The Dickinson press., 1883-09-22
ONLY A MINER.

ONLY A MINER.
fremont is a pleasant little 2illage
overlooking the "Western sea-" Every.
thing there, is rough and stony, and
even the inhabitants are, to all appear.
ances, as rough and stony as their native
rocks. But underneath those slaty fields
lie the rich veins Of metal, and in those
rough hearts is a vein of human feeling
and Christian charity, far, far purer thar
much that passes as such in the fashion.
ablo worlds, where tinkling bells daily
summon rich dowagers to church in
their gorgeous chariots.
The children..of fremont were tripping
lightly to school after heir. holidays,
along the hard slaty paths. 1t was, in.
deed, with no Creeping like snail I'm.
willingness to school" kind of motion on
this occasion, as all were full Of expecta.
ton, almost ofjoy, forthey were to have
that day a new mistress, one whom they
all knew, and who had, in fact. been
one of themselves.
Margaret Powell had been born in
fremont, where she had attended the
school, FIRST as pupil, then as pupi!.teach.
er. Thence she had gone to college,
and a vacancy having occurred, she had
been appointed mistress down their in
her own native village. Her father had
worked there, man and boy, in the
mines for upwards of forty years, and
he still continued to follow this same oc.
cupation; The children, therefore, all
knew Margaret. Their memories Of
ha~ vrorn ,toocort o-l Io-.. A.
tripped joyously to school, where they
their eyes, was certainly as learned be-
sides being as pretty as a princess.
When they, therefore, returned home
at midday, many were the explanations
of"lsn't she pretty!" 'Isn't she nice!o
and SO on. among the youngsters.
Many others besides the school chill
dren were in love with Margaret, for
she had buded into womanhood since
she had left fremont, and now her
beauty had taken the young men by sur
prise. For some time Margaret found
it far from agreeable to have SO many
admirers, but by dint of good manage
ment, by the falling off of those who
felt they had emo chance" and through
other circumstances, her circle of
avowed adorers became reduced to
lWO-OOSCpa 11VSCuI Uiu ION FOL.
glaze.
Both of these young men were receive
ing good wages in the mines, and had
opportunities of rising to higher posi-
tions as inspectors, and so forth; both,
too, were steady, and had saved a little
money. 1t was long, however, before
Margaret herself made it known which
of them she preferred; in fact, so far as
that goes, neither could for a long time
boast of the smallest favor. Other girls
called Margaret a flirt, but in this thew
wronged her. The simple fact was that
Margaret, not yet tird of being her own
mistress, %endeavored SO to order her
ways that neither Joseph Tresear, Tom
Pol2laze, nor any other sutton might
have the slightest reason to be jealous of
q rival.
'Tregear, however, had the good sense
10 see that neither he nor Polglaze was
nearly so we'll educated as Margaret
omen when the husband has to look up
to the wife in the matter of learning. He
accordingly bought books and became
an earnest midnight student. In fact,
he tried in every way to render himself
Margaret Powel's equal.
Tom Polglaze, however, loved the fair
teacher not a whit less than..his rival, but
lie q formed in a rougler mould. He
scarcely noticed the change in Tregear;
but, if he did not, Margaret Powell did,
and she was highly gratitied by it.
"Joseph," said she to him one even
ing when he came to ask her to take a
walk, "you seen much changed lately;
you are as little like a native of fremont
as myself"
SIN what way, Margaret"
"You have lost that twang, and you
seem to know something about the great
"Yes; l sit up every night to read, or
to work mathematics"
"Why? What do you want to be? A
clerk?"
Margaret, 1 study only to be more
like you; l love ,you-will you"
There, Joseph Tregear, you study to
be like me? l am sure I never set YOU
the example of talking such rubbish.
All, ah!-Good-bvc!"
So saying, OIL she tripped into the
house, to lls intense discontinue.
But was Margaretany the more happy
. than the lover she bad left so d~isconso-
late in the street? That evening her
parents noticed q great change in her,
y but q Il not discover the cause. She
did not talk, nor take any food, but
SUOl1 lctllSo " ACl OWL lltCiS 1OOul,
complaining offs headache.
''Do l love him?" she muttered when
alone. "Poor fellow! he studies hard
for my sake-to be more worthy of me,
/ suppose he calls it. All, Joseph! why
did l leave you so abruptly? What a gid
dy, worthless thing I ami" That night
she could not sleep until she had de-
cided upon d future course of action.
The next day, being Saturday, Marga-
ret spent at home in household cares,
which she shared with her mother, but
she scarcely spoke a word all day. In
the evening she went to the Diapers
and bought a few ribbons and other lit
tie articles, for there was some object
now in being pretty.
On Sunday she appeared in church
dressed with more than her usual care,
and she may be forgiven if she was not
quite go attentive to the sermon as she
should have been. for there at a dis
lance sat Joseph Tregar, looking at her
with his great blue eyes, making her
blush, and inspiring her with the desire
of sinking thros gh the floor.
( On leaving the porch, alter dismissing
! her flock. Margaret found Joseph Ire
! gear and Tom Po]glaze pretending to
read the inscriptions on the tombs. At
the sound Of her step Tom raised his
head and advanced with a friendly nod.
while Joseph remained still, but fixed
those great blue eyes on her.
Good morning, Tom" said che indif-