The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-12-10

turning to the little ones who were straying
to the green mound again, ''you mustn't touch
them posies, thou knows go and get some of
them" and he jerked a small piece of coal be
had in his hand toward where some daisies
and dandelions were growing in the rank
grass.
"He worked in Fenton's pit along O. me,
and though we never had angry words, many
and many day would pass and neither him
nor me speak. lie was quiet, as l said, and
when he hanu't had drink would keep hisself
to hisself There was a lass living in these
parts then, and Fighting Joe was right fond
of her. l don't know that he said much to
her but we could see that he was about as
fond Of that lass as a lad could well be. 1
know that, for mother was living thea, 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 of this
that same night. Well, it seems she said that
Joe mustn't look for that for she was already
promised, and was going to be wed that
Whitsuntde. When she told Joe this, he
said never i word, but he grew very white in
day he had to work by the side of the very
man who was promised to the lass he loved
Well, they had been to 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 wheth-
eT 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 each other for a while
without speaking, till Joe said, ''God forgive
me = and turned away, and from 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 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 fire ." the other repeated in tone
of astonishment. "Why, Fenton's pit. Did
you never hear tell of the fire in Fenton s
pit?"
NO, I replied ''you know I am a stran-
ger here
"Ah, you must he, l should think" the
man said, somewhat roughly, If you never
heard Of that"
lie took a small, blackened pipe from the
pocket Of his vest, looking thoughtfulv be-
fore him, and filing the bowl in the mechan-
ical manner Of one who, preoccUpied by an
alI-engrnssng thought, is going through some
familiar action, for his thoughts were evident
~ far away, and the pitmanS face, rough
and strongly marked rs it was, became sad
dened and almost tender in its expression
under their influence. He remained silent so
long that | at length said
Il should like to hear about that fire if you
don't mind telling me"
''Was you ever down in pit mate - he
asked.
l told him no, but had often thought !
should like to see one,
Better stay where you are. mate" the
man answered. "And - he added after
another pause, cts strange how we mining
people die, but it's stranger how we live
How do on mean ] asked
''I've worked in the pit now for more than
twenty years" lie replied "but never e
down in the cage now-that is, since the time
l speak on-but think may be going to my
grave. What with the rising OF the water ol
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 ain {
nothing to pit on fire. When the coal j,
bursting with the heat, and the heavy mass
es Of earth fall down crushing or Iaming then
that can't get out of the way when-thc cry
is, Every man for himself, and God above
for us all when faintinC and struggling
they think for a moment on wife and chill
dren, and then fall down and die -
"Weil, that was the kind Of fire speak OF
and all of those at work in the pit that da,
rushed for the lift that might carry them ava!
from the place where the flames were roaring
and rushing with the noise of q great wind
Well, Fighting Joe was the last man in TIM
lift as they thought; but just as they wer'
beginning to move, they heard a loud cry 70
help, and they saw that other one, him VIII,
had married JOe's making 70
the lift, and begging them for Gods sake no
to leave him behind. Wen, tell you the lif
was overfull then, but Joe sprang from it
and seiz;ng hold of the other one, with tn
help OF those inside hauled him in, and all w
heard him say was, Tell her did it, an Go,
bless thee, mater and then we heard again tn
roar of the flames, and we never saw Jo
alive again.'
The man sat quietly for a second or two
and though his voice did not faltcr, he added
in 4 softer tone
"But the next day, when the fire had burn
ed itself out, was one of those that wen
down into the pit. There was a crowd o
the miners wives and children standing 3
the pit mouth, and when we come mp agai
we laid a body gently on the ground, and tn
men took off their caps and said ne'eT wor
while the women cried, aud many of ther
sobbed aloud it was blackcned and burned
and but for where the pitman'S jacket ha
saved him, it might have been no more tina
the earth it was lying on. But as we stoope
to raise and carry the body away the JACKIE
fell of, and there, on that part where ono
beat a true heart, was a lock of woman
hair lie had begged it off her, she said, S
often, she had not the hea IT at last to refuS
him, and God only knows, mate, what con
fort poor Joe might have felt in wearing
for her sake We buried him with that litti
curl lying on his breast, and with many sol
and many God bless the poor lad = we low
cred him to his rest. We planted them littl
flowers, and it seemed to me as if they gre
brighter on his tomb than anywhere else -
He paused again, and as stole a look 9
him Isaw two large tears rolling slowly dow
his hard face. lie was a little embarrasse
at my observing them, think, for he said :
'Don't YOU think worse of me, nstc, b.
cause I'm giving way bit, but | am the ma
Joe saved.
DIDN'T Know ANYTHING ABoUT TRoJ