The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1906-12-13

Ann SWO1ar0 was boiling the sorghum /
n when the kettle was ready to be
taken from the fire the girls two
lovers stood ready to assist her. one
on either side. Zeke Pendley was a
big, broad-shouldered handsome fel.
low, but there was Just a little some.
thing wanting in his character. Lige
Burton was awkward. honest and
ugly. Ann was deeply agitated over
the situation. She glanced quickly
from n To the other of the rivals.
then hesitatingly turned toward Zeke.
l.ige's eyes fell, and he felt a sudden
sickness at heart. But he arose II
his frame grew wonderfully erect for
a moment, as Zeke removed the kettle
from the fire.
After the contents OF the kettle had
een distributed, then men began to
choose partners for the pulling. Ann
was trembling. She feared a repeti-
ton of the thing which had happened
at the fireplace, and she dreaded it.
She was not ready to make so pointed
a decision; for she had learned to rely
upon Lige Burton's friendship, though
she admired Zeke Pendley's good
looks. But fate was a guest of the
candy breakin', and before Ann could
realize how 1t had happened again she
was standing between Zeke and Lige
and both were asking her favor at
the same time. Ann was ready to
burst into tears: but biting her lip
hard to suppress it's %quivering, she
gave her hand to Zeke.
Was 1t you that spoke first?" she
asked.
But IL vas Lige who answered her
question, as he thrust his hands into
his pockets and sadly turned away.
YES, Ann" he said, II reckon Zeke
was ahead O me-
The moon had climbed far over the
mountain when Lige left Amos Swof-
fard's. He was the first of the guests
to depart, and he crept along up the
trail in no hurry to get home.
Lige Burton and Zeke Pendley were
foremen at the Clay Hill mines, and
they had to use considerable argument
to induce some members of their re-
spective squads TO follow them into
the old Hellshole tunnel which had
been reOpened on he morning after
the candy beaking at Amos Swotfard's.
This tunnel had bee abandoned two
years before OF o of its flooding
from an underground stream which
had Deer tapped. But the company
had installed a powerful pump which
had the capacity of relieving the tun-
mel of over 5000 gallons of water per
minute. AS long as this pump was
. working the stream could be turned
up through the deep shaft and out
upon the side of the mountain, leav.
ing the men to work in safety.
Only a few days after the opening
a sudden thrush of water submerged
the feet of the miners. and a great
shout came down b shaft: All hands
M of the H~ellshole!"
The big new pump, for some unac'
countable reason, had stopped work
ing. and the mine was fast becoming
flooded. The ore bucket came rafting
down the shaft and the men, three al
a time, began to ascend The tive
foremen brought up the rear of the
procession.
Up went the bucket a second time
and when it descended again the
water had reached the mems waists
At the third descent Zeke PendleI
made a movement TO crowd through
the other miners toward the tub bu'
Lige seized his arm.
we go up last, Zeke," he said; ="
don't reckon ye ever hyeard OF a cap
tain a quittin' his sinkin' ship til
every man was off, did ye?"
ZeRe fell back and the tub arose
and descended once more. Again an'
again the ore bucket rose with its hu
man freight, and descended empty
and in the meantime those still wait
ing had been swept off of their fee
at the bottom of the shaft and wer'
struggling hard to keep their head
above water. And the cramp wa
slowly stealing upon their limbs.
"The man at stays here mucl
longer will have TO be fished out,
growled Zeke, as once more he mad
an effort to reach the bucket ahea'
of some of his fellows.
well, we're goin' TO risk it" sal
Lige. again restraining his fellow fore
man. while sustaining himself in tn
water.
Like drowning rats in a rain barre
five men at the bottom of the shat
struggled almost hopelessly and wal
ed for another descent OF the Tub. Tn
moments dragged and presently on
head sank beneath he water with
gurgle in the throat Lige Burton 10
lowed. But he rose again, supportin
his fellow. thus sharing ths littl
strength remaining to Inn.
IL persuaded ye In here, little mn
he murmured, a I'm goin TO CAV
We the lifi X l IAN"
The tub y~:ssoonded. Lige manage
10 catch the rim. and. pulling 1t dow
commanded one of the last s~trugghn
miners to get into it. This the ma
did with difficulty. frozen and stin a