The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-09-13
JOHNS MINNIE,

JOHN's MINNIE was twelve years old
John himself was fifty, and a coal miner.
1t had been showing all day; showing
at Pittsburgh, at Scranton, at Wilkesbarre
showing on the bleak, black mountains
and into the shafts leading into the great
coal mines.
At fifteen minutes after four of the clock
Johns Minnie, going home from school,
encountered group of men. The snow,
with all its wn-cOming, had not whit.
encd one of the number. Their faces,
hands and words were black.
Hush," warned one of the men. /" Not
another word; that's Johns Minnie a.
coming"
The young girl walked on, not even
raising her eyes as she passed the men !;
but she knew that her own father stood
in the center of that group of angry, ILL.,
speaking miners, for She had heard the
tones OF his voice and caught from a few
words the very bit of news that no man
wished known.
Johns Minnie never looked back; the
snow flakes fell and melted on her warm
cheeks as she pinched her arithmetic and
geography and shut her teeth with little
snap.
AT the next turn she saw through the
snow fail woman's figure; the woman
was coming down from the mountain near
whose base stood fifty or more cabins, the
homes of the miners.
AS the woman and the child came to-
gether the child cried out:
Miss Wren, have you been on the
mountain, tO-day?"
Why not, Minnie Jans.n ?" replied
Miss Wren. There's plenty of misery
and hunger on the mountain to-day, and
it isn't one bit easier to bear misery and
hunger in q snow storm, now, is it my
dcars'
It's Larder," returned Minnie, and
Miss Wren, if it wasn't for you, wouldn't
go home tonight, at all. o how do hate
TO go home. Mothers sick, and fathers
cross, and Carl and Jansen never speak
a pleasant word, and then the twins cry,
between them, all night; nobody has
enough to eat; the clothes are all worn
out and everything is just as miserable as
it can be-" sObbed the twelve-year old girl
with sudden outburst of sorrow; +" and,
Miss Wren, things is coming on worse
still, things is"
Stop crying, my dear. There! I'll
walk back little with you and you shall
tell me all about it."
No, Miss Wren, it's something that I
can't tell, and will not tell; noteven if I'm
hung down the shaft for it,
lis it anything can help, Minnie!'
ou" exclaimed the child. II won
der how. No, nobody can't help it, now.
o somebody's awful wicked, somewhere.
wish just knew who it is that makes
everything go wrong up here on the
The more things go wrong the harder
We must try, Minnie, to make sure that
our little duty is done right. Now 60
home happy. I've been to see your
mother to-day. You'll find good COM
ana tomorrow Miss Florence will be at
home and wen see what can be done.
Good-n might. Run home with smile and
kiss for your poor mother.'
With the words, pretty Miss Wren
turned to retrace her steps.
She had not gone far ere Johns Minnie
ran down, calling out, Did you say your
sister-that Miss ClOrence-was coming
home tonight"
Yes, and we'll see you to morrow"
What time tonight" persisted Min.
ME.
20, too late for you to see her She
won't be up before the midnight train, I"
and with smile. half seen through the
falling snow, Miss Wren went downward
toward the town, and the little girl toiled
through the snow up the mountain. She
pinched her books harder than ever a. she
tried to plant her strong young feet in the
footprints Of somebody. who had but re
Gently gone upward, and she kept saying
to herself. Oh, if it wasn't for father; Il
it wasn't for my father!'
Johns Minnie had forgotten all about
Miss Wren's advice concerning the smile
and the kiss long before she passed the
group OF miners cabins, and by the time
she came TO the shaft she had taken . res
olution. She had resolved to tell her
mother all about. the things that were
coming on worse STILL"
Mlnnie's heart vas too full to notice
certaln cnsngee thaeoeherwise would have
at.lacusc ner e0en,1on, even before abe
en.esea I'm tae cso'n. In me listle window
Deslae inc doof. pressed Close to the panes
OF glass on Purpoee tnat s9s 1se9 see,
was geranlums elo"lng WIN clusters OF
scarlet Dloesomlng; ous M'nnies cyes
were on the snow.
one opener NE cso,n doof mo went N
tnrew ner scnoos oooks inIo cnsar ana