St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1912-05-29

no smoke, no fire bells
ooh Mrs. Horton"
your house has gone down int
the mine
There's been a,dreadful cave
in"
Aunt Hepsibah!'' exclaimed Mrs
Horton but partially comprehendina
that her aunt's fears had been rea-
lized. She ran forward, as fast az
the crowd would let her. The grass
plot was yawning chasm. The
oak lay PROSTATE forming an unsafe
bridge from street to house. The
house was wrecked and contorted as
l If twisted by demons out for a
frolic. Where is aunt Hepsibah ?"
exclaimed Mr.. Horton, pressing his
way through the crowd to his wife's
side. Miriam was just behind him.
They had come up on the same car.
II couldn't persuade her to go
down town with me. / left her sit
ting under that treel"
Mr.. Horton made his way to the
edge of the yawnfng chasm and
once, twice, thrice-Was it a
voice he heard or the rumble
of loosened earth?\ He asked the
crowd to be quiet and called again.
I'm here" came the faint reply,
as if muffled by the earth.
'Are you hurt?"
mot to mention. My chair is
wedged between rocks. 1 can't
move. / suppose this is what you
call cave-in?"
Eyes, we will come for you as
soon as we can. We can take you
out through the mine. Wait as
patiently as you can"
'I'll wait till doomsday, never
feari" came the quick retort, so
characteristic of aunt Hepsibah that
they had to smile in spite of their
anxiety.
1t did not take Mr.. Horton long
to find the mine boss, to get a crew
Of men picked up. to fire the engine
and start on their underground trip.
II thought you told me that our
house had not been undermined"
Mr.. Horton was more angry than he
had been in many a day.
II thought it was, but that day we
opened a new chamber and found
that another gang had been working
toward us. The entire city is honey
combed. The men have even taken
out the pillars, putting in props"
This was no time for reproof. !
Speed was a great necessity.
They ran the engine up almost to
the mass of fallen rock and earth, !
then made their way as best they
might through the Stygian darkness.
Mr.. Horton could only remember
how he had ridiculed his aunt's |
fears. Fast and faster flew picks
and shovels, opening a path. They !
could hear at intervals, a Quavering
voice singing Rock of Ages" They |
worked more slowly now, for they
could see, just above their heads, the
rocking chair held firmly between
rocks. They had no ladders!
Carefully they worked now, loos-
ening the rocks so that the chair |
might come down without a crash. |
They had just time to lift the old |
lady out and step back to safety
when the rocks that had held the
chair in place, fell, bringing an ava
lanche of rocks and debris.
"A series of prolonged whistles,
the signal agreed upon, told the
friends above of the safe rescue of
the old lady. Then came the journey
back to safety
Much to Mr.. Horizons surprise, |
aunt Hepsibah was the coolest of
them all, and wanted to know all
they could tell her of the working of |
the mine
Now I'm here, I want to see all |
1 can. It's my first and 1 promise |
you it shall be my last visit to a |
coal mine"
Finding that she was really inteD
ested the mine boss told her how |
fresh air was forced in, how the coal |
was loosened and taken out, how the |
rats warne6 of danger, anything |
that might, serve to shorten the
way to daylight, or farther to moon
light.
An easy carriage was awaiting
them at the shaft and they were |
soon at the friends home where
Mrs. Horton and Miriam had found /
refuge.
Strange as it might seem, morn
ing found aunt Hepsibah none the /
worse, except for a little stiffness,
for the experiences of the preceding
day but her determination to return |
to Maine was now unalterable.
"And, James, / am not willing to |
leave you and Marion and Janet |
here" she added, in her usual de-
termined way. ANY minute you may
get caught as I did and get the life |
crushed out of you. Providence
spared my life. I'm convinced, that
1 might take you all back to Gods !
own country. Come home with me
and I'll deed you the farm in Dux-
bury and all l have shall be yours.
It's worth having, too
Eyes, let's all go, James" en-
treated his wife. II can't stay here
any longer now You have been
wishing you could get out of the
city. Our home is gone. We
haven't any trunks to pack.
Lets meet cousin Sarah at the
train and take the next one for
Duxbury."
Mr.. Horton looked from his wife
and daughter to aunt Hepsibah and
back again. Should he go back to
the home of his boyhood?
Eyes, we will 60" he announced.