The Goldsmith and the Stone Pg. 20
The town meeting went long into the night, all the locals yawning their goodbyes headed home. To their delight the night’s greeting was white with wonder, snowflakes twinkling like diamonds that glistened in the air! The sound of fresh snow crunching under foot could be heard as the group wandered home to their lowly abodes.
The next day, however, all was a bustle and scurry, it was decided in last nights meeting a Christmas party was in order, a celebration of Christmas and for an exciting New Year ahead. Everyone was anticipating good things to come with Matthew now giving their orders.
Christmas lights added delightful color to the streets while the snow continued to fall softly, giving the colors a magical glow. The town hall beamed brightly as if smiling a welcome while the music echoed lively sounds to the start of the evenings festivities.
Dancing, laughter, and much good food was the order of the event. Mammy went all out, and so did all the local chiefs. Fresh bread, turkey, roast beef, mashed potatoes, plates of delicious home cooking, could be seen in abundance on the string of tables laden with red cloth and holly. Lines of casseroles of every kind wafting warm smells that would make your stomach growl and deserts to fill every nook and cranny a person could stuff it in! It was a night to be remembered.
The party was now in full swing and most everyone had full stomachs, a sense of contentment filled the room. Warm smiles were seen on the faces that seemed to come naturally now. The day was heading to a close when from a distance unexpectedly a very loud boom echoed in the sky. Everyone stopped what they were doing. The musicians stopped the music and all faces were a wonder.
“What was that?” the Mayor said as he rose to his feet and moved to the open doors that looked out into the perfect night.
The whole lot of them followed suit without a word, except for Black Jack who said as if almost in a mumble, “Well if I wasn’t mistaken, that sound be like some dynamite we used to use to get into the mine when we opened it.” “Yep, sure does” was echoed by an old miner, getting off of his chair.
Everyone silently moved outside gathering their belongings as Goldsmith mentioned to Black Jack, “Maybe we should head down and have a look, a few of us here?” Several heads nodded in agreement, as a group of men were already moving towards the dark night, away from the welcoming colorful lights of the town. The Mayor piped up, “Hang on! I’m comin too, and a few of you fellows need to bring some ammunition, just in case.”
It didn’t seem like it had really happened, the change in the day’s events, and each one of them were adjusting to the possibilities when they finally reached the mine. Goldsmith had a flashlight and a few others shone light on the mine. Sure enough it was caved in! They moved closer with caution to the entrance only to find bits of rock, wooden beams and rubble protruding from the now very small opening. Their flashlights flickered light into the dark entrance when a voice cried, “Help! Help us!”
Shock was on each face as they scrambled to see if they could remove the broken beams carefully. The group worked late into the night when finally they had made progress. The cries became more desperate but to their dismay they pulled out twin brothers, Andy and Sam. Previously they had been right hand men, for their former boss; now jailbird.
Something started to feel fishy all over as the two twins were pulled from the debris. The rescue team looked them over. Andy had a broken arm and Sam seemed to come through with only a few scratches to his legs, where pieces of evidence could be seen scattered all around him.
After it seemed no one was going to die, the Mayor gruffly stated, “What’s the meaning of this?”
The twins with guilty expressions, knew they were caught. “It was all his idea!” Andy spoke weakly. “The boss, he said we was done wrong by this town and we had to get it all back.”
It was obvious nothing would be settled this night and in fact morning was moving into place. “Well,” the Mayor said, “Let’s all take these boys to the jail house. Can’t say I’ve had more than one or two stay and usually only a night, but this one is going to be awhile. ”
A firm grip on their shoulders and an occasional helping hand, the group lead the two convicts and headed back to the village. They were pretty worn and tired from their destruction but with the help of the group, were locked into the jail cells securely. The Mayor turned on the heat to a usually empty building and went out to locate a local nurse to aid the broken arm.
Now all heading home the tired men waved their goodbyes. Goldsmith walked through the white powder, deep in thought. He always found human behavior a study of its own. Thinking to himself, how easily some people fall for lies. Maybe these two boys weren’t very bright, or what was it, with people, how they could be so deceived? So easily lead by a lie, by a bad leader. “Isn’t it obvious?” he thought to himself. Course, he too had let the dark stranger play his games. He thought for awhile and finally reached his cabin, stepping up the stairs, the familiar sound of the creaky door feeling like a friend as he thought to himself, “truth sits peacefully”. The door closed with a click as morning approached. Goldsmith stoked the coals to a crackling fire in the warm wood heat and crawled into bed.