The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-10-14

when he hadn't had drink would keep
hisSelf to hisself. There was a lass liv-
ing in these parts then, and Fighting
Joe was right fond of her. l don't
know that he had said much
to her, but we could see that
he was about as fond of that
lass as lad could well be. | know that
for mother was living then, and this lass
would often be between her house and
ours. II seems that one Sunday. as it
might be this, Joe had met her, and
told her how fond he had been of her and
asked her to become his wife. She told
mother that this same night. Well, ii
| seems she said that Joe mus MT look for
that, for she was already promised, and
was going to be wed that Whitsuntide.
When she told Joe that, he said ne'er
word, but he grew very white in the
face, and turned quietly away. The
next day he had to work beside the
very man who was promised to the lass
as he loved. Well they had
been at work for some time, when Joe's
mate, turning round to get hold of
a shorter pick that was living near
sees him standing behind him with his
arm raised aud the pick in his hand, as
If in doubt whether to strike or not, and
with a look in his eyes as he had never
been known to wear before. The two
men looked at one another without
speaking for while, till Joe said, "God
forgive mer' and turned away, and
from that time they never worked side
by side again. l don't know how it
was, but we used to think Joe kept
away on purpose mean, SO as not to
be in the way to strike the other one.
That would be a matter of three or four
months before the fire"
What fire?' | asked.
What fire?" the other repeated, in
a tone of establishment. "Why, Fen
toms Pit. Did you never hear tell of
the fire in Fenton's Pit?'
No." Ireplied; "you know am a
stranger here"
"Ah, you must be. should think"
the man said, somewhat roughly, :" if
you never heard tell of that"
He took a small, blackened pipe from
the pocket of his vest, looking thought
fully before him, and filling the bowl in
the mechanical manner of a person
who, preoccupied by an all-engrossing
thought, is going through some famil-
lar action, for his thoughts were evil
IDENTIFY far away, and the pitman's face,
rough and strongly marked as it was,
became saddened and almost tender in
its expression under their influence. He
remained silent so long that | at length
said:
:" shOuldlike to hear about that fire
if you don't mind telling me-"
Was you ever down a pit, mate"'
he asked.
told him no, but had often thought
l should like to see one.
better stay where you are, mate"
the man answered. abr he added,
after another pause, cts strange how
we mining people die; but it's stranger
how we ive"
How do you mean?" | asked.
1--WE worked in the pit for more nor
twenty year. he replied; "but never
90 down in the cage now-that is, since
that time speak on-but | think | may
be going to my grave. What with the
rising of the water, or the fall of the
coal, or the choke-damp that means
death, the lives of such as us amt worth
much; but all these put together amt
nothing to pit on fire! When the coal
is bursting with the heat and the heavy
masses of earth fall down, crushing or
laming them that can't get out of the
way-when the cry is, Every man for
himself and God above for us all!-when
fainting and struggling, they think for
ovI nbil1ratn anH
then they fall and die!
well, that was the sort of fire l
speak of, and all of those at work in the
pit that day rushed for the lift that
might carry them up away from the
place where the flames were roaring
and rushing with the noise of great
wind. Well, Fighting Joe was the last
man in the lift, as they thought; 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
ried Joe's sweetheart making for the
lift and begging them for Gods sake
not to leave him behind. Well, | tell
YOU, the lift was overfull then, but Joe
sprang from it and, Selling hold of the
other one, with the help of those inside
hauled him in, and all we heard HIM
say was, Tell her did it an God bless
thee, mattel and then we heard the roar
again of the flames and we never saw
Joe again"
The man sat quietly for a second or
two, and, though his voice did not fal-
ter, he added, in softer tone:
- But the next day. when the fire
III I.,,.,,I ;f-,1f 1v,4 / t1-oc n,,o nf hon,
that went down into the pit. There
was a crowd of the miners wives and
children standing at the pit mouth, and
when we came up again we laid a body
gently on the ground, and the men took
off their caps and said ne'er a word,
while the women cried, and many of
them sobbed aloud; it was blackened
and burned, and but for where the pit
mans Jacket had saved him, it might
have been no more than the earth it
was living on. But as we stopped ten
DERBY to raise and carry the body away,
the Jacket fell off, and there, on that
part where once beat a true heart, was
alock of woman hair. Hell had begged
it of her, she said. so often. she had not
the heart at last to refuse him, and God
only knows, mate, what comfort poor
Joe might have felt in wearing it for
her sake.
1--WE buried him with that little curl
living on his breast, and with many a
sob, and many God bless thee, poor
ladr we lowered him to his rest. We
planted them little flowers, and it
seemed to me as if they growed
brighter on his tomb than anywhere
else"
He paused again, and as stole look
at him 1 saw two large tears rolling
slowly down his hard face. He was