Connecticut western news., 1880-08-25

was all right; but when he'd had @ drop of drink, or maybe of 8 Saturday night when he had gotten his wage, of all the hands I ever see to swear, spend his money, wrestle or fight, there wasn't one like Fighting Joe.''
 "And hence his name, suppose?" asked. "And of course its the old story again-drink, quarrel, fight, and a violent death though cannot under stand, in that case, the evident care that it bestowed on the poor fellows tomb
 oh as it is.'' usss No, sir,' the man said gravely, after 8 moments pause; mot quite all that. A violent death, yes; and such death as l might pray God might ne'er happen to the worst of us ]; but it wasn't drink, nor a quarrel, nor fight with another man, that brought him to it. It was more the other way, poor lad-more the other way" .. .-. The rough fellow beside me said this with a gentleness of tone and manner that was sufficiently out of keeping with his appearance to excite some degree of curiosity, and told him I should like to learn more of the story.
 "It's not much as such as you might care for" the man replied. ssHere, he said, turning to the little ones who were straying toward the green mound again, "you mustn't touch them posies, 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 growing among the erank grass.
 "He worked in Fenton's Pit along O me, an, though we never had angry words, many an many 8 day would pass and neither him nor me would speak. He was quiet, as I said, and when he hadn't had drink would keep hissef to hissef. There was lass living in these parts then, and Fighting Joe was right fond of her. I don't know that he had said much to her, but we could see he was about as fond of that lass as lad could we'll be. I know that, for mother was living then, and this lass would often be between her house and ours It 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 this that same night. We'll, it seems she said that Joe mustn't look for that, for she was already promised, and was
 
 she told Joe that, he said ne'er 8 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 We'll, they had been at work for some time, when Joe's mate, turning round to get hold of a shorter pick that was lying near, sees him standing behind him with his arm raised and the pick in his hand, 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 l speaking for while, till Joe said, God forgive me ! and turned away, and from 1 that time they never worked side by side again. don't know how it was, but we used to think Joe kept away on purpose T 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 ?" I asked.
 "What fre?" the other repeated. in a tone of astonishment. 'Why, Fenton's Pit. Did you never hear tell of the fire in Fenton's Pit?''
 "No," I replied "you know am a stranger here."
 "Ah, you must be, I should think. , the man said, somewhat roughly, ssit you never heard tell of that '--4
 He took a small blackened pipe from the pocket of his vest, looking thought fully before him, and filing the bowl in the mechanical manner of a person who, preoccupied by an all engrossing thought is going through some familiar action for his thoughts were evidently far away and the pitman's face, rough anc strongly marked as it was, became saddened and almost tender in it's ex pression under their influence.
 He remained silent so long that a length said:
 "I should like to hear about that fire if you don't mind telling me-"
 "Was you ever down 8 pit, mate ? he asked.
 told him no, but had often though I should like to see one.
 Better stay where you are, mate, the man answered ssAh p he added after another pause, s' its strange hoy
 we ive"
 Glow do you mean ?' asked. "Pve worked in the pit for more no twenty year" :" he replied, s'but I neve go down in the cage now-that is sine that time l speak on-but think ma
 be going to my grave. What with tn rising of the water, or the fall of tn l coal, or the choke-damp that mean
 death, the lives of such as us ain't wort , much i; but all these put together ain nothing to pit on fire ! When the cos IS bursting with the heat and the heav masses of earth fall down crushing ( l laming them that can't get out of tn t way-when the cry is, Every man fc
 himself and God above for us all r. when fainting and struggling they thin for moment on wife and children, an
 then they fall and die!
 7 "Well, that was the sortof fire I spea t of, and all of those at work in the p 3 that day rushed for the lift that migl r carry them up away from the plac 9 where the flames were roaring and rusl 2 ing with the noise of great wint 8 Well, Fighting Joe was the last man