The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1869-10-21
YOUTHS DEPARTMENT.
Bell Black, the Miners Little Daughter.
BY MISS 8. J. PRITCHARD.

| Codl-HIlIlc III WHICH ncr latner worked.
Mr.. Black lived in the same region
when he was boy, before the mines were
opened, and his fathers rude little home
was so close to the place where the ground
was first broken that 1t was moved little
way to give room for the workmen to
move about when they began the shaft :
and then when his sOn-Belrs father
grew to manhood, and had saved money
enough to put up roof and four walls,
that he could call home" the old love
for the spot made him put his cabin down
as near to the mouth of the mine as he
could
One might almost say that the Black
family were rooted into that coal-minc.
for there were three brothers who went
down into it together every morning, and
came up out of it together every evening,
and sometimes fourth person went with
them, and him they called " Father" and
looked after tenderly, for his steps were
feeble from age, and his sight was dim ;
nevertheless ne also loved the old coal
mine where he had worked when in his
strength, and where his boys toiled all
the day.
Bell liked the mine also until last June.
A gentleman who had an interest in the
mine invited Bell to go to Philadelphia
and make his daughters a visit He did
that, partly because he had a sincere wish
toRnake Bell happy, and he did it, in part,
because he saw some signs of a strike for
| increased pay among the miners, and he
desired to please the Black brothers be-
cause they were men of influence in their
own class.
Bell went She left home with tears of
affection for her father and mother, many
words of good-by for her brothers and
sisters. Just as long as she could see a
sign of the place, she looked back toward
it, while the wheels of the rail-car rolled
her from home.
8 Bells home-sickneSs was very slight
and lasted but day or two. Amid all the
marvels and delights of the city, she be-
gan to wonder how she had lived in the
black, dingy coal region, and she was
sorry when the time came that Mr.. Capt.
tai said: Now, Bell, am going down
tomorrow, and l suppose you will be
very glad to see your father and mother
again."
"Yes, sir" said Bell; but she did not
look glad at all; and | will t,ll YOU what
she did. Just as soon as she could escape
from the table, she went up To the room
that had been given to her for the visit
shut the door, and then she sat down and
cried.
Presently Mr.. Capitals little daughter
Bernie went up, and found Bell crying
What is the matter?" she asked
"Oh | can't never go back to that
dreadful place to live, and l don't want
to-" said Bell.
81 always like to come back home when
I've been away" said Bernie, land I'm
sure so you ought"
"Well, don't you have nice home to
come to? l guess / should said Bell
81 just wish my father wasn't an old coal
miner"
90 Bell Black for shame to say that
You ought to be glad he wasn't slave
nor an Indian. And you just cried to sec
him the night you came, you know you
did"
al don't care if did," said Bell, "he'd
be my father just the same if we lived
somewhere else, wouldn't he? You needn't
talk"
Ii this feeling had lasted only moment,
ii would have been bad enough; but it
staid until she reached home, and made her
forget all the pleasure that had been given
her. When the train stopped, she felt as
cross and disagreeable as possible.
Thinking to surprise and please her
daughter, Mrs. Black had gone to the rail
way station to meet her.
/ cannot tell you how that poor mothers
heart felt when she saw Bell Instead of
running down from the rail-car to kiss her,
the little girl lust went up and said
Mother, how shabby you do look"
Mrs. Black was not very well dressed,
but she looked quite as well as usual, and
she wore the same dress that she had
worn when, at parting, Bell had clung to
her neck with kisses.
"Do |, my dear child? did not know |
it; but dare say | forgot to brush my
hair: the baby has been i'll, and some way |
there never seemed SO much to do before |
Besides, Bell, there's trouble at the mine"
81 wish there wasn't any mine, mother |
and wish father wasn't miner, and we |
wern't poor. | don't want To live acre |
anyhow" Bell said, as they came in sight |
of the little cabin. Mis-. Black and Bell |
were walking, while on a wheelbarrow |
just behind them was Bells little trunk |
and rolling the barrow was Jimmy, the |
eldest child of the family.
Jimmy heard that remark, and he |
dropped the barrow, eXslaiming, rs he |
wiped his face:
"Bell, you may just trundle that barrow
home yourself. | guess my lady has put
on altogether too fine airs for the mining
regions" And Jimmy walked past them
and in at the cabin-door, leaving Bells |
baggage on the highway.
ats nice To come home and BE treated
So" said Bell, "and every things 50 mean
here. 1 just wish was dead"
didn't you have nice time at Mr..
Capitals? Were they kind TO you, my
dear ?" asked Mrs. Black, going up to
Bell and taking off her hat, while at the
same time she turned about and made
Jimmy understand that he was to go back
after the whecltarrow.
He went, and Mrs. Black did her ut
most to make Bell feel happy in her
homecoming, but Bell did not try to find
happiness in anything. When her father
came up from the mine that night, instead
of finding Bell at the top of the shaft, as
he expected, to greet him, she was not
there. and when he went in at the door
she sllrank back from his kiss.
1t is true that it was not 50 pleasant to
kiss man who had been for eight hours
dclving i'm the black dust and Crime of
the mine, but Bell had kissed her father
when he was in just that condition many
times.
Got a new dress ON, have you,
that you are afraid of, Beng" h.
said "Well, wait till wash"
When he was ready, Bell had disap-
peared "She has gone p-siairs," her
mother said, and added: "Iou had better
let Bell alone tonight; she feels the
change in every thing here, coming
home"
GA weeks great time TO change in.
don't see that every thing isn't just about
the same as usual around here" said the
miner
1t had been arranged that one of Mr.
Capitals little daughters should go down
with another little girl and see Bell some
time, but the time was put of from week
to week, and then came the great strike.
That wrought evil in the miners homes
and i'm their hearts At first the Black
brothers held out against it, but they final