The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-04-04
AMINERsS LOVE story.

Nelly Grover was the prettieSt lass in the
pit village. Her eyes were of the sweetest
blue her cheeks were ike rose and you
might have thought her brown hair was the
finest silk Then she had a figure ike a
fairy, it was so tIim and with waist you
could almost span. loved Nelly, but as for
that, All the young chaps OF the village were
Of the same mind, and she might have had
her pick of as The worst of it was she
treated Us al alike, and wouldn't look at one
more than another. She had a smile for
every body, and was always good tempered,
but there Il ended, and, somehow none of us
could screw uE courage to try her further.
| don't know how often thought it over.
It came iut0 my head the first thing in the
morning, aud there it remained the last thing
at night, when 1t either kept me awake or
haunted my dreams. At last it quite took
possession Of me No matter where was
digging or blasting, or tunneling above
ground or down in pit, my thoughts turned
On Nelly, and from being The merriest fellow
in the village Just came to be the dullest.
One morning there was no work in the pit
for my gang, because the viewer wanted that
part Of the seam Shored Up and it struck
me all at once, that would have 1t out with
Nelly, so J made myself smart, and set of,
walking as fast as it it were wager. You
may think Il c0nceit In me but can say
that | was then as clever chap TO look al
as you would often see, and | knew il For
all that l began to walk Bit slow when |
caught sight Of Mrs. Giover's cottage, and
felt dread a: my heart. But | went on.
and just got up to the cottage, wheu who
should come out but Nelly herself. She
never looked prettitr than a. that minute
ou- appearing 50 suddenly, she dashed my
spirit, and ! hadn't a word TO say to her.
why, Charley, what is the matter - she
said in heightened snrt Of a way.
"Wei, i Is just this" | said. And there
! stopped.
~ anything wrong with Jack ~ she cried
quickly
"JacK ~
eyes, he is down in the pit. and they say
il is foul, which makes mother and me
uneasy. You haven't heard anything y
And she looked in my eyes as If she would
search me through.
"No, no - ! answered, steadying, now
that J thought | could comfort her. "He ID
an light. You mustn't mind what the cid
women of the village say, or you'll be look
ing for blow up every day in the year,
when there is nothing more than common.
haven't come % tel you about Jack, Nelly
it's about myself"
She gave me another look now; then her
cheek flushed UP ike flame, and her eyes
turned away.
DO you know what want to say, Nelly n
I went on. Il wish you did, for can't tell
It. II is more than | have got words for
How love you, how you are always before
me, how am crazed and mad about you
But, though can't say all | want to, here
stand, and | wouldn't change with king j
you'll taxe me as am ~
"Ah, Charley you don't know how yoI
pain me-" she answered.
''Don't say that, Nelly. | doubted abou
speaking to you, bat now that have dom
Il, now that can't go on deceiving myself
II you have any pity in ySer heart, show
to me, and ! viii cherish you to the day o
my DEATH
at is no use" she replied 81 can neye
marry pitman. | gave the promise Z
moshr and Jack, when we walked up tb
village al the funeral Of ny poor father ant
brothers, all three killed in the mine-ou
great sorrow, which I can never think Q
without crying"
And the tears, it was true, were runnin
down her checks, though, for the minute, sh
seemed to be harde- than stone. And
seemed turned 10 Lone myself | had q
recollection, no feeling and no sense, and
couldn't have moved step 70 save my lif'
Then 1t all flashed upon me like lightning
/ took a last look al Nelly, dropped my .hea
on my breast, anG without word NOR
walked out Of the gate.
Our village seldom looked bright, no ma
ter how the sun shone, and now felt as
the sun would never shine again for me, o
az nv eye fell on the line Of cottages, wit
the clouds hanging down from above, an
+. nothing round but waste, | thought
' might as well be in my grave a. continue
. live there. Besides, should always
meeting Nelly, perhaps lurking about h
: mothers cottage, and making her as fniser
: BILE as myself. Why shouldc't | 20 away
: Yorkshire or Derbyshire, or to the diggi
" in Australia, for that matter The MOTTO
if it was good for nothing more, gave me
little spirit. It turned my thoughts, and
stepped out briske-, going straight hon
| hadn't much TO settle thefes only 10
good bye to the folks I lived with, and
sooa came outs pack on. back, and began =
. tramp.
| stopped at the N oor and looked back,
membering might never see the place aga
: and dismal as thought 1t was, with Its q
I. ing waIls and shaken roofs, epcumbering
blsckened ground, ! bad been happy shs
>. Not one OF those tumbling cottages
!. would open its door TO me not one vber,
n wouldn't meet q friend And thers !
~ been born; twas the spot % earth
even In the hour Of bitterness, ] loved y