The Lake County star., 1877-11-22

Wo1Atuo1 you ~ W uIbts Ily IaO " 80e
said but she shook her head at VIII,
and nodded and smiled at Rex, in y
way that made both men feel as If life
kind Of good thing in spite Of all. An
white men again, when they had
drunk pot oftea, and eaten between
them joint of meat and Drowned po-
tatoes, Will was quite sure of 1t. He
drew his armchair to the chimney
corner, lighted his pipe, and watched
Phoebe "tidying-up," with q full sense
of content. Life can be complete in
very small measures, and Wills cup
was full.
Happily, Rex and he had hobby in
common both were fond OF music.
Will got out his violin, played q few
dolOrOus tunes, and then, with an air
OF intense satisfaction, handed it to
Rex. Rex took 1t at first reluctantly,
but after few bars, the mighty pas
sion mastered him, and he played and
played until, In his own enthusiasm,
he did not know that Phoebe was cry-
ing softly to herself, and Will, with q
hand on each knee, was watching him
with the same soft, charmed express
sion that baby going to sleep wears.
After that Rex did as he pleased
with Phoebe and Will Hewitt.
Hes no just common lad" said
Phoebe, q few weeks after, to one of
her cronies. "He'll niver let me lift q
heavy weight or do hsrd job il he's
round; an, as for music and flowers,
he's just extraor'norI II he'd no but
go to chapel he'd he a lad in thous-
and"
Perhaps among the pitmen he was
scarcely so we'll understood yet u
good deal % what they called his
equality ways" were forgiven for the
sake Of his unfailing kindness to the
lie lads" who spent their wretched
youth harnessed with ropes and cut
by cords, dragging heavy coal-baskets
out of seams SO low that horses could
not be used. No one struck the weary
children il they fell asleep or gave out,
in Rex's presence; for he had habit
Of sinking back for the children, and
people who felt Rex's hand once never
cared about feeling 1t again. He had
days of sulking, too, when he ate his
hunk of bread and bacon at noon in
the great coal hall, where the men
gathered without word or q smile.
But, then, when he did choose to join
q game of bowls, or quOits, or to fiddle
to their rude and noisy dancing, he
was very king Of good fellows.
One evening, when no had been
working several months In the Low
ther Pit, lie came home in unusually
| low spirits. 1t was harvest time, and
all day long in the dreary darkness he
had been unable to forget the golden
wheat and the happy laborers in the
yellow meadow lands. He heard
Phoebe laughing and talking in the
front room, and, supposing there was
company, he almost mechanically
took more pains with his appearance.
Very glad was he of 1t when he went
forward" for at the sunny window be-
side the white muslin and the scarlet
geraniums, sat very pretty girl.
"This is Bessie-my little Bessie
said the proud mother; and Rex look
ed and wondered, and wondered and
looked. For Bessie was like none OF
the cOllier's daughters he had ever
seen. She was prettily clad in blue
muslin, and the dress, folded carefully
back. showed snowy petticoat and
stockings, and neat little low shoes
tied with bows of black ribbon. There
were q real lace ruffie and pretty
pink ribbon at her throat; her hands
were white and soft; her skin fresh
and fair; her whole appearance sweet,
modest and refined.
Rex knew something of Bessie.
| Over and over again he had heard OF
| the well-tO-dO aunt, under house
keeper of Lowther Castle, through
whose influence Bessie had been taken
into my lady's nursery. How IL was
he could not tell, but the moment
Bessie looked into his face q new day
break shone over his life. That mo-
ment he loved her.
Bessie had brought good news; she
had been promoted, and would have a
day "offn every two weeks. Rex
could scarcely hold his cup when he
heard 1t. Such tea table as that was
can only be found in Loveland. Then,
after tea, he walked with Bessie and
Will over the fields to Lowther Castle
The harvest-moOn was in the sky
they had lost sight of the Stag. and GIN
ders, and coal dust; they had come
from land like the mouth of hell into
one fragrant with ripe wheat and drop
ping apples and by-and-by they were
among the beeches and lawns of Low
ther Park. .
Then Will kissed Bessie, and bads
her "be q good lass and read hel
Bible;" and Rex held the soft little
hand o moment in his. If he had
kissed her, too, it would have been
nothing out of the way Collier Gus.
toms would have quite permitted the
freedom, but 1t never entered Rex's
mind to take It.
Next morning Rex was in one Of his
darkest moods. The weather had
suddenly changed; it was cold and
wet, and Will declared he was toe
| sick to go to work. Rex went alone
to the pit mouth, and stood for shelter
under the blackened sheds till the
banksman was ready to send them
down. Every one seemed cross. and
many were complaining to the waste.
man Of "bad airn in the pit. Sudden.
| ly pompous little man In the dress oi
constable appeared among them, and
| in an authoritative tone asked for one
David Hartly. A rapid movement oi
| the men put Dave in the background,
and his fellows, with anything but q
civil remark, said, "Dave was down
pitt Nothing daunted, the man OF
law demanded to be let down In search
of him.
"Put him down, an be DANCED to
him ~ said several men, in tones
which might have alarmed any pru.
dent man.
Rex approached the officer. "You'll
be q wise man to stay above ground,
sir.u RE tR
"I'm no coward, by George! It's
my duty to secure David Hartly, and
I'll do It II 1 go to-"
"I've warned you. DO as you like. u
The banksman expressed perfect
willingness to "put him down." and
perfect ignorance Of Dawes where
abouts IN the pit-"though't m'sppen
the viewers knew; 1t was none OF hii
business"
"I'll go down with the gentleman
said Rex, seizing the rope and down
they went together. When they goi
to the bottom of the shaft, Rex said
"If you have had enough OF this, sir