began to look kind of thoughtful
and eays he:
eth do no harm to look into til
matter, anyhow, my man, and I'll d
it the end of this week; won't hay
time before then. Well go down to
gether, and if / see any reason TO
your fears, we'll stop workin' towar.
the shaft-though our best vein lie
that way, tool"
So / had to be content with that
and | was, pretty much, for, as I said
l didn't suspect tie danger to be yer,
near.
Well, in spite Of all I could do, m,
little Bessie vas bent on goin' down
into the mine with me, and go sht
did, though her pretty, red cheeks
got kind of bleached out as the cage
let us down into the black depths o.
the shaft.
But when we landed safe, aud she
went about among the black-smeared
miners, with their lighted candles in.
side the lamps or their caps, she was
just delighted; and when I got ready
to take her back to the sunshine ag'in,
she fatty refused to go, till l had
showed her the level where l thought
the danger would be.
Cause" says she, IF you stop
workin' it and shut it UP, I can't
go there, while I can go all
over the rest of the mine any time;
so you must take me now, Harry, and
then 1 won't bother you ag'in."
So there was nothin' for it but to
put her on n of the cars and push
her over the mile of rail that led to
Bakers stall, and, so as to see better,
l took my lamp off my cap, and
fastened it on the side of the car.
We had gone pretty near the whole
distance, when I saw somethin' that
made my heart sink like lead. The
fame of the candle inside the lamp
begun to flicker and get dim, and then
fash up, and twice, when the trap
boys opened the gates for us to pass,
it heightened out and p'inted straight
'em, as if it wanted to git out and
,corch 'em.
didn't want to skeer Bessie, but I
l was powerful skeered my
self, and was just maxim up my mind
o turn right round and go back a.
asst as [ could, when I heard a fearful
rash and roar, and the next instant I
Jaw Baxter and his mate a-runnin'
oward us with all their might.
1.-The waters broke through!" they
houted, when they saw us. "Get
nto one of the %up::slopes, for your
I didn't need no second warnin'.
he water was rushin' by up to nv
.nees before they had done, and /
snatched Bessie out of the car and
ashed, or rather plowed, along as
asst as I could, Baxter helpin' me, till
re all got safe into the nearest rise,
nd by that time the water was up to
ne roof in the main level.
W. ran till we got to the highest
oint of the slope, and then we
and looked at each other by
ne light of u lamps-leastwise by
'axter's and his mates, for mine was
1T on the car, of course, and the
'hite color we all was showed startlin'-
Ike through the black streaks, maxim
8 look more like COLLINS than human
At first We could only wonder how
sep the water vas goin' to get before
stopped risin'; for all We knowed,
II awhile, it looked as if we was
Din to be drownded, after all, like
It's i'll a trap.
The water rushed up the slope rapid
first, and then crept up slower and
over, till. when it got about ten
srds from us, it stopped risin', and
zen We had time to think a bit about
hat it oil meant.
1t wasn't pleasant thinkin', either;
r we miners knowed just what we
id to expect-to be starved to death
rere we was; for it didn't seem as if
lipan hands could help us a bit;
lUtup in that narrow, black tunnel.
+. or below the blessed sunlight.
I cursed myself for lettin'
y Bessie come down with me! I
'pe there amt many men. as has
suffer the remorse l did then-and
er since, for that matter-and I felt
the worse, if that could be, when
9 brave little woman put her arms
ound me, and said she was glad she
Is there; that she'd rather die with
. than live without me; and that if j,
e had been above ground, she would
grievin' more for me than now
she could help me and suffer
tn me.
It was a hard pull, and no mistake.
lere we was with just enough food
long us to last for two days, by bein' j
reful, and we was thankful for that j
lch. 1t wasn't usual for the men !
take their dinners down in the +,
ne, but Baxter's stall was SO far (,
IN the shaft, that he and his mate. ,
time and walkin', took theirs
'ng, and, as it happened, I had ,
ought some lunch, thinkin' Bessie !
ght want somethin' before I was
ldy to take her back. ,
20 We could get along without suf- .
in SO much for two days, but after t
It?
It sickens me now to think Ct the :
er0r Of &laf .&inaa - !.