Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1906-09-14

don't see how I am ever going to get out
alive. Put your hand In my pocket and
take out my watch and my money. Do
as | tell YOU" he commanded, as Norris
protested "Ill give you what's In the
purse, If you get me out Of this all right.
There's nearly hundred I'm that. Yes,
I'll make It two-fifty II you get me up"
do you think I'm n bloodsucker? l
amt doing this Job for pay. j need money
just now as bad as anybody; but / don't
have to be bribej TO help a man out OF
danger. Don't YOU know that there are
men In the mines who have carried an
injured dago up such a place as this on
their shoulders. rather than let him die
at the foot OF the shaft? DO you suppose
/ want your blood on my hands2 I'm
ready to do all can for you; and 1 don't
want your money, nohowl'
Sitting waves Of heat began to surge
upward a reek Of smoke and oil The
steam pipes. in spite Of their asbestos
coverings, gave off large amount of
heat. One and another of the men be-
gan to look upward, but the gray patch
at the top seemed as small as ever. The
sweltering climbers began to go more
slowly. Then Hatton passed up the word:
Let the men who are freshest pass on.
while the others take turns resting on the
platforms"
A little later ne called up: Don't hold
the platforms too long Show the men
must hang below his companion"
Presently there was a swish of falling
water, like the first big drops of al
| thunder storm. Hatton shouted, They've
| turned the fire nose on us!' Whereat
| Romer swore.
You'd ought to thank God, young
man, stead o. swearin'." his companion
said, simply. THAT drip o. water is
carryin' down a current o. fresh air
| thatn maybe save our lives"
After a few moments the air did seem
cooler, and although the water fell faster
and drenched them until their clothes
| hung heavily on their shoulders, vet they
| breathed more easily and climbed more
| steadily.
Still, II was weary struggle. Fingers
| were lacerated and benumbed; arms
| ached until II seemed as though they
| would be drawn from their sockets: heads
| buzzed and swami so that the brain
\ seemed hardly to direct the movements
Of climbing, while the hands went on
fumbling automatically for the timbers
| No man passed n platform now without
| resting. 1t seemed TO the climber that
he had hardly begun to relax his weary
| muscles and catch his breath until some
| savage face. which seemed In the increas-
| Ing light to be blacker and more haggard
than the last. appeared over the edge of
| the platform and demanded the place
When they reached the top OF the shaft.
men were ready TO seize the climber by
the arms and hoist him into safety. The
| coal company's ambulance stood backed
| up by the engine house Blankets were
in readiness. and each shivering coal
dealer was wrapped up and hurried OF
to the hotel.
The crowd Of women and children from
the village, alarmed by the sight OF the
ambulance. grew greater every moment.
AS each Of the miners climbed out ne
/ nv
Der Of his family. The men laughed at
the needless excitement OF the women.
but they could not quite reassure those
whose fathers or husbands had not yet
come to the surface.
II was through Hatton's management
that the men came up safely. He seemed
to be just where he was needed upon the
ladders. generally coming to the relief OF
some miner who found his fellow climber
too heavy n burden to be sustained alone.
For the last 200 feet Hatton had brought
up a double guard OF miners for those
members OF the party who seemed likely
| to become exhausted. Those two guards
climbed with their shoulders beneath
the arms of their burden. thus support
ing and guarding him as well.
| At last the women were all quiet but
two. A little apart from the rest Rosy
Kline sat on the bumpers OF the low mine
| car. her face flushed with anxiety vet
fearless, rocking TO and fro, and never
taking her eyes from the shaft Her
mother lowered over her weeping softly.
The scene brought back the tragedy OF
her own life. when she had waited for
days. with other agonized women. for
| the husband who never came back TO her
| Don't look so Rosy. darling" she
whispered. cut to the heart by the despair
in Rosy's face. Il won't say anything
more against your marrying him. He
can come and live with U.S. and Wen get
| along somehow"
IF he comes out, mother"
Don't say that child; he'll come out
all right"-tThe outlook.