Middletown transcript., 1903-02-07

do out 10 SnOuIQef bnelr PICKS
and go heroically at it, ever hop
ing, as all mining men do, that
tomorrow, or next week they
would strike a higher grade Of
ore, sufficient at least to warrant
the employment of other labor,
and thus develop it in all direc-
ton, till some day, great gold
nuggets might reward them.
| The boss in Denver was the
only man among them who had
wealth, and much of his was tied
up in other mines. The ore,
which had promised SO much al
first, scarcely paid for the hand
ling, and he was loothe to invest
money. There was some talk OF
abandoning it.
"Now there, little girl. said
| M. Jeffrey, as Elizabeth was
safely settled in the bucket.
"CThe E. Mine had not arrived
| at the dignity of a 'cage9. And
here is Harry. Harry frequently
went down in the mine with his
father, and begged to go Just this
once with 'Lizbeth). And here
is your candle; and here am I.
AS there isn't any place in your
stateroom for me, / shall have to
! stand on the rim and hold on to
the rope. But I feel at home
here. This is the way / always
go down. Now Joe, be careful.
Precious cargo this time"
eyes, sir. I knows that sir
said Joe, as he took hold of the
wheel and lowered the bucket
slowly.
"We will stopat the first level, !"
said Mr.. Jeffrey, as he stepped
off on the landing, and swinging
the bucket in. he helped the oc-
cupants out. "How does it feel,
Elizabeth, to be suspended sew
eral hundred feet in the air?"
Fairly well," she said, with a
stout bucket around me and Mr..
Jeffrey near by
Half an hour later Joe was.
wakened out of a meditation by
a dull, heavy rumbling, and the
shaft-house creaked and tremb-
led. He stood riveted to the spot
his eyes string, his face white.
After an age, it seemed to him,
the bell rang sharply twice. He
lowered the bucket like flash.
THANK the good Lord! some
body's alive down there he ejac-
ulated. Immediately there were
three rings and he hoisted it. Mr..
jeffrey, pale as death, leaped out.
"Run, Joe, get help, quick,
part of the mine has fallen in !!
Miss Elizabeth--Harry hegasped
Joe shot out Of the shaft-house
like a cannon ball.
Joe came back in an hour, with
score of men and said that |
more were following. How he
got those men in an hour, only |
God knows. Joe never could |
tell.
II left them to signal Joe for
something, and the crash came, /"
explained Mr.. jeffrey to the pale
faced men. sit is impossible to
get at them from the mine. 1t lis
solid rock there, and we do not
know how far throughit From
the top is the only hope. Here
it will be partly sandstone and
limestone, at least. Thank God
they are on the first level, and if
they are alive now, 1 believe we
can save them,' and his lips
quivered.
30, God, my little boyr' "It
is horrible -"
"The ground slopes over this
part of the mine. That is an
other chance. For Gods sake
boys, we must save them said
Tom, hoarsely.,
Will said nothing but his face
was like ashes.
Jack and Tim were speechless
mortified.
Poor Mrs. Giles wrung her
hands, and besought God for her1
boy and Elizabeth.
How like tigers they worked,
tearing up the earth feverishly, |
fendishly, with shovel and pick
and drill! Perhaps you have
looked on at a drilling contest, I
and were calmly interested. I'll
you could see men work at the
rocks when human lives are be-
meath them!
Two days and nights they |
worked like wild men, relieving
each other at stated intervals.
The news spread and people
came from other mines and from
the terminus of the railroad, and
forgetful of hunger and cold,
l.