The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-09-27
The Disguised Miner.


the Main Hold boarding house the other
day and the crowd that besieged the
door was more than twice its usual size,
and when the bell rang and the portals
were thrown open and the mass of hu-
manity sought the tables the racket was
completely deafening and one or two
smaller and more insignificant indivldu-
ais were almost crushed to death in the
remorseless competition for the best
places. The table was full in less time
than the reader ordinarily occupies in
unfolding and spreading out his napkin
aud business commenced. Side by side
sat two modest types of American civili-
zation. One was middleaged man of
medium height, n florid complexion,
shaggy beard, unkempt hair, untidy
clothing and disgusting linen, with the
odors and rustic manners of the rural
districts clinging to him, like last years
hair to colt At his left sat tall,
youngish looking man, encased in a
blue flannel shirt with rolling collar,
white corduroy trousers; a leathern belt
around his waist, slender, wildly
beautiful black moustache and raven
locks that curled down his manly neck
and strayed about his expansive shout
ders with all the native grace and free
dom of the mines of some Western El
dorado. This farmer turned up his
plate and with his fork made wild
plunge toward plate of roast beef di-
W tba la
individual turned his head as if in sur
prise, and regarded the man who had
disturbed his equanimity as if he were
specimen of some hitherto unknown
mountain cat The granger was not in
the least nonplussed, but continued to
reach right and left, interspersing his
frantic dashes with spasmodic attempts
at getting something into his mouth.
The miner silently sat and looked at
him, until having piled his plate full,
the relentless forager settled down to
solid work with his knife and fork.
Encouraged by the unwonted calm the
miner began to provide for his own
wants. and in the quietest manner pos
sible had secured a cup of coffee, bit of
meat and q few trifling accessories,
when the hungry man beside him broke
loose again. He made wild break for
the mustard, and knocked the stopper
of the vinegar cruet into the hash as he
did so, then shoveled out q conglomer-
alton from that dish, in the midst
whereof was the stopper. The miner
stopped and looked again, then resumed
his eating silently as before.
"Pass the butter 7" interrogated the
rustic, nudging the silent man in the
elbow and causing him to spill half
cup of coffee into his potato. The min
er did as requested, and then dropped
his knife and fork to set the dish back.
The farmer did not know or notice the
look of unutterable questioning in the
eyes of his servitor, and without losing
revolution stabbed twelve ounce
sweet potato half way down the table
and reached across the miners pie with
the other arm toward a plate of bread.
The pie was quietly withdrawn and
placed on the other side of the owners
plate and another attempt to snatch a
bite was made, but before it could sue
ceed the devourer had laid himself down
along the table and extended his left
arm about eighteen inches beyond its
natural length towards dish of sliced
potatoes. This shot was successful, but
the martyrs coffee inundated the table
and deluged it's owners boots with the
salty vinegar dripped from seven slices
of tomato across his plate. The miner
rose half way, then sobbed his napkin
in the mass and tried to wipe off his
breeches, while the waiter walked away
with his plate and the agriculturist ate
steadily on. The miner looked the pict-
ure of despair and pushed his chair back
from the table in encouragement too
utterly utter, and gazed in speeehless
sadness upon thescene of desolation be-
fore him.
The farmer leaned over once more,
and jamming bis elbow into the victims
ribs, CALCULATED between the motions of
his grinders Pass those molasses.n
The miner sbrang to his feet, grabbed
the molassS cup in one hand and the
thickly-b blooming locks of the tormen-
tor in theother, and danced around like
a mad man, while the other boarders
who had been awaiting the outbreak
huddled in panic stricken group at the
other end of the room.
g Yes. III pAss vaa, those mOlassee y