The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1880-09-09
THE MILL CHIMNEY.
TIE STORY OF A BRICKLAYER.

TIE STORY OF A BRICKLAYER.
Twas when was courting Katie that
the accident I'm going to tell you about
happened. But for that same accident
l don't think Katie an l would be man
an wife this day, for you see my father
was set again the match, Katie being
only a laborer's daughter, while he him
self was foreman in the mills, getting
good wages, and thought great deal OF
by his employers. An if it wasn't for
Katie, l don't think I'd be here now to
tell you about it, for it twas she that
saved my life, through hitting on plan
that never once came into the heads of
me or my comrades-aye, or those you'd
have thought would know better than
any OF us.
was not brought up to my fathers
trade, having been taken, when young,
by brother of my mothers, a master
bricklayer living in the town. When
my uncle died came home to Lisgarven
for q bit, just to see my father, and find
ing that they were at work on the new
buildings at the mills, / looked for en-
ployment there, an got it at once.
Lisgarven mill is flour mill, an
pretty place it was in those days, with
the river running just by the old red
brick buildings, an the big water
wheel always going round an round.
The river falls into larger one little
lower down, an the tide comes up as
far as the mill, so tits in boats that most
of the corn is brought in an the flour
carried away. 'Tisn't half so pretty
place now; there are big whitewashed
buildings alongside of the old brick
ones, the big wheel is stopped, an you
hear the whirr OF the engines instead
of the sound of the water, but they
makes a power of money there, an
gives deal Of employment.
AS l was saying, got taken on as
bricklayer. Katie's father was working
there. too, and l used to see her bring
ing him his dinner, and, after bit, l
began to think that I'd like to have her
bringing me mine, too. She was as
pretty girl then Us you'd see anywhere
she's good-looking to this day-an' l
soon became that fond of her that I'd
have done anything Almost to get her.
She herself was willing enough; twas
my father that made the difficulty. He
was aproud man; as proud in his way
as any gentleman, an he was right down
mad at the notion of my marrying a Ia
borer's daughter. To be sure, was
earning good wages, an might have
married without asking any ones leave
il I'd been so minded, but l didn't like
to 60 again the old man that had al
ways been good to me. Beside, Katie
was just as proud as himself, an would
have nothing to say to me unless he was
satisfied. got the owner to speak to
him, but sure 'twasn'ta bit of use.
How would you like, sir" he says
to the owner, eff l had a daughter, to
have Master Philip take up with her, an
wouldn't that be the same thingp"
believe that the owner didn't think
II would be at all the same thing; but
my father wouldn't hear the reason
from him any more than from me; 80
Katie an l had just nothing for it but to
wait in the hope of his comm round,
an very little hope we had of that
same.
AS we were putting up q steam en-
cine in the mill, we had of course 10
have big chimney, an we got man
down from town to build it-one OF
them chaps that builds chimneys an
nothing else, and thinks nobody knows
anything about it but themselves. l
was working along with him, and, in
deed, twas l that built the most of it,
and right good job it was. Twas
finished by Christmas-ten year ago this
Christmas coming on-all but the light
uing conductor, and that was not put
up owing to the owners wanting to
make inquiries when he'd 90 to town
an to see for himself what would be the
best kind to use. The proprietor was a
scientific sort of n gentleman, an had
ideas of his own-sometimes they'd be
better than other peoples, sometimes
maybe not so good.
At any rate, there was n delay about
the conductor, an in the meantime tho
engines were at work, an the big chin
ney was smoking away like blazes. Mr..
Brown, the strange workman, had gone
away, saying, very condescending like,