River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-01-17
Lost In a Coal Mine.
BY NJ. A ROE.


Jamie ran into the coal breaker at Noun
tainville Colliery, and caught the hand
of the Boss, as he stood in his office, sur
rounded by several miners.
"Why not~ 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, papa3 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 |
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 holt
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. 1t must be stopped"
s'Faithl know there's some deserves
ii, but Mike, yer honor"
II 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, Sits moighty hard on poor
Mike"
John Duncan was a sturdy, honest En-
glishman, generally liked by his employ
ers and the men. But tried as a man
must necessarily be who has to meet the
demands of 10th, he was at times apt to
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 mother9 My Sunday
school teacher said we should be thank
full that God has kept us safe and well
through the long year"
"Come, child, run off to school, and I'll
attend to the business here"
The two children hurried away from
the breaker, but ere they reached the
school, Jamie said to Tom, "There's enc
thing I'm thankful for anyhow, amt
you?"
"What's that?"
.Why, that we don't have to sit in the
dirty coal and pick slate all day"
"No, wouldn't like that But III be
glad when I'm big enough to work in
the mines and drive the mules. This
afternoon let's coax some of the men to
let us go down in the elevator, and watch
'em at work, and come home with papa
tonight"
"Would he let us?n
"Oh, yes, you know we've gone with
him before"
When school was over the children
went home for dinner, but said nothing
of their plan to their mother, lest she
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 were
favorites with the men, and they readily
consented. On reaching the bottom of
the mine, seats were given them near the
foot of the shaft, and they were told that
their father would soon be there. For a
long time they were amused watching the
miners lights, as they shifted to and fro
the loaded and empty cars. Then Tom
grew restless and coaxed Jamie with him
from one group OF workmen to another,
till he picked up lamp that was hooked
fast to a stick. and asked young fellow
near him to light it.
He thoughtlessly complied and the two
children started off to look for their lfath-
er, amusing themselves with coniectures
as to his pleasure and surprise at their
courage They did not notice that they
had turned up the tunnel instead of down;
but walked on and on, till as last Tom
stopped and said, "Why its queer that
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, Tom" cried Jamie, we ought to
have stayed where the men put us. Sup
pose we are lost and never get QUIZ
"Pshaw, Jamie don't begin to cry.
Well go back the way we came and be
all right in few minutes"
They turned and began, as they sup
posed, to retrace their steps. Every lit
tie distance they cried for help, hut no
dice responded and terrified by the
death-Iike silence and the loneliness of
their position they began running reck-
lessly forward, till Tom tripped on a
lump of coal, and extinguished his lamp.
Then, although he regained his feet in a
moment, they both realized that they
were indeed lost, and they believed that
they would never escape from that awful
blackness
The men who had brought them into
the mines had gone to their work some
distance from the shaft in another direc-
ton, and, believing that they had joined
their father, gave them no further thought.
The Boss knew nothing of their adyen-
ture, and when the days work was over
returned home, feeling very much in the
same mood as in the mornlng-that he
had to bear more than his share of the
burdens of life. When he opened his
door and saw the bright freight shining
and the supper table neatly spread he
gave sigh of relief, feeling that he could
put away care for that night at least.
| But his wife met him on the threshold
| with inquiries for the boys. She told
him they had gone down the shaft early
in the afternoon and had not returned.
Filled with alarm he instantly sought the
assistance of some of his neighbors to &C
and search for them. With lamps IN
their caps and hands they again entered
the deserted pit and separated in differ
emf directions to explore the tunnels, call
ing the children's names as they PRO
crossed. After searching for a long time
they met according to ppolItment at the
foot of the shaft without the boys. Their
/ father wished to start off again, but al
last reluctantly yielded to the advice OF
the men to return and see if they had not
/ wandered into some of the intersecting
mines and been taken out; if not, wait
till morning, then call a general search. .
But Duncan went home to find his wife