Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-09-03
Buried in a Coal Mine.


She VIA drc1 uom on in plain, brown clothes.
Buried in Coal Mine.
Coal, you know, is dug out Of the earth
Should you like to visit coal mine ? We
come to a great hole in the ground, and
get into a big basket hung by stout chains
TO a windlass Down, down We CO. 1t
grows blackor and is quite dark by the time
we touch the bottom. Here passages run
of in every direction, often crossing each
other like the streets Of town On each
side Of these are caves where the coal is
dug out Thick pillars are left between, to
hold up the roof The men who how out
the coal are called hewers" The coal is
put into subs running on wooden wheels,
and dragged to The foot Of the shaft. Those
who DO this are called "pullors." 10 is
hard work pulling these heavy loads through
the long, low passages Besides these are
The " traprers," whose business is to sit
coopcd up 10 little black holes, to open and
shut The trap doors which lead out Of the
passages This is boys work. Often lit
tlc boys Of nine or ten are employed. 1t is
not hard, but very dismal and tiresome
And they have to stay all day long How
should you ike it children, who 90 to
school and play on the grass in the sun
shine2
Then there are dangers down in the
mine which do not happen to people above
grouud Foul air sometimes chokcs the
men TO death water sometimes spouts up,
and browns them and sometimes part
Of The mine caves in." This is called a
" crush."
One morning, whilc the pitmon were at
work in mine in the north Of England
they heard a noise Ike thunder In a
moment every lamp was out for the men
work by lamps-there is not spark Of
day light there \ crush crush !" cry
the men and an throw down their tools,
and run.
1t is Tuesday morning. The men gather
at the mouth Of the pit and count their
number Five are missing--two "hcwers, "
/ two pulors," and one little "trapper,
Robert Lester People above hear the
noise. and rush to the pit mouth. The
workmen are taken up. o. the agony Of
the wives and mothers Of those who are
len behind Brave men 60 back to their
rescue They light their candles, and
reach the crush" There is nothing but
a heap Of ruins. Were the poor miners
/ instantly killed, or are they hemmed in to
die Of starvaton2 ltis dreadful thought.
/ They called and shouted but no answer.
They begin with pickaxes and shovels to
clear the way. II is hard labor and great
risk. The news Of the accident brings help
from far and near Men flock from all
/ quarters to offer their services. How they
work Toward night they heard some
thing. I.istenl Il is not q voice but a
tapping. Itcan Just be heard--clink, clink
clink, clink, clink five times, then it
stopped Five more, and then a stop,
What does it meant One man guessed
that, as there were five missing, the five
cliuk. showed all five were alive, waiting
lor deliyerance. A shout Of Joy was raised
in aud above the pit.
Among the foremost Of the workers wa;
b, the father Of little Robert the "trappcr
Night and day he never left the mine, and
hardly quilted his work.
You'll kill yourself Lester said a
fellow workman; g" 90 take little rest, and
trust the work to us.
" No, no. Tom" cried the poor father
" promised Roberts mother we'd come NJ
together and so we will, IL it please'
God" he said, wiping the tears from his
rough check and he hewcd away with al
his might
How docs It fare with the prisoners
They were frightened, like the rest, by that
sudden and awful noise. Little Robert
left his door, and ran to the men, who wei
knew what it meant. Waiting till every
thing was quiet, they went forward to ex
anime tho passago-way Robert left 1
, was blocked up. They tried another that
too, was blocked up. o, fearful thought
I they were buried alive The men wen
back to the boy. 81 want to 60 home
please do let nc go home" said poor Rob
ert.
Yes yes, as soon as we find way out
e my little mau," said miner called Tru
T man, in a kind, yet husky voice.
{ The air grew close and sulocating, AM
E they took their oil cans and food bags t
one of the galleries where it was better.
The two " bewers," Truman and Logan
were pious men. "Well, james, wha
+, shall we do noxt2n asked Truman.
"There is but one thing we can do,
(. said Logan. "God says, Call upon m
!. in the day of trouble; | will deliver thee
+ and thou shalt gloriiy me- "
i They told the boy their danger. Bu
J. we must keep up good heart said tn
believing men; "and the way to do is t
put our trust in the Almighty God NOR
4 than in man. He heard Jonah cry to hiI
from the whales belly, and he can hea
us from the bottom of the coal-pit. lie
US pray to him.
ID They all knelt down, and Robert erie
e bitterly. But, as the pious pitmen praye
6 fist one and then the other-their heart
q grew tighter, and even the little trapper
dried his tears.
J." When it was time for dinner, they at
sparingly, in order to make the food the
had last at least three days, for it might
full that time before they could be dug ou
n. Meanwhile, what should they do for water
ss A trckling noise was heard. "Wate
waterl" Yes, it was water, dripping froI
a rock. alt seems" said Logan, "as
this water was sent on purpose to put us
II mind that God won't forsake u.s. for don
he you know the good Book says, when II
e1 ,9 poor and needy seek water, and there
O. none, and their tongue iaieth for thirst,
'' the Lord will hear them, the God Of L
rael will not forsake them2
Soon the imprisoned men got their picl
nd nd axes; but what hopeless task it SCENE
e. to cut through the mass Of earth and ston'
nc to daylight Their hearts beat with hoI
and JOY when they first heard the sound I
their friends working on the other side.
M was then they made the clink, clink, wit
the pickaxes, which was heard, and so el
ooura god their delivarars