Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-12-28
THE MATCHLIGHTER OF ADRIAN.

The sun had not vet attained its merid
ian height above the bare and rugged
mountains of Zacatecas, when man in
the garb of Mexican miner descended
slowly down a narrow and torturous patti
which wound along the side Of steep de
clivity.
Presently..a wide covered basket became
visible in this direction, with small hand
grasping it on one side. Then a pretty
face, with pair of sparkling black eyes.
two small ruddyilips parted in smile OF
pleasure and surprise, came into view
Then followed the erect and ..shapely fig-
urc to which the pretty face belonged,
gayly attired a. became miners VIE
"En bora 5nenn-in good time, Marga-
rita said the miner, showing his white
teeth. Il am here before you.
eyes. in truth" replied the young
woman, laughing: land was afraid all
the time | might he too early, and the tor
tillas and frijoles would get cold. But
now they will be a dinner MT for gov
ernor"
How is il that you are so early to-day,
Manuelitoe" asked the female, who watch
ed him with an affectionate smile, while
he was thus satisfactorily engaged.
because my little heart replied the
tbtBt - ~ pI tbbNhNA p''~f'
today; and the administrator wishes 10
have it fired while the men are at din
ner"
The smile instantly disappeared from
Margarita's face.
"Santa Maria" she exclaimed, fan
other blast, Oh, Manuel, how long do
you mean TO continue this dreadful
duty" =,
Until | can find better, my life, :"
replied the miner, gayly Would you
have me 20 back to my old employment
of bnrrctro-a simple miner at six dollars
week, when here as pega1ior, as sole and
trusted matchlighter, | am earning six
teenE'
"Alas," returned Margarita, "of what
use will the money be, if it happen to you
rs TO Pedro Bravo, only three months
ago? All, think / see the mangled
body, as carried by our cottage, with poor
Inesita CRYING over it, And then, there is
Juan Veldez, stone-blind now for five
years And old Anton, cripple from
his youth. OF what advantage was their
high wages to themy'
None, sweetheart" replied Manuel,
because what they won by boldness and
skill they lost by carelessncSs If a man
will persist in firing matches when his
brain is muddlcd with ogu0fdieJ,te, he
must expect TO suffer for it. However, |
shall not be peguoor always In good
time, if it please Francisco, ! shall be
captain of mine. And who knows but
one of these days ! may be an adn'tnts-
irndor--an ovcrsccr-and rich man, as
well AS othcrs?'
"To be sure" replied Margarita, eager
ly. "Why not you as well as Miguel
Gomez--Don Miguel, forsooth, as he must
be called now! And yet ! remember him
when he was only n poor b,tscon-a com
mon mine hunter, and always in debt to
my father for agud,dieate and tobacco.
Yet because he happened to light on a
good vein and sold il to the English com
pany for ten thousand dollars, and was
made ovcrsccr he thinks himself now Il
great gentleman, and that everybody
must give way to him"
Poor Don Miguel" said the mihcr,
laughing. You are too hard upon our
administrator, Margarita. First you re-
fuse has hand and heart, not to speak OF
his dollars; and then you abuse him be
hind his back. However, | think his
time is up The English director, Don
Jayne, came this morning from Mexico
and seems very much dissatisfied with
the working of the mine II is whispered
among the men that the overscer is most
certain to lose his place"
"Ah, that is good news, indeed" said
Margarita, clapping her hands,
The young couple separated with many
aficctiOnate injunctions on the part OF the
wife, to which the miner laughngly prom
ised punctual attention. ~--------
- In the great shed surrounding the pit,
Manuel found the English director, Don
Jayne the 0verseer, Miguel Gomez, and
oil ,t,a mi np,I ~ In
drivers. Don Jayne seemed to be in bad
humor, and the ovcrsoor looked black and
sullen.
'En horu buena-in good time, my
man. said the director We are all
read for you; and now let every one here
be attentive to his duties. There has
been too much carelessness heretofore,
particularly in the blasting. Many com
paints have been made among the towns
people and proprictors of the accidents
which occur here You, am told, are
very quick-witted workman" he con
tinued, addressing Manuel. at is
well that we have some on whom we can
rely"
Gomez listened to this significant speech
without venturing reply, but his swarthy
face grew livid, and his eyes flashed with
baletul fire. Tive horses, especially
tralneu 10 the uuly, were now dtththcu W
the machine by which the buckets were
raised and lowered in the shaft Manuel
then placed on his head conical hat,
having q socket in the top, which held a
lighted candle. He took in one hand IA
small rope, of which the other end was
held by the sverseer, and by shaking
which the matchlighter was to give the
signal when he was ready to ascend On
the promptitude with which his ascent
took place depended, Of course, his safe
ty from the effects of the explosion.
Manuel now stepped into the bucket,
which was slowly lowered down the shaft
distance of about hundred yards.
Two drivers held the horses heads, and
waited In anxious silence for the signal
from Gomez All was as still rs death in
the galerd.
LET gor' shouted the Overscer.
The drivers loosened the heads of the
horses and the well-trained animals dash
ed off ut once In minute the bucket
rose to view-empty
Back! Down with it For life for
life p exclaimed the director, stamping
with Impotence.
The mon hastened to Obey his orders,