Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-09-03
THE MILL CHIMNEY.
THE STORY OF A BRICKLAYER.

Twas when was counting Katie that
the accident I'm going to tell you about
happened. But for that same accident I
don't think Katie an would be man an
wife this day, for you see my father was
set agin' the match, Katie being labor
er's daughter while he himself was FORE
man in the mills, getting good wages, and
thought great deal of by his employers.
AM if it wasn't for Katie, I don't think
I'd be here now to tell you about 1t, for it
was she that saved my life, through hit
ting on plan that never once came into
the heads of me or my comrads-aye, or
those you'd have thought would know bet
ter than any of us.
I was not brought up to my fathers
trade, having been taken, when young, by
brother of my mothers, master brick
layer living in the town. When my uncle
died came home to Lisgarven for bit.
just to see my father, and finding that
they were at work on the new buildings at
the mills, looked for employment there.
an got it at once. Lisgarven mill is
-four mill, an pretty place it was ia those
days, with the river running just by the
old red-brick buildings, and the big water
wheel always going round and round.
The river falls into larger one little
lower down, an the tide comes up as far
as the mill, so it's in boats that most OF
the wheat is brought in an the flour car
ried 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 power of money
there, an gives deal OF employment.
AS l was saying, got taken on as a
bricklayer. Katie's father was working
there, too, and I use to see her bringing
him his dinner. and after bit, began to
think that I'd like to have her bringing
me mine, too. She was as pretty girl
then as you'd see anywhere-she's good
looking to this day-an' I soon became
that fond of her that I'd have done any
thing almost to get her. She herself was
willing enough; twas my father that
made the difficulty. He was proud man;
as proud in his way as any gentleman, an
he was right down mad at the notion OF
my marrying a laborer g daughter. To be
sure, was earning good wages, an
might have married without asking any
ones leave. if I'd been so minded, but l
didn't like to go agin' the old man that
had always been good to me. Besides
Katie was just as proud as himself, and
would have nothing to say to me unless
he was satisfied. I got the owner to speak
to him, out sure 'twasn't bit of use.
! "How would you like, sir" he says to
the owner, "if had daughter, to have
Master Phillip take up with her, an
wouldn't that be the same thing ?"
| I believe that the owner didn't think it
would be at all the same thing; but my
father wouldn't hear the reason from MIN
any more than from me; so Katie an
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 steam engine
in the mill, we had of course to have Dig
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 aboutitb