The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1913-12-25
CHRISTMAS ON
OLD SUGAR LOAF
Continued from page one)

Bill Sewers was to haul chat day from
Beagle. Tom Kane and Old man Rivers
were talking, as they unloaded the push car,
of Christmas back home in old Missouri.
| The men all seemed to be touched with a
glow of Christmas cheer which they sadly
needed, for as yet their hard work had been
unrewarded.
'Looked like snow this morning Tom,
do hope Bill gets through all right, for we
sure need them supplies;'' said Lane to his
partner. "He'll git here, if he don't git
drunk, some of these times Bills goin' to
tumble clean off the trail when he gifts over
balanced with BOOZE replied Myers.
"WeI Bill does like booze and that haint
the worst of it, he is going to haul some
dynamite for the Gold Dollar Mine, and
hauling dynamite and booze together, es-
pecially when the booze is inside the hauler
is pretty risky business remarked the
"boss. "How much of that dynamite is
Bill goin to haul this tIip;' asked Myers.
''Ten boxes and it is good bye Bill if he
upsets the load;' predicted Lane. Just
then Old Man Rivers began to hum the
tune of an old hymn. Alltbe men stopped
work and looked surprised for the old fell
low was some what of sinner.
''Here you fellers, kant an ole Teller sing
a tune, Christmas time, without, you all
loafin and Gaping at him. snorted the
old man. He stopped the tune, the others
laughed and resumed their work. Perhaps
these men thought of Christmas times back
in the old Eastern homes, as they worked
that morning. About noon Old Man
Rivers and Kane returned from the dump
with the empty push car and setting their
lamps on one end of it they opened their
lunch pals and ate their meagre fare. They
were joined by Lane and Myers, but the
meal was silent one. There seemed to be
a vague something in the atmosphere of the
music that foreshadoNed disaster. Sudden
ly the silence was broken by faint rumb-
ling sound. The men sprang to their feet,
siezed their lamps and ran towards the old
tunnel. "Snow slide,' exclaimed Lane,
"Hope we missed it, "No such luck,
feel that back draft? The tunnel is blocked"
replied Kane. They halted at the end of
the cross tunnel and looked towards the
opening of the tunnel, but no CLEAN of
light could they see from the opening.
They went forward and upon investiga- |
ton found the mouth of the old tunnel to
be completely blocked with snow and de-
bris from the ''slide.
''Nice Christmas present. Now who told ,
Santa that we needed more work in our
BUSINESS remarked Lane.
'Wel men, here we are and here we
will stay, until we are dug out;' he con-
inued turning to the rest and laughing
nervously.
"The worst of it is Lane, we all don't
know jist how much of the stuff is piled up
out thar, if thar's heap of hit, why it IL
axe meericle to git US out before after
Christmas dolefully walled Old Man
Rivers.
Hear that old sinner talk about mira
les, just awhile ago he was singing hymn,
lext thing he will be praying;' laughed
Zane.
Laugh and make fun; but you all, will :
'e praying maybe yet, before you gifts out I
# this holes" snorted the old man. I
Now these men knew that it would be
oily for them to try to dig out, for the
Slide was loosely held together and if
hey undertook the work they would prob
bly, be crushed by the big rocks held in {
he mass of snow above the mouth of the t
unnel. They must wait for help from the {
utside. Help would come and conse- /
uently they were not frightened, but they
id like the idea of spending Christmas in r
he tunnel. {
"Well men let US 60 back to the cross
ut and watt said Lane. So they re,raced F
heir steps back to where they had been S
Torking, and finished the interrupted lunch d
Bill Sewers left Beagle for the mining v
amp with the dynamite and load of O
hristmas supplies in his wagon, he also