Arizona republican., 1900-10-16
WEEDS SIGHTLESS CRIPPLE

Tn July of this year there was an unusually disastrous explosion in a Nevada mining camp. It terrified the little town of De Lamar, where the workmen lived with their families. for the explosion occurred in what is known as the April Fool mine.
 De Lamar has been the scene of many heartrspdiug accidents sin the past. The drifts and tunnels and shafts in that vicinity have echoed with the shrieks of the dying and the groans of the wounded. Fires. eX- plosions and cave-ins have brought suffering to the miners and sorrow to those at their fireside. And so, when the people heard d sullen. subterran- can sound, and a quivering of the ground beneath the feet of those whO walked near the April Fool mine. the import of those signs was only too well understood.
 Ernestine McHamilton was one of the first to reach the mine. She leaned a white, agonized face over the shaft, from which there came, borne slowly, carefully in the arms of comrades, such strange shapes that even the stout-hearted miners turned away from them with misty eyes.
 Ernestine's lover, John Corkish, was foreman of the April Fool mine
 Presently they brought something from the black hole of torment and death that Ernestine McHamilton rec ognized with the instinct born of love.
 The something showed the havoc that the explosion had wrought with the athletic frame and handsome facr of John Corkish. His eyes had been blown from his head. His right hand was SO crushed as to require amputa- tion. His breastbone had been broken. His left hand was blown off.
 His sweetheart mourned him as one already dead But he was a young man with youths vigor and health. The breath of life was yet in his body though the sight of his sweetheart's $ pretty face was now forever denied hin.-
 He was removed to the Holy Cross hospital at Salt Lake. There the al most hopeless task that taxed medical skill began-the healing of a sadly shattered body.
 Some six weeks later, the hospital staff being unable to do more for him, COrkish returned to De Lamar.
 He offered to release his sweetheart, but she refused to accept her freedom. She could not forget that she had vowed to wed the handsome miner John Corkish. Il was no fault of his that he was now a scared and crfp- ped creature, blinded and bereft, just when life seemed fairest and brightest IL was no fault of his that the morn ing of hope had been succeeded by the blackness of nights despair
 'I will marry you" she said
 And she has. The 17th day of August was to have been their wedding day A license was obtained, but no one ! could be fcurd in De Lamar who would perform the ceremony. It was agreed | by all that the groom was physically unable to provide for wife.
 Miss McHamilton resolved to go to Salt Lake. where the authorities would be less particular The couple there fore travelled by stage to the nearest railway station where tickets were | bought for Salt Lake.
 l At Salt Lake the sightless eyes of l the groom were provided with artifi- | cial ones. Everything that the brave | girl could think of to improve his ap- I pearance was dcne. and finally the | ceremony was performed.
 l Mrs. Corkish. it is said, will engage l in business in Salt Lake City. She will open millinery store when sine has earned sufficient money over and above their daily expenses to make the venture. She has no fears for the flu ture. and declares that it will be her l greatest happiness to care for the man 1 she adores.-Chcago Journal