Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1880-11-03

of a person who, preoccupied by |
M all eugrOssing thought, is going |
through some familiar action, for
his thoughts were evidently far
away, and the pitman's face, rough |
aud strongly marked AZ it was, be-
came saddened and almost tender
10 it's expression under their in
fiuence. He remained silent 90 long
that | at length said:
81 should like to hear about that
Are if you don't mind telling me-"
"Was you ever down y pit, mater
he asked.
1 told him no, but had often
thought / should like to see one.
Better stay where you are,
mate,' the man answered. "Ah !"
be added, after another pause, "it's
strange how We mining people die;
but it's stranger how we live"
"How do you mean y | asked.
"rve worked in the pit for more
nor twenty year." he replied; "but
| never 70 down in the cage now
that ia, since that time l speak on
but think | may be going to my
grave. What with the rising Of the
water. OF the fall of the coal, or the
choke damp that means death, the
lives OF such us US amt worth much;
bit all these put together amt
nothing to pit on FIRE When the
coal is bursting With the heat and
the heavy masses of Garth fall down,
crushing or tanning them that cant
get out Of the way-wben the cry is,
Every man for himself and God
above for 10 all when fainting
and struggling, they think for Q
moment on wife and children and
then they fall and die
"Well, that was the sort of fire l
spesk of; and all of those at work 10
the pit that day rushed for the lift
that might carry them mp away
from the place where the flames
were roaring and rushing with the
noise of a great wind. Well, Fight.
ing Joe was the last man in the lift,
~ they Thoughts; but just as they
were beginning to move they heard
a loud cry for help and they saw
that other one-him who had mar
riel JOe's Notwithstanding fol
the lift and begging them for Gods
sake not to leave him behind. Well
| tell you, the lift was overfull then
hut Joe sprang from 1t and, Selling
hold of the other one, with the helI
of those inside hauled him in, anG
all we heard him say was, Tell hel
I did it an God bless thee, mate
and then we heard the roar AGAR
of the flames and We never saw 10,
again"
The man sat Quietly for secont
! or two, and, though his voice die
. not falter, he added, in softer tone
, But the next day, when the fir'
had burned itself out, | was one O
! them that went down into the pit
! There was a crowd Of the miners
! wives and children standing at th'
Z pit mouth, and when We came ~
| again We laid body gently OH tn
( ground, and the men took of tbei
Z caps aud said ne'er a word, whil
l., the women cried. and many of theu
4 sobbed aloud; il was blackened All,
4 burned. and but for where the pit
I mans jacket had saved him,
3 might have been no more than tb
j, earth it was lying on. But as W
q stopped tenderly to raise and carr
r the body away, the jacket fell of
Z and there, on that part where ono
d beat true heart, was lock of
e woman's hair. He bad begged 1t &
o her, she said, so often, she had NC
r the heart at last to refuse him, an
8 God only knows, mate, what con
II fort poor Joe might have felt j
d wearing il for her sake.
t. 1--WE buried him with that littl
u curl lying on his breast, aud wit
v many u cob. and many God bles
Il thee, poor ladr We lowered him I
Il his rest. We planted them littl
. flowers, and it seemed to me az
/. they growed brighter on his tom
n than anywhere else.'
!. He paused again, and as l stole
Il look at him ] saw two large teal
n rolling slowly down his hard fac
u He was a little embarrassed NJ M
Is observing them, think, for he said
[, Don't You think worse of M
IA. matt, l,ocunss. I'm uivinu NOV "A hi