Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-12-05

his wife. She sent us bread and meat
and potatoes for tonight, and that lovely
geranium for as long as it will stay with
US. Don't you remember, John, the first
summer, when the cabin was new, we had
flowers all the time, out of doors and imp
Don't | remember, growled John,
that yon asked me to build the house
close up to the shaft, so you could run and
look down into it and listen to my voice a
dozen times in the day, and row you never
60 near it.. e..
'Oh, Johnn exclaimed the woman, and
she could say no more. low could she
when she remembered herself as she stood
that day, Annette Mayor, and with John
Jansen, her future husband, selected the
cabin sitco
Mother said Johns Minnie. don't
come out now. Don't let father sec you
coma
Minnien called John.
Yes, sirn answered Minnie
Did you come right home from school
today9'
Il didn't hurry any after met Miss
Wren replied Minnie
Did you see me anywhere on the way
home| he questioned.
No, father replied Minnie with little
quaver in her voice. 'Why?'
Nothing child. Come here and kiss
me-
Minnie clasped her arms about her faith
er's neck, clung to him and kissed him
twice, then fearing he would suspect
something, she said: You love me bet
ter when there's supper in the house, don't
you, now?'
III fetch home the supper tomorrow
myself said John Jansen.
Father said Minnie, don't be cross
to me any more if ask you something?
Ask on Minnie
Won't you leave the strikers, and have
nothing to do with them9'
Can't do it, Minnie.
Then said the girl, I'm going to
have nothing to do with you. I'll 20 and
help mother And Minnie suddenly left
the room to find her mother in waiting TO
hear what she had to tell.
Come out somewhere, mother said
Minnie, and be quick It's Just awful
Wait till | fix the fire and put on more
coal
Get father off the minute supper's
done said Minnie, the instant she had
time to speak aloud in. There's some
thing dreadful to be done. | caught it as
came from school; the train to.night-the
midnight train-is to be thrown off the
track. Fathers in it. We must save itn
Minnie Jansenn cried the poor little
wife and mother.
It's true, mother, and we must save it
you and l.
We might AS well turn the mine inside
out
Mother Miss Florence Wren will be on
the trainn
'Ohn
And be killed.
Another groan.
Wen save her, mother'
And betray your own father, Minnie?'
And save father, mother. from all the
Wckedness he means to do, if you'll only
help to do it. thought it over on my way
home from school. They mean to go
down by the bend in the river. and, after
the up-train is gone tear up the rails just
where the whole train will 90 down the
bank. heard it, and | know father was
there, because it was his voice. Oh, if
father would give up going with the stlk-
ers and everthing?
Minnie said Mrs. Jansen, what can
you do?'
Do! Make believe I'm in bed, and all
the time I'll be going up the track as fast
rs can 90, and stop the train
How will you go, alone, u little girl, in
the night9 No one will see YOU
| won't 90 a little girl. I'll go II boy,
with Carl's clothes on. Mine will be lying
on the chair, just as they are every night,
and you must wake me up and put me in
bed, and father will be sure to look in the
room to see if I'm there before he goes out.
Then !! take u mine lantern and save
him from wickcdness and save the train
and Miss Florence, too
Annette! AnnetteN called John from
the cabin door.
Coming, john was the answer, as
the trembling woman picked up the hod
she had been filling with coal to carry it
in
Minnie grasped it from her and sturdly
bore it to the house.
After supper, which John Jansen ate
with his eyes on his plate, scarcely lifting
them TO glance at wife or children, he
said I'm going tonight TO n meeting.
If I'm home late don't f"et about me.
Boys to Carl and Jansen, be sure you
are in by nine o'clock
Minnie longed to jump up, and she
would have done on any other night, TO 60
around the table, to throw her arms around
the miners neck, to beg him to stay at
home, but she only said: Father Miss
Florence Wren will be here to morrow,
She's coming tonight in the midnight
train. Miss Wren told me when | met
her, and she walked back little way with
me-
Minnie did not see the expression of
her fathers face at that instant, for she
had not the courage 10 look into ii.
He went away the moment tea was
over. The boys quickly followed his ex-
ample, and the cabin was left to Mrs.
Jansen, Minnie and the little ones.
Mother said Minnie the instant they
were alone, father will try to stop the
work they're going to do, and he can't do
it, Oh, saw their cruel faces to-day.
They re going to have their own way, un-
less do it.
Johns Minnie loved her father. He
had been SO kind to her when mining was
good; for her sake he would have done
anything she had asked him, but now
everything was going wrong-low wages
little work, bad counscls and hunger had
driven Jansen back almost TO the condition
of savage.
Something to look like Minnie was made
up. Minnie's own night cap was put upon
its head, the image was laid with face to
the wall, in Minnie's bed. The clothing
the child had worn that evening was put
in its accustomed place on the rude little
chair, the shoes and stockings laid on the
floor by its side, and Minnie put herself
into II stout mining suit OF Carl's. She
looked very like him as she tucked up her
fair curls out of sight inside the close cap,
and, with the little lantern in her hand,
stood saying The last good.by words,
| shall do it mother. Never fear for
me, nor for Miss Florence, nor for father,
I'm going to do right, and I'll ask God to
tell me how to do it, aud you keep asking
Him TO take care of me, and He will.
Good-by, mother. You'll be up with
the babies and let mo in when | come
With Il hurried kiss on the warm sleep
ing little faces side by side in the trundle
bed, and Il long clinging one on her moth
,,,,f. "a f,,,.tt, Ti,,