The weekly Shasta courier., 1873-06-07


"I'll bet on you" he sputtered, as soon as
he could catch breath. IF you're as good
with the axe as with, the shovel, you'll make
apooty good collier yet, Notwithstanding yer
foreign edication." rf2
No, thank you. am satisfied with my
experience"
," Guess it's time to take that c. B." OBJ
served Sam, dryly. as be filled his pipe. "Ax
yer pardon for sayin' it," he continued, "but
the worlds full o Jest such folks az you be.
Cos they know about books, they Gale late
there amt nothin' else to learn. wouldn't
give chaw O. tobacker for all that was
ever got out O. books about coalin'. 1t don't
stand to reason that man that never see
coal pit should know more about runnin' on
'em than one who was born and brought up
among EN-, and has tended on 'em, man and
boy, day and night, for nigh on to twenty
year, as I've done. You can't tell such
folks nothin. Taint no use to try. There's
Parson Simmons good man, I've got
nothin' ag'in im-but pears to me he's got
an idee he's most ekal to Divine Providence.
Makes no odds what he picks out for a text,
he's sure to go a-wanderin' off onto politics
and the science O. governin', or somethin O.
that Sort tellin' what the President ought
to do. and what he oughtn't to do, jest as if
he'd been born and brought up in the White
House. don't want to find no fault with
Parson Simmons, but can't helpa-thinkin'
he d better teach them things he's had ex-
per'ence in, and leave other things to them
that understands 'em better. Now, | know
| AMT fit to preach, nor to run a newspaper,
49, ,hoo II 20 4
'em. do claim to know a coal-pit, COS
there Pm ter hum, and that l stick to-"
II stand corrected for my presumption,
SAM" replied, with becoming meekness.
40 Let the shoemaker stick to his last is an
adase almost as old as civilization. But
consider me a disciple at your feet in quest
of knowledge. Initiate me, if you please,
into the mysteries of coal pits"
Z" Can't be DONE" replied Sam, with the
utmost gravity. "Nothin' but exper 'ence
IL do it. If you'll prentice yourself to me
for year, I'll agree to make good collier
OF ye I'm short O. one hand"
The temptation is great" l answered,
with as much sobriety of coantenance as
could command, but fear that l can't
spare the time just now"
Sam looked from out the corner of his
eye as if he half suspected jest, but, reas-
sured by my looks, he went on:
Mebby you've got business where more
moneys to be made; but l wouldn't swop
even with ye. I've tried most every thing
that's a-goin' on about here. I've worked
on farm, I've druv ore wagon, I've run a
saw-mill and cider still, and Ispent pooty
much all O. one year a-getting out ties and
bark. But to my mind there amt nothin'
like collin. I've often sot a-watching a pit
on a summer night, when the moon was out
and the stars a-shinin', and all was 30 still
you could hear the milldam as plain as if it
were up here on the mountain, and thought
what fools people was to shut 'emselves up
in stores and factories when they could be
a breathin' the pure air, and enjoyin' EN-
selves in sensible sort O. way. l s'pose
everybody d take to coalin' if 'twarn't for
the trouble O. learnin'.'
Lucky for you, Sam, that they don't. 1t
would spoil your business"
Yes. It's wise provision O. Natur'
that We amt all made alike, and don't all
think alike. 'Twouldn't do for all to 20
preachin', for xample nor for all to try and
be guv'nor to once"
There you hit the nail on the head. But
do you never feel lonesome up here?"
Lonesome Now you make me laugh.
Most O. the time Joe's here. When he's
away Bosses all the company want-aint
ye, old fellow2 There-down-downi No
time for foolin' now. When Bose and Joe
are both gone, talk to that coal pit, Jest as
if twas human bein' or dog. Foolish, |
s'pose, but does me good. Sometimes it
pears as if it knew all l was a-sayin' to it,
and answered it in its dumb way. And,
when ye come to understand q pit, there
amt puff O. smoke comes out that haint
meanin' to it. There's yaller smoke, and
white smoke, and black smoke, and blue
smoke, and smoke that amt no color at all
only gas. When ye see that, then's the
time for tn experience to come in. When
she's burnin she's got to be watched every
minute, night an day. If it rains, ye must
see that yer fires amt put out. If the wind
blows hard, ye must bank 'er up, or she'll
burn uneven. Sometimes the top1l c,ve in
On one side or t'other that must be fixed
Sometimes she blows. Then you've got to
ay around lively"
q What do you mean by blows!'"
why, busts, Of course. II ye don't
keep the vents open the gas elects, and fust
ye know she blows. If you d been a-watchin'
that pit all alone to-day she d ha' bowed sure.
Come near it as twas"
VERY likely" said, meekly, for be-
gan to appreciate my littleness when brought
into contrast with Sans superior knowledge
Must keep yer vents open. It's jes' so
with steam-biler. Keep yer safety valve
right, and the steam blows of; git 'er jamb-
ed, and bang goes yer biler. But can't
begin to tell ye. 'Twould take week.
There's sortin' the wood. Must have hard
coal to smelt iron, and you can't get hard
coal out O. soft wood. But you may burn
the best O chestnut and maple and oak, and
git only soft coal, if ye don't run her right
I've seen one-half pit as good hard coal as
ever went into furnace, and tother half
soft and mealy. A pit wants as much nus
sin as newborn baby"
Sam paused and stopped to listen. His
quick ear caught the sound of some one APP
Presently we heard . clear,
sweet voice caroling one of the popular
melodies Of the day. A smile lit up Sans
honest face as he said, in response to my in
luiring look, !" That's my Sally IJIz5 I
The next moment the bushes parted on
The mountain-side, and young girl, in the
FULL glow of health and beauty, sprang into
the open space. Surprised at the sight ofa
stranger, she ceased her song abruptly, blush
I'd as red az the scarlet hood she wore, and
paused. as if in doubt whether to advance or
TO retreat. Whether it was the romantic
surroundings, the unexpectedness of the Wis
ION. or the intrinsic beauty Of the girl her
self, know not, but in all my world wander
ngs had never before looked upon SO love