The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-02-08
A MINER AT HOME.

n A MINER AT HOME
, HOW lie LIVES ABOVE GROUND-TIIE HAIR
: :, FATE OF A MAN WHO SPENDS HIS LIE
, IN DARK CAvERNs
slow do the miners live? In all sorts G
ways. II you should go and spend a nigh
, in one Of their houses you'd find out NOR
about it than L could tell you in i week
Any OF them would be glad to have you.''
This was what one OF the Reading Com
pany's officers said to me when | ask hin
about the miners home life.
So l went.
An'introduction to the mine boss, another
to the inside foreman down in the mine, ant
a third to one OF the men with heavy picl
in his hands, and it was settled that was tt
spend the night with Mr.. Dennis McDon-
nell, miner. Mr.. McDonnell's face wa;
blacker, with coal dust, than anything can
when he shifted his pick and held out hi:
big right hand to shake, the blackness fairly
fell from it in a shower.
"Ye're welcome, lad, to such rs l can
give you," was the miners salutation. SITS
poor at the best, but we'll have enough to
eat.'' With this Mr.. Mcdonnell went on
picking at the coal.
OUT OF THE NINE.
| Mr.. Mcdonnell was to be through work at
8 O'Clock, so | went aloft and washed off the
| outer crust Of blackness in the warm engine
room. At about half-past 5 he came up out
OF the centre Of the earth, blacker, if posi-
Bile, than before. His blackness was over
towering. 1t was that peculiar shade that
looks like stove backing. He must have
| been scratching his face and polished it. But
black as he was, in clothes and skin, ne was
| hospita5le, and said, as he stepped out of the
| cage where was waiting for him, ''Now,
my boy, We'll go,and get something to eat"
1t was nearly half mile to Mr.. McDon-
nell's house, but that half mile wasn't IA
vorable to conversation. The snow was
nearly two feet deep, and the path through
~ Weso aoOuU CllC WluGu VI IL iuLlCE , UOOl3 81
we went single fle-he ahead, 1 behind.
After awhile we reached the Mcdonnell resi-
dence. 1t stood on the outskirts OF one of
the nameless little mining villages, was one
story high and looked as if it was all one
room, but / found as soon Us we got inside
the door, that it had two.
The miners wife was bending over a hot
coal stove, and there was a very violent
smell OF ham in the room. My introduction
to Madame Miner was peculiar. The head
OF the house said
'Can you give this lad some supper?'
mo, I can't,'' said the madam.
well, ye'll have to-
SUPPER FOR FIVE
This seemed to settle it, so sat down. 1t
may be that 1 am preiudiced, because the
old lady wanted to send me off without my
supper, but thought then, and still think,
chat she was the ugliest woman ever saw
in my life. She wore white frilel cap on
a very round, big head and her face was
wrinkled enough for woman OF seventy,
though she could not have been more than
fcrty-fiye. She was short and fat, and about
as graceful as a flour sack, and her calico
dress, am sure, must have been used to
wash dishes with some years ago. But after |
being with this woman for twelve hours, |
found her the most hospitabic and one of the |
eleverest women I ever saw. So, in going |
through the coal regions, don't judge the |
women by their appearance.
The family cuddled round the stove-all !
but one little girl, who was putting plates |
on the table. 1t consisted OF two boys, both |
with dirty faces. One was fourteen Or tif- |
teen years old, and, as I afterwards learned, |
worked in the mines, but was laid up for re-
must have been 100 sick to wash his face |
after he came out of the mine, for it was as !
black as his father's-all but little round |
place over his mouth, evidently cleaned by |
blowing his nose. The other boy was six or |
seven years old, and amused himself by hid |
ing under the table. The .,,rl was the only |
pretty feature of the establishment She !
was twelve Or thirteen, perhaps, and wore a |
dress that closely resemble1 her mothers, |
both in texture and grease. Her face was |
black, too, but even cold dust can't hide a |
pretty girl, and she was very pretty.
In few minutes supper was ready, and |
we all sat down. Madame la Miner, if she |
was still averse to my eating from the family !
board, took pains not to show it, for she |
gave me piece OF fried ham big enough for
min or1c nd obi o1I
big potatoes, supplemented by big slice OF
brown bread. This was the supper-ham,
potatoes, bread. There was plenty of it; no |
starvation here. There was nothing else on
the table-no salt, 10 pepper, no butter, but
there was plenty Of ham JUICE, and this an
swered for all. There was no coffee, either.
DISCUSSING TIMELY TOPICS.
The conversation during the meal was
lively. The Madame showed blue dish full
Of potatoes towards me, and said, inquiring-
ly:
Potatoes"
The miner, flourshing his own knife, said:
'.TIam?''
The little boy, pushing his plate towards
the ham dish, said:
''AIore p
This was all. Not word about the price
OF stocks, or the Presidential question, or
the war in Turkey. After supper the gen.
! tl.men retired to the smoking-room Ground
| the stoye) and the ladies washed the dishes.
| had cigars in my case, but with a heroic
devotion to duty accepted the black clay
pipe the miner offered me to see what kind
of tobacco he smoked. 1t was very bad. The
oldest boy didn't join us, but looked as if
he'd like to. | tried to draw Mr.. Melon
nell into conversation, but he didn't draw
any more than the pipe, which was stopped
up. Here's little illustration OF one of my
best efforts:
s.lIard work down in the mines, isn't it %
Yes
| :'Ever have an incent?''
mo-
sect good pay::"
ssNo.''
s'You DON'T like to talk muci do you:"
''No.'
think he was afraid OF the old lady; and
| r th;yo with him