The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1901-02-14

practice could do.
Ross Duncan lay like q dead man.
He was Of powerful build and looked
very stern and hard even as he lay
there helpless. There was a terrible
cash over one of his eyes. He was
covered with blood and dust, bruised
from head to foot, with clothes torn
and disfgured, but he had not lost con-
sciousness. and, with the iron will
which had always characterized him,
he managed to let the doctor know his
wishes.
"All right, all right. Mr.. Duncan"
said the doctor In reply to a whisper
from the wounded man. II won't give
you any an@sthetic II you don't want
It. l shall have to sew up this little
place over your eye, though. Has that
tortoise got around with that case
yet" he asked Stuart, who had left
Louise q minute to come over to the
bed.
"He hasn't had time yet, doctor"
"Why didn't he take my horse?"
growled the doctor. How is Louise?"
"Better. But what terrible fall ia.
ther must have had"
Stuart felt for his fathers hand, and
Ross Duncan's fingers closed over those
of his son. Stuart kneeled by the bed
and kissed his fathers cheek as he
used to do when boy. The older man
was evidently moved by the caress. A
tear rolled over his face.
"Come now," broke in the doctor, ap-
parently gruffer than ever. zone would
think you two hadn't seen each other
for year at least! We must get him
ready for the operation. Stuart you
promised to help me. Give me your at
tention now."
The doctor soon had his patient as
comfortable as the nature Of the inju-
ries would allow. The case arrived,
the cash was sewed up quickly, and
at the end Of the hour Ross Duncan
was resting under the influence Of
draft, while the doctor, Stuart and
Louise were In another room talking
over the accident.
The sister of Stuart Duncan was very
pretty, very proud and very selfish. She
was 9 years younger than her broth
er. She had been two years to finish
ing school in New York. but had not
finished any particular branch Of study.
She could play the piano little and
the harp little and do other things.
except housework. a little. She lay on
the lounge now. with Stuart near by
stroking her head, and told the story
of the accident:
"Father and started to drive down
to the station this morning to meet
you. Stuart. When we reached the
crossroad leading up to the Forge mine,
we were early for the train. and father
drove up to the engine house on some
business. When we got up there. the
miners were gathering to march down
to the square. It was the first news of
the strike we had had. Father was
very much excited and talked to the
men to persuade them to 60 back to
work. Some Of them talked back in the
most insulting way: said they were
free men and did not have to work for
a corporation and all that You know
how they talk. Stuart. Nothing makes
father SO angry, and don't blame him.
/ think the men are simply horrid to
make all this trouble just now as !
was getting ready to 60 east for that
yachting cruise with the Vasplaines,
and this strike will probably stop their
going.
"Then father jumped out of the car.
riage and was going to give one Of the
men who insulted him a good thrash.
ing. and serve him right, when the rest
came around and made him get into
the carriage again. l never saw IA.
ther so angry, and was scared almost
to death, the men were so rough. We
drove back to the crossroad, and at
that steep turn by that old Beury shaft
we came upon crowd Of miners
marching into town from the lower
range. They were carrying a large
white banner with some horrid pic.
ture on 1t. The horses were frightened
and turned and ran right toward the
old shaft. don't know what hap.
pened then, only we were thrown out.
and 1t Is miracle that was not kill
Ell. Jem, the coachman. was driving,
and he fell on pile of shaft ore. He
ran up to the house and got the other
horses and brought father and me
home. l tainted away several times,
and when saw father laid on the bed
with that awful cash on his head !
thought he was killed. II he dies. the
miners will be to blame. II It hadn't
been for their going out on this strike.
this horrible accident would not have
happened. It's all as horrid as 1t can
be!'
At this point Louise burst into
great fit Of hysterical crying.
Dear, you must have been hurt by
the fall" cried Stuart rs he soothed
and comforted her.
mo. no! was not even bruised"
replied Louise. She stopped crying and
sat up on the lounge and began to ar
range her hair.