Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1901-07-03
BILLY SMITH.


He had wandered into the village half
dozen years before, with a dirty,
limping cur at his heels. When he was
asked his name, he said it was only
Billy, nothing more. So they stuck
Smith to the Billy because it was easy
and rugged him out with a full name.
"Haud the pup" ne said quietly,
"and let me gaze doom" An elderly wo-
man who had three sons in the pit
blessed him, with tears streaming
down her cheeks, while the men stood
back abashed and half ashamed. Billy
was lowered quickly, and In few mo-
ments-it seemed like an eternity to the
wailing women above-he signaled for
the cage to be brought up. 1t carried
three men and boy, blackened. chok-
ing, but unhurt.
A few of the rescue party went
down with the cage again, for the
shaft was clearer now, and more OF
the entoinbed miners were quickly sent
to the top Then the horrors of the
scene began to present themselves.
There had been a great upheaval in the
mine by the force of the explosion
and the passages were hopelessly
choked up with tons Of fallen coal and
debris. More men went to the rescue.
They dug their picks into the awful
wall In front of them, urged on by the
energy Of despair. Night fell, but still
the monotonous ring of the picks
struck through the mine, which even
now was the tomb of many a strong
man struck down in his prime. Pres
emily sort of opening was made into
the stubborn wall of coal which
blocked up the way and mans arm
protruded. The victim was quickly
dug out and conveyed to the pit mouth.
He was beyond all human help. He
was not badly mangled; he had simply
been choked to death by the fire damp.
His widow had lowered all the day
near the pit and in the blackness of
the night the pickering lights of the
lamps shed feverlshly on her wan face.
They had been married only a month
and she was on her way to the pit with
her husbands dinner when the roar of
the explosion reached her ears. The
dead man was tenderly laid at her feet.
She flung herself on the body, kissed
the poor blackened face and patted the
limp, lifeless hands as she cried out:
Speak to me, John! Fo: Gods sake
speak to mel"
AS the rescuers in the mine dug far
Their into the opening they had made
the deadly fire damp rushed through
and drove them back. The fatal fumes
pursued them, and they hurriedly gave
the signal to be drawn up till the pit
could be cleared of the foul air. Only
half witted Billy Smith remained. You
see, he did not know much. He flung
himself on the damp ground and lay
there for hours, helpless and half con-
scious.
BY and by his dull intelligence told
him of the buried miners in their living
tomb beyond. He took up pick and
dug, dug, dug, slowly at first, but some
G cd given feeling within him prompted
him to persistently work. For seven
hours he dug on till the ring of his pick
reached the entombed men. Sweeter
music never struck mortal ears. They,
too, seized their picks and dug through
the black wall to meet their rescuer.
Suddenly it fell through, and hole
was left large enough for mans body
to pass through. Day was breaking at
the pit mouth when the weary. wretched
watchers there were startled to receive
a signal for the cage. 1t was quickly
lowered and came up presently with
grewsome collection Of limbs that had
been torn off dead bodies and living men.
The work of rescue now went brave
ly on, and the awful extent OF the ca
lamity was soon discovered. A dozen
or so more miners were dug out alive,
and as each pit load reached the mouth
the rescued miners were seized by their
friends and hurried off to the village
public house. Soon the sounds of rev.
elry swept down to the pit mouth,
where wornout, broken hearted women
stood waiting for their dead and strong
men sobbed for their boys. The dead
miners were drawn up the shaft in
pitiable state. Some had had their arms
or legs torn off, others had lost their
heads, while more had their faces so
blackened that the scorched skin peeled
off at touch.
Suddenly somebody in the crowd
cried, "Where's Billy SMITH" Nobody
knew, and two good natured miners
volunteered to go down the shaft to
see If he had been hurt in the mine.
They searched perfuncterily enough,
for they did not suppose that he had
been left behind. But faint moan
reached their ears from among the
debris, which had fallen near the hole
that had been battered in for the rescue
OF the entombed miners. They cleared
the rubbish away quickly and pulled
out a man. Yes. it was Billy. He had
dug his own grave. He was hauled to
the top and laid down. Brandy was
poured down his throat, and by and by
he opened his eyes. "Whaur's my
dog?" he family choked out. Somebody
brought the cur to him and laid it in
his arms He hupped IL closely and