Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1902-12-31

Boom, came from below, a pun OF
blush smoke curling upward above the
platform planks.
"One!" whispered Blakesly. drawing
away from the choking powder.
BOOM
Two" gasped Higgins. holding bis
hat over his mouth and kneeling TO
peer downward
do you see anything-hear any
thing?" demanded Kingman hoarsely.
Higgins turned despaIring face to
ward Kingman and shook his head.
Boom,
From under them came a sOdden roar
which seemed to rive the earth asun-
der. Kingman was thrown from his
feet. and the others Oh the platform
flung out their hands In an attempt To
grasp something and support them
selves. Up from the blackness rolled
billow of sulphurous fog.
Fritz was mad TO 90 down there"
said Kingman. They're both lost.
What are you doing. Blakeslyg"
Blakesly had jerked of his coat and
was wrapping It about his head.
IF they're not both done for now"
be replied in mufled tones. they soon
will be If we Cont get them up. Stand
ready to man the whim rope when
shake it,"
He crawled gropingly TO the ladder
and lowered himself All watched the
rope breathlessly. Finally. after a wait
that seemed hours in duration. the sig
nal was given. and stout hands drew
the bucket TO the surface
little head lay against the buckets
rim. and n white childish face met the
eyes Of the men. Allie, Kingman took
her out Of the bucket. She was uncon.
scious. but the miracle was that she
did not appear TO be hurt Not n stone
Of all that flying debris had struck her.
She was given into the eager. trem-
bling arms OF her father. who started
at run for the boarding house.
Meanwhile the bucket had again
been lowered. The signal from Blakes-
ly was longer I'm coming than the first
had been. and when the bucket was
drawn up a second time II was found
TO contain Fritz-Fritz. bruised. torn
and bleeding. his clothes all but
stripped from bis body. Tender hands
lifted him TO the platform and stretched
his mangled limbs out on the rough
planks. They thought he was dead.
but his eyelids quivored unexpectedly
and partly opened
Il vas between Allie und der rocks" g"
he whispered weakly. "She vas in nv
arms und nOdding touched her II vas
my mistake. und it's all right. all
right"
His spirit fiickered and went out
even as the all right faded from his
lips.
Blakesly had to be helped TO the sur
face, for his work in the noisome va
pOr had told upon him. 4 few breaths
OF fresh air were all he needed. and
when he had revived sufficiently he
told how he had CROPPED his way along
the tunnel and had found Fritz lying
among the Spllntered rocks. Allie
clasped in his rigid arms. her body pro
tected by his own
That afternoon Andy and Blakeslv
found n battered silver watch. an old
pocketbOOk containing s. and a gold
nugget all on the floor OF the fifty foot
level
That is exactly where Fritz and Al
lie were lying" said Blakesly.
Sh-h-h-h.' whispered the foreman.
slipping the purse with its contents and
the watch and nugget into his pocket
'Not word about this. Blakesly. 10
any living man. Leave me to deal with
the matter"
The following morning Baker was
surprised 10 discover that his twenty
dollar nugget was back In his trunk.
and Higgins. when he put on his best
suit 10 so TO Fritz's funeral found the
pOcketbOok with the 81 securely slowed
sway in the breast Of his coat.
Blamed if didn't haul over every
thing in my trunk dozen times look
ing for that chunk OF gold" remarked
Baker. IF II had been a snake, IL would
have bitten me"
Il went through the pockets Of all
the clothes I've got hunting for that
purse" spoke up Higgins. And to
| think that we ever suspected Fritz
Think nothing but good OF the dead.
boys" said Andy. with feeling. Come
/ on The minister is ready"
He Wasn't Fooled.
A good story has recently been re-
vived Of a once famous publisher. He
was man well acquainted with gener-
al literature. and IL was often said OF
him that he never failed to name the
author of any given passage. 4 would
be Wit. thinking 10 have little fun al
| this gentleman's expense. told his
| friends at dinner party before the
1 said publishers arrival that he had
| himself written some verses in imita.
( ton Of SOuthey. and that he intended
| TO puzzle old p with the question OF
their authorship.
Accordingly. later in the evening the
wag quoted his lines and, turning 10
Mr.. F, he said: II am sure they are
Southey's from their style. but l can
not remember where they occur. OF
course you can tell usF'
Il cannot say l remember them" re-
| piled Mr F. but there are only
two periods in Southey's life when be
could have written them"
when were those?" asked the Joker,
with wink at his friends
Either in his infancy OF his dOta ger
was the quiet reply.
Economical.
Farmer Skinfint (reading Sign)-
'Eyesight Tested Free Of Charge.
Gracious! Mandy. in l so an find out
ftso l,t,rt;ts - ....