The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1880-10-28

care care .nat a IS bestowed on the poor fel

care that is bestowed on the poor fe,.
lows tomb-such as it is, :
"No, SIR" the man said oravalv
after moments pause: "not Suite III,
tnat; A violent death, yes; and such a
ueath as might pray God might meier
happen TO the worst of us; but it wasn' t
drink nor quarrel, nor fight with, an
other man, that brought him to it. 1t
was more the other way, poor lad
more the other way"
The rough fellow beside me said this
| with gentleness of tone and manner
That was sufficiently cut of keeping with
MS appearance to excite some degree of
curiosity and told him should like to
learn more of the story.
It's not much as such as you might
care for" the man replied. Here
ne SAID, turning tortheA little ones who
were straying toward the green
mound again, "you mustn't touch them
posles, thou knows; go and get some of
them,' and he jerked small piece of
coal he had in his hand toward where
some daisies and dandelions were grow
ing among the rank grass.
Z" He worked in Fenton's Pit along o.
me, an, though we never had angry
words, many an many a day would
pass and neither him nor me would
speak. He was quiet, as l said, and
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 eften 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, it
seems she said that oe 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 a
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 and the pick in ashland, as
If IN doubt whether to strike or not, and
with look in his eyes as he had never
been known to wear before. The two
men looked at one another without
speaking fora while, till Joe said, = God
forgive me!' and turned away, and
from that time they never worked side
by side again. z 1 don't -knowehew it
was, but we used to think Joe Kept
away on purpose-I- mean, so as not to
be in the way to strike the other enc.
That would be a matter Of three OF four
months before the fire.
"What fire?" I asked.
IS What fireH' the other repeated, in
tone of astonishment. "Why, Fen
toms Pit. Did you never hear tell Of
the fire in Fenton's Pit?'n'
!" No. I replied; g you know ! am a
stranger here" hf&I8 s,a lg74
..Ah, you must be, I should think
the man said, somewhat roughly, :. if
you never heard tell of that. f'Jt.s
, He took small, blackened pipe from
the pocket of his vest, looking tt ought
fully before him, and filing the bowl in
the mechanical manner of person |
who, preoecupied by an au-engrossing
thought, is going through some famil-
lar action, for his, thoughts were evi-
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
silent 80 long that at length
said: st v@&e I
"I should like to hear ABOUT that fire |
if you don't mind telling me.''1~
Was you ever, down a pit, mate?' |
he asked. |
told him no, but had often thought |
| should like to see. one. ,~v~r-sx |
"Better stay where you are, mate,'' |
the man answered. "Ahr' he added,
after another pause, ''it's strange how !
we mining people die; but it's stranger
how we liver
..How do you mean?" Iasked., 3
"rye worked in the pit for more nor
twenty year." he replied; ..'but I never
90 down in the cage now-that is, since
that time speak on--butI | think / may
be gong TO my grave. WnaG Win the
rising Of the water, or the fall of the
coal. or the choke-damp that means
death, the lives of such as us ain t 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
aiming them that can get out of the
way-when the cry is, Every man for
1imself and God above for us all!-when
:ainting and struggling, they think for
. moment on wife and children and
hen they fall and Edie!9 - ST ~
"Well, that was the sort of fire +
,peak of, and all of those at work in the
Dit that day rushed for the lift that
night carry them up away from the
place where the flames were roaring
ind rushing with the noise Of great
Wind. Well, Fighting Joe was the last
nan in the lift. as they thought; but
ust as they were beginning to move
hey heard a loud cry for help and they
aw that other one-him who had mar
led Joe's sweetheart-making for the D