The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-03-12
Written for the ADvooAFH
THE MINER.
THE INTIMIDATION.
THE DEPUTY'T STORY.

Twas Christmas eve. | sat in my little
study, with nv thoughts wandering thou
sands Of miles away, thinking of other
Christmas ewes that had gone and past ;
those spent among friends and the good old
customs of merrie England. Sad should
rather say home sickly-refections were be-
ginning 20 dawn as | sat "quite alone
gazing into the brightly burning coal FIRE,
as it cast its heat and cheerful light back
from its open CRATE; which open CRATE bears
such close resemblance to those one sees in
the comfortable parlors Of an English home,
that it was more to blame for my growing
cast of mind than was natural inclination
There was work before me to do that would
require a couple of years to accomplish
with Gods help before could get back
to those was beginning to wish for, work
requiring hard mental effort, that was con-
fning me to this particular locality, which |
was making it my business to explore in
thorough manner, both geOlOgically and
geographically, and work of such nature,
that would have made very hypOchondrIac
Of me, did yield to the nostalgia that was
beginning to exert its influence over my
spirits just then. But luckily such mood
was to be of short duration, for the door of
the room was flung wide open, and a
stranger strobe into the room and seated
himself in front of the fire.
This is clever" says be, as took off an
immense fur cap and shook layer of snow
snow among the ashes, cit minds me O
hame."
What was " clever and minded one
" q hame" was the clear fire in the open
CRATE of the warming stove. This he looked
at absently for a few seconds before he
honored me with his attention.
But before | proceed further | may as
well describe my visitor. He was middle
aged and weather beaten His hair, was
light, his eyes blue, and honest looking. OF
medium height be was slim, but wirey. His
chest was full, and the way this rose and
fell told me bis lungs were perfect He ap-
Peared light of foot, and the very man one
would select for long race.
At the first had felt little annoyed at
the intrusion but as began my exan.ina-
ton of him, / became interested. PhrenO-
logically he was well developed all the
organs an the upper story were large.
The dress he wore was-tO say the least
-outlandish. In this respect be seemed to
have an utter disregard for himself A
casual observer would not have honored him
with the least attention few would nave
looked below the surface Of that old fur cap,
and these seedy habiliments of his.
As he turned his face towards me, was
still more interested in bis intelligent and
finely formed features.
GU write to newspapers p
Sometimes"
% SO have l done but Of fifty letters
that l have written, none have been pub
lished."
Indeed -
lie spoke in the dialect peculiar to the
North Of England, which is a dialect few
except they are from Durham and Nor
thumberland-u understand l render it in
my own words.
s. Editors are queer fellows my subjects
have always been goOdand philanthropbic -
The hands of my visitor now came under
my observation, and / saw by the blue
marks on these what was his occupation.
Every mark there-and there were many
had become delineated by the coal, whose
keen edges had caused red streams to flow
from open wounds; it is miners privilege
to bleed as well as sweat.
II have something to tell that | think
will be worth printing" be continued after
tko h1o
editors " but you will judge if you will be
50 good as to listen to it.
Seeing that was attentive and interest
81, he began:
am a miner. was brought MP in
the deep coal mines in the North Of Eng
land, | never got to be more than a deputy
IN the old country. was working deputy
work at Kingsley Main Collery at the time
of the misfortune" You know il is the
duty Of the "foreshift" deputy to examine
the mems places before they are allowed TO
enter every morning. This is to see that
all is safe that the roof is good, and there
IL no gas in any mans place. We have TO
be very particular in these respects or in
case Of an accident taking place, and ne
gect is traced to the deputy, be is discbarg-
cd, or perhaps, in case Of fatal accidents,
tiled for manslaughter.
g 1t is twenty years since | was deputy
AZ KingIey Main COlliery. and it is just
about the same time since the " misfortune I"
The morning Of the misfortune was in
the +" foreshift" Just as the clock struck
one jumpt out Of bed, eat my mOrsel, for
itsn't much q man man can eat 50 early in
the morning. | was ready for going out
when my little lass awoke and called me to
her bed side. She was two years of age,
but as auld fashioned thing as liver ye'
seed
FeytLer" says she, "sh, was dreemin
ABBOTT 20 last meet alb, thoot 70 war gan
nen away iver sac far an 20 wad niver come
back to yer little Mary ony mare"
" The sound Of her little voice still
tinkles in my ear. She was an only child
then and pet"
Gan to sleep hinny" says l, ''I'n come
hame again Y God will bring me safe back
to my little Mary"
" | thought she sobbed as she Law down
by the side of her mother and when / 90,
outside of the~house and was making nv
way through the stiffness of the early morn
ing, did not feel over cheerful can as
sure you"
Everything was still as death, except
the exhaust steam that roared out as it was