The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-05-30
A Miners Love Story.
[coNCLUDED.l

l.
It was easier work going back, when
you were once in the main or horse
road; for now the shaft was before
you, instead of behind; and, though
you wouldn't think it. this made, a
wonderful difference in the light.
Dark as pitch it still was, though not
to pitman's eyes, and | had found
out that Jack breathed when | reach
ed the shaft. The discovery nerved
me afresh, and kept all my senses at
work without my seeming to know 1T.
L only felt that there would soon be
another explosion. So placed Jack
on the straddle, and, taking the cord
from my Davy-lamp, tied him hand
and foot; then pulled the signal rope.
and as the people above hauled the
tackle, and lifted the straddle from
the ground, [ hung on by my arms
thus we began to mount the shaft.
1t wasn't. till we had got twenty
feet up that / felt the strain of stand
ing on nothing, but, from that mo-
ment, it became just terrible. My
hands seemed ready to snap; the ache
in my arms spread through every
muscle; my head spun around, and
my feet kicked about in an agony. [
watched the mouth of the pit till my
eyes swan, and as / reckoned the
space between, while my strength
waned and my misery deepened, [
thought must drop before / reached
the top. Then they began to hoist
faster. mustered all my strength; [
frightened my grip of the straddle,
though my fingers were growing
numb; | steadied my feet. and hardly
trusted myself to breathe. / could
see the walls of the shaft; / could
feel the purer air; | heard voices, and
presently the tackle swung; strong
arms caught me round, and l was
landed on the bank.
They had Jack Glover off the strad-
die before you could look round, and
he was carried away, while they raised
my head and poured a little brandy in
my mouth. called out for the viewer.
: What is it, Charley BatsonY' he
asked. bending over me-.
Everybody away from the pit,
You are right" ne answered; it
will come in minute or two"
They got me to the top of the bank,
when [ heard a scream, and there was
Nelly, trying to throw herself on her
brother Jack. but kept back by the
other womenfolk. She never glanced
at me! / wished then that | had
stopped in the pit, or let myself drop
from the bar, as | came up, and so
escaped seeing her again. But I
made up my mind that [ had looked
on her for the last time. told my
helpers that could walk now, and,
when they let go my arms, [ turned
up my pack and drag on, at least to
the next village.
But | could no more walk five
miles than | could fly. When l
came to my pack / sank down by it,
and felt that | must give up. l was
so beat that though there was now an
other explosion at the pit, as [ had
expected, and though it shook the
ground under me, [ didn't lift my
head. All [ thought of was stretch
ing out my arms and legs and lying
quiet. How long l lay there | never
knew. But, by degrees, / recovered
little. strength, and my thoughts took
more shape, when [ decided to return
to my old lodging, and have a days
rest before L set out on my wander
ings.
The day passed, and the night and
the next day, and | was still In bed,
the good folks tending me like a
child. My limbs, which had been
racked with pain, now felt easy, and
[ was ready for start again. But I
thought there would be opposition, so
| got up very quiet, and was putting
on my things, when the room, door
opened, and, to my wonder, In came
Jack Glover.
Hilloa, Charley, here we arel' he
cried, Selling my hand and giving. it a
hearty squeeze. who would have
thought of us two being alive to-
day.
glad for you, but | shouldn't have
cared for myself"
"How's that?" he asked.
Because | have something on my
mind"
"Your' he said, laughing, and Civ
ing me little push Here, sit down
and have a pipe, and it will all go of
like the smoke"
= | don't care if [ never smoke a
pipe again I said, savagely.
Now, I'll tell you what it is, said
Jack, ''you have been having tiff
with our Nelly
haven't" answered, my cheek
burning.
Well, you know best about that, ,
continued Jack; but it's what ]
guess, because you were seen talking
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