Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1884-07-19
SELECT STORY.
"ONLY A MINER"

|
Sea-" Everything there is rough and
stony, and even the inhabitants are
to all appearances as rough and stony
as their native rocks. But under
meath those slaty fields lies the rich
vein of metal, and in those rough
| Cornish hearts is vein of human
feeling and Christian charity, far,
far purer than much that passes as
such in the fashionable world, where
tinkling bells daily summon rich
dowagers to church in their gorgeous
chariots.
The children of Tregoze were trip
ping lightly to school after their hol-
idays, along the hard, slaty paths. 1t
was, indeed, with no creeping like
snail unwillingly to school" kind of
motion on this occasion, as all were
full of expectation, almost of Joy, for
they were to have that day new
mistress, one whom they all knew,
one who had, in fact, been one of
themselves.
Margaret Powhele had been born
in Tregoze, where she had attended
the school, first as pupil, and then
as pupil-teacher. Thence she had
gone to the college in London, and, a
vacancy having occurred, she had
been appointed mistress down there
in her own native village. Her father
had worked there, man and boy, in
the Tregoze mines for upward of 40
year, and he still followed this same
occupation.
The children, therefore, all knew
Margaret. Their memories of her
were pleasant, and hence they trip
ped joyously to school, where they
admired their new mistress, who, in
their eyes, was certainly as learned
as the curate, and almost as wise as
the vicar, beside being as pretty as a
princess.
When they, therefore, returned
home at midday, many were the ex-
CARNATIONS of 'Isn't she pretty %,
"1sn't she nice?" and 30 on, among
the youngsters; which exclamations
generally called forth from the old
people the remark, 81 hope thee wool
get vorrard i thy farming, cause
times be very hard for us poor volks."
Many others beside the school
children were in love with Margaret,
for she had buddel into womanhood
since she had left Tregoze, and now
her beauty had taken the young men
by surprise.
For sometime Margaret found it
far from agreeable to have so many
admirers but by dint of good man
agement, by the falling off of those
who felt they had "no chance" and
through other circumstances, her cir
Gle of avowed adorers became reduc-
ed to two-Joseph Tregear and Tom
Polglaze.
Both of these young men were re-
ceiving good wages in the mines, and
had opportunities of raising to high
er positions as inspectors, and so
forth; both, too, were steady and had
saved a little money.
1t was long, however, before Mar
garet herself made it known which
of them she preferred ; in fact, so far
as that goes, neither could for long
time boast of the smallest favor.
Other girls called Margaret a firt
but in this they wronged her. The
simple fact was that Margaret, not
yet tired of being her own mistress,
endeavored so to order her ways that
neither Joseph Tregear, Tom Pol
glaze, nor any other suitor, might
have the slightest reason to be Jealous
of rival.
Tregear, however, had the good
sense to see that neither he nor Pol
glaze was nearly so we'll educated as
Margaret, and he well understood
that it was a bad omen when the hus-
band had to look up to the wife in
the matter of learning. He accord
ingly bought books and became an
earnest midnight student. In fact,
he tried in every way to render him
self Margaret Powhele's equal.
Tom Polglaze, however, loved the
fair teacher not whit less than his
rival, but he was formed in rough
er mold. He scarcely noticed the
change in Tregear; but if he did not,
Margaret Powhele did, and was high
ly gratified by it.
"Joseph," said she to him one
ouao;,o, yhan ba cama to och har 70