Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-03-23
BESS

The light of early morning was just
beginning to pierce the murky air which
at all times hangs like a dimly trans
parent veil over and around Black Regis,
as [ entered that typical Black Country
village. A long struggling row of tum-
ble-down huts, bOasting two shutter
covered windows and one shattered
door, constituted the chief feature of the
place; the few houses in fair repair
being quite subordinate. In each of the
huts aforesaid might be found q little
forge, or ''smithy'' fire, an anvil, a large
number of small square iron bars, and
hammers for shaping the same into
nails. And in these huts work one or
two young women or girls, engaged
throughout the livelong day in the. occu-
patton of Matchmaking. From early
morning until late at night you can hear
the ceaseless tap, tap! tap, tap of the
small nail-hammers welded by the
muscular amazons of Black Regis. 4
strange sight, truly. | was long of opin-
ion that Matchmaking was a species of
labor confined to the male sex; and l
confess would rather have remained
under that delusion; for / can not help
feeling a certain repugnance at behold
ing women engaged in such occupa-
tions.
Black Regis is, as have said, murky
place; being darkened by the smoke
and chemical fumes that arise from
coal-pit shafts, iron and chemical works,
and the like, in the immediate surround
ings. To stranger, this smoke, with
its accompaniment of variegated fumes,
is offensive, and well-nigh intolerable.
But the inhabitants of Black Regis in
hale the poisonous atmosphere uncom-
plainingly, and are possibly ignorant of
its nauseouS character.
Black Regis is dull place socially as
well as atmospherically. There is no
place of public amusement or recreation
other than the public-house, and the
half-leveled surfaces of refuse used as
cricket or gambling ground. But these
were sufficient for such as have no high
er craving or more laudable ambition
ssGood enough for them as is in it!''
was the emphatic assertion of the chief
person of this sketch-Bessi Bess
whatp Nothing else. Nothing but
plain, simple, honest Bess. She had
apparently no other name. Sand
don't want none, neither," was the
triply strong negation in which she re-
piled to the same query put to her by
myself. ssWhat's the use o. having
more'n' one name? 1t don't make YOU
any better, nor any richer. 1t only
takes longer to say, and amt noways
bit O. use.''
"But it would be rather awkward"
said /, ''if everybody had only one
name. We could not get on in the world
at all.''
"Well, p'raps not. But that amt
nothin' to do wi me. There amt no
use as 1 can see on for such as me to
have more'n one name. We amt
known more'n two or three miles away
from home; an nobody cares to know
whether we has a name at all or not,
for that matter, so long as we pays for
all as we get, an don't come no capers.
Why, sir, what do it matter to YOU
whether my names Bess, or Sal, or Liz,
SO long as you gets to know what you
wants to know from me, an pays moth
in for itP''
This was a cut. The off-hand manner
in which the speech was delivered, and
the twinkle of the eye which accom-
panied the last clause of it, showed me
that Bess was no fool, but sharp,
shrewd young woman, who had faith
omed the curiosity that had led me to
seek the otherwise unwelcome interior
= of her little nut. one nau an eve to the
sssiller,'' too, I thought; that last hint
of hers telling me plainly that she did
not expect to talk to me for nothing. Il
took up two or three of the nails she
had forged, and telling her 1 would take
them home with me as sample of her
skill, requested her to accept a trifing
equivalent.
ssThere, go on! That was only my
chaff. I don't mind your talking bit;
only there's so many fools comes CAB
bin here, and expectin' me to waste my
time foolin' wi 'em. didn't think as
YOU was one on 'em; but L thought I'd
try YOU. You see, you never knows
what's in the pit till you sinks the shaft,
and then you see as whether there's
ANYTHING worth working, or only rub
bish.''
Is Well, Bess-I suppose 1 may call
you Bess?'
aWhy, of course, what else could you
call me, I'd like to knowP"
"Of course, I'd forgotten that. Well,
what was that affair of Bill Thomson
being saved from drowning, that heard
about this morningP"
az thought as much! l knew you'd
come a-fishin'. / never see such fools
as some men is. Can't take care O.
themselves, and then kicks up a lot O.
bother when ANYBODY does a bit of. a !