Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1899-07-13

| but pleasant face.
"Who's your map" he inquired
care you one O. that Dyer tribe?"
"My names Johnny Dyer, yes, sir.
''Then go home an tell your ma ]
amt dependin' on her advice-nor or
ST Dyer's neitherT' said Briggs, rough
ly. GO along with you'll"
Johnny moved away, much crestfall
| en-. He had scarcely reached the
| gate, however, when scream from
Toady recalled him.
"Oh, pal You'll be buried upp
cried the youthful Briggs, dancing
about on the mound.
Curious Johnny ran back to the els
tern.
"Put down that ladder-quickl'
Briggs commanded.
He was already to his knees in
sand and gravel. Half ton of earth
had suddenly caved into the cistern
and he was held firmly. Had the lad.
der been within reach it is doubtful il
it 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 caving cistern staring
down at the endangered man. Briggs
was already buried to his hips.
eco awayl Go away!" 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 sudden
inspiration. A strong, new flour 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
smotherea
lie rolled the batrel to the edge OF
the excavation, lifted it sturdily and
dropped it squarely over the mans
headi 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 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 a mighty smart boy
there, Siias," said Job, awkwardly.
"T--want ye to b'lieve Tn properly
grateful-for your help, too =
This amt exactly what 1 come for,
though. Electrics air goin' clear
through to Jonesyille in the spring
and the com'n'y's lookin' about for q
site for new power house and car
barn. It's got to be hereabout, too,
an / know er-for fact that they'll
buy part of your land an give you a
good price for it, big price, SEEM
that lands gone up so about here. All
you've got to do is to make 'em 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's smart cottage.
Johnny Dyer and Toady Briggs play
together now unmolested, for the feud
between the families was smothered
when the Briggs's cistern caved in.