Year: 1860

The mine consisted of long narrow pas
sages, and on all sides deep caves from
which coal had been dug. The men were
all at the further end of the mine hewing
out Of the solid mountain, unconscious OF
danger. Hubert quickly made his way
along the dark passage, followed by the
swift spreading water and soon reached
his fellow workmea with the dreadful intel
hgeace. 1t was a moment of panic, when
each would have rushed to certain death
in his efforts to save himself But looking
firmly into their ghastiy faces, the master
spoke few encouraging sentences


+" Follrw my words, lads, and be quick
our picks may save us!


Then came a few steady, quick commands,
10 hollow a new chamber above where the
water would probably reach. The men
obeyed in silence, though each knew not
but that he might be digging his own grave.
A hundred pairs of hands soon finished the
work, and into the cave a hundred men
crowded TO wait for death or an almost i'm
possible chance of relief, The water grad
ually filed all the old avenues and cham
bers, and then seemed stayed. Never was
situation more dreadful. Not more than
days provisions had been saved, and al
ready two or three of their number had
been killed by the falling rocks while has
tily digging the new chamber The long
dismal hours with no change to mark them,
brought only the advance of certain death.


Courage, brave Hubert God who saw
thy noble sacrifice will help thee.


The terrified friends and townsmen, on
hoa. a FL
about in hopeless panic. But soon, guided
by the message Hubert had sent, they COM
menced working a new shaft as near as
possible to the spot where the hapless men
might be. Five days and nights they toll
ed, digging deeper and deeper into the solid
side Of the mountain.


at is vain task" said the man. But
the women cried, Do not cease! God
will help us


AT length, on the morning of the sixth
day, the mufiied sound of blows from with
in met the ears of the workmen in the shaft,
A signal ran along the rope, and told the
news TO the waiting multitude above, who
rent the air with joyful shouts. Soon
communication was made, They were
saved-at least some were saved


Who can imagine the feelings of the un-
fortunate men, buried for five days and
nights, without food, when first the day
cleaned in upon them revealing human
face


OF the hundred who had been impris-
oned, over seventy survived, and with them
Hubert. Without him, indeed, probably
no one would have been spared to tell the
story.


This noble act, done in a place and at
moment when no praise of men could have
been looked for, echoed throughout Europe,
and obtained the praise and gratitude of the
world. The ten thousand miners of Liege
hailed their fellow laborer with delight and
pride. Napoleon heard and admired in his
palace at Paris, and sent a reward to the
peasant nobleman. He sent his Cross of
Honor, the mark which all the high had
coveted, and better still, offered him a pen
sion which raised him above want for the
rest Of his life.


When God unfolds in heaven the secret
charity of men. many such heroes shall
stand revealed, whom the earth and the
waves have covered, sending no testimony
to the world. Their Father, who seeth in
secret, shall reward them openly.