The Benton weekly record., 1880-10-01

that lass as a lad could we'll be. ki1o
!. that, for mother was living then, and tn
lass would ofteu be between her house an
ours. 1t seems that one Sunday, Us
might be this, Joe had met her, and eol
her how fond he had been OF her, and ash
ed her to become his wife. She told moth
er this that same night. Well, it seem
she said that Joe mustn't look for that, 70
she was already promised, and was goin
to be married that Whitsuntide. Whe
she told Joe that, he said ne'er word
but he grew very white in the face, an4
turned quietly away. The. next day h
had to work beside the very man who wa
promised to the lass as he loved. Wei
they had been at work some, when joe
mate, turning round to get hold ofa short
Ell pick that was lying near, sees him stand
ing behind him with his arm raised ant
the pick III bis hand, as if in doubt wheth
er to strike o.; not, and with look Ii, hi,
eyes as he had never been known to weal
before. The two men looked at one an.
other without speaking foI while, till
Joe said, God forgive mo.' and tura1ed
away, and from that time they never work.
ed side By side again. lon't know hoY
1t was, but we used TO think j oe kept away
on purpose-l mean, so as not TO be iu the
way to strike the other one. That would
be matter Of three or four months before
the fire.
"AYhat fire?' / asked.
s'What fire." the other repeated, In a
tone OF astonishment. Why, Fenton's
Pit Did you never hear tell of the Ore IN
Fenton's pit?''
No I replied; 'votl know am a
stranger here. -
All, you mast be, should fhink.'' the
man said, somewhat roughly. you nev-
CT heard tell Of that,
He took a small, hlackenrd pins from
the pocket Of his vest, looking thoughtful
II before him, and filing che bowl Ia fiie
mechanical manner OF a person who, pre-
occup'edSby an all-engrossing thought, is
gnl11g fhnl thffpng some familiar action for his
t4louSAtA were CstHS+.~-
pitlnan,s face, rough and strongly marked
rs it vas, became saddened and alraosf
tender in ifs expression under their infl.i-
ence. lie remained silent so long that at
length | said:
Il should like to hear about that fire. if
you don't mind telling me. -
WAS you ever down u pit, mate ~ he
asked.
| told him no, but had often thought /
should like to see one.
''Better stay where you are, nlate,'' the
man answered. 'tAh!': he added, after
another pause, ssit's strange how 4e min
ing people dis; but it's stranger how We:
livei''
Glow do you mean?' asked
"I've worked in the pit for mere nor
twenty year. he replied; "but never so
down In the cage noW-tllat is, since that
time | speak on--but think may be go
ing to my grave. What with the rising OF
the water, or the fall Of the coaI, or the
that means death, the lives Of
such as us amt worth much; but all these
put together amt nothing to a pit on FIRE
When the coal is bursting with the heat,
and the heavy masses Of earth fall down,
or laming thana that can It get out
of the way-when the cry is, Every man
For himself, and God above for us all p
whom; fainting and struggling, they think
for moment on wife and children, and
then they fall and die
sssWell, that was the sort of fire / speak
II, and all of those at work in the pit that
lay rushed for the lift that might carry
hem up away from the place where the
James were roaring and rushing with the |
1oise Of o great wind, Well, Fighting Joe
Yas the last man in the lift, as they
.hought; but just as they were beginning
o move they heard a loud cry for help, |
md they saw that other one---Eliln who
lad married Joe's Notwithstanding for
he lift, and begging them for Gods sake
lot ID leave him behind. Well, ltell ron,
he lift was oYerfull then, but Joe sprang
rom It, and, SELLING hold Of the other one, /
eth the holp Of those inside, hauied hin, |
Il, and all We heard him say was, Tell her
!. did it, an God bless thee, taate!' and
hen We heard again the roar OF the flames,
nd We never saw Joe again.
The man sat quietly for q second or two,
q
md, though his voice did not falteg, he |!
,dded, ii . softer tone -.
But the next day, when the fire had
,urned itself. out, I was one. OF them that
vent down into the pit. There. was a
rowd Of the miners wives md children
tanding at the pit mouth, and when We
anne up again we laid q body gently. Oh
be ground, and the men took of their
APPS, and said ne 'er Il Norti, while the Wo=
aen cried, and many of them sobbedI
loud it was bleekened and burned, and
1T for where the nitman's i jacket had aav-
q him, Il might have been 10 more than
be earth ii Was lying on. But as we
topped teneierly to raise ant carry the
osiy away, the jacket fell of, and there, Il
n thai part where once q true heart heat.
sas lock Of = Heman, s hair. He had /,
egged it:of her, she said, 50 often, she had
OF tIe#heaff to refuse him, and God only
noass, mate, what eomfoft ptror Joe might
ave felt in wearing it for. her aake
=. s. buried him with thar Little curl "
1s on his breast, and With lnany 2 sob, 8