Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-01-20
Lost in a Coal Mine.
BY NJ. A ROE,

BY NJ. A ROE
"Oh, Papa there is no school from
noon to-day until next Monday " exclaim-
ed Tom Duncan as he and his brother
jamie ran into the coal breaker at Noun
talnyille ColIiery, and caught the hand
OF the Boss, as he stood in his Office, sur
rounded by several miners.
"Why not2" he asked, turning sharply
on his little boys.
Because our teacher is going home to
keep Thanksgiving, replied Tom. ''He
read US the Presidents proclamation all
about what we're to give thanks for.
Have you got our turkey yet, papa2 You
know we want big dinner"
Yes, said the Boss, turning to the
men, turkey and big dinner, for those
who can get it, is what this Thanksgiv-
ing amounts to. It's precious little l
have to give thanks for. No business
and hard times was the cry last year, and
I'm sure it's worse this. We miners have
too many idle days already. We don't
need Presidents proclamation to give
us another"
''That's so, Ross. An I'm thinkin' ye'd
betther reconsider them names yer for
droppin' Mike Finn can't afford holi-
days-nor the rest aither, as fer that"
''Then let them obey the rules and be
on time. Mike has been late three morn
ings in succession. It must be stopped y
Faith! / know there's some deserves
it, but Mike, yer honor
81 shall drop them for week, anyway
You see that my order is given and
Boss turned slowly away.
The men saw there was no appeal and
went our, but the boys heard the Irish
man mutter, "It's moighty hard on poor
Nike
| John Duncan was sturdy, honest En-
glishman, generally liked by his employ
ers and the men. But tried as man
must necessarily be who has to meet the
demands OF both, he was at times apt tc
become cross and stubborn. His chill
dren recognized the mood, but little
jamie, the INDUCED pet, climbed up on
the back Of his chair, and throwing his
arms around his fathers neck, whispered
| ''Papa, perhaps Mike Finn can't come in
time. heard his wife was awful sick
Suppose it was our mother2 My Sunday
school teacher said we should be thank.
full that God has kept us safe and wei
through the long year
"Come, child, run off to school, and III
attend to the business here
The two children hurried away from
the breaker, but ere they reached the
school, jamie said to Tom, s'Theres ont
thing I'm thankful for anyhow, AIM
you?''
\ 'tWhat's that2O
"Why, that we don't have to sit in thu
dirty coal and pick slate all day"
mo, l wouldn't like that. But I'll bt
glad when I'm big enough to work il
the mines and drive the mules. Thi
afternoon let's coax some of the men tt
let us go down in the elevator, and watcl
'em at work, and come home with pap;
/ tonight
would he let us2'
ooh, yes, you know we've gone will
him before"
When school was over the children
went home for dinner, but said nothing
OF their plan to their mother, lest sh,
should forbid them. When they arrived
at the shaft, three men with lamps burn
ing in their caps were just about to de
scend; and Tom eagerly begged permits
sion to accompany them. The boys wer.
fayorites with the men, and they readil,
consented. On reaching the bottom o
the mine, seats were given them near til.
foot OF the shaft, and they were tod tina
their father would soon be there For
long time they were amused watching TIN
miners lights, as they shifted to and fir,
the loaded and empty cars. Then Ton
grew restless and coaxed Jamie with hin
from one group OF workmen to another
till he picked up lamp that was hooked
fast to a stick. and asked a Young fellow
near him to light it.
He thoughtlessly complied and the tw,
children started off to look for their faith
er, amusing themselves with conjecture
as to his pleasure and surprise at thei
courage. They did not notice that the,
had turned up the tunnel instead of down
but walked on and on, till as last Ton
stopped and said, "Why it's queer tina
we don't see papa or some Of the men
| Let's CALI
They shouted as loud as they could
then listened, but there was no reply
"Oh, Toni" cried Jamie, we ought t
have stayed where the men put us. Sup
pose we are lost and never get out?"
"Pshaw, jamie! don't begin to cry
Well go back the way we came and b
ali right in a few minutes"
They turned and began, as they sup
posed, to retracc their steps. Every lit
tie distance they cried for help, hut n
o ice responded and terrified by tn
death-like silence aud the loneliness Q
their position they began running reck
lessly forward, TIL Tom tripped on
4 lump of coal, and extinguished his lamp
Then, although heregained his feet in
moment, they both realized that the
were indeed lost, and they believed tina
| they would never escape from that awfu
blackness
The men who had brought them int
the mines had gone to their work som
| distance from the shaft in another airec
ton, and, believing that they had joine'
their father, gave them no further thought
| The Boss knew nothing OF their adven
ture, and when the days work was owe
| returned home, feeling very much in tn
same mood as in the mornlng-that b
had to bear more than his share of tn
burdens of life. When he opened hi
door and saw. the bright freight shining
and the suplextabl neatly spread h,
aAs1 sigh llef; feeling that he coule