Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-07-17
The Stnrp Teller.
Comfy A MINER"

ssONLY A MINER.
Tregoze is a pleasant little Cornish village
overlooking the "Western Sea-" Every
thing 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
a vein of human feeling and Christian char
ity, far, far purer than much that passes as
such in the fashionable world, where tink-
ling bells daily summon rich dowagers to
church in their gorgeous chariots.
The children of Tregoze were tripping
lightly to school after their holidays, 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,
tress, 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 Lon
don, 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 forty years, and ne still
continued to follow this same occupation.
The children, therefore, all knew Marga-
ret. Their memories of her were pleasant,
and hence they tripped 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 princess.
When they, therefore, returned home at
midday, many were the EXPLANATIONS OF
"Isn't she pretty"' "Isn't she nice!" and SO
on, among the youngsters which eXclama-
tions generally called forth from the old
people the remark, 81 hope thee wool get
vorrard II 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
budded into womanhood since she had left
Tregoze, and now her beauty had taken the
young men by surprise.
For some time Margaret found it far from
agreeable to have so many admirers, but by
dint of good management, by the falling Oft
of those who felt they had "no chance" and
through other circumstances, her circle OF
avowed adorers became reduced to two
Joseph Tregear and Tom Polglaze.
Both Of these young men were receiving
good wages in the mines, and had opportu-
mites of raising to higher positions as in
spectors, and so forth both, too, were
steady, and had saved little money.
1t was long, however, before Margaret
herself made it known which of them she
preferred in fact, so far as that goes, neith-
er could for long time boast of the smallest
favor.
Other girls called Margaret fiirt, 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
Polglaze, nor any other suitor, might have
the slightest reason to be jealous of a rival.
Tregear, however, had the good sense to
see that neither he nor Polglaze was nearly
so we'll educated as Margaret, and he we'll
understood that it was bad omen when the
husband had to look up to the wife in the
matter of learning. He accordingly bought
books and became an earnest midnight stu
dent. In fact, he tried in every way to rem
der himself Margaret Powhele's equal.
Tom Polglaze, however, loved the fair
teacher not whit less than his rival but he
ly noticed the change in Tregear; but, if he
did not, Margaret PoWhele did, and she was
highly gratified by it.
"Joseph," said she to him one evening,
when he came to ask her to take walk,
"you seem much changed lately; you arc
as little like a native of Tregoze as myself"
"In what way, Margaret?"
"You have lost that twang, and you seem
to know something about the great world
Do you study?"
ayes; sit up every night to read Or to
work mathematics"
"Why? What do you want to be? A
clerk?"
margaret, study only to be more like
you; love you. Will you-''
''There! Joseph Tregear! you study to be
like me? am sure never set you the ex-
ample of talking such rubbish All! ah |!
Good-bye."
So saying, off she tripped into the house,
to his intense discontinue.
But was Margaret any the more happy
than the lover she had left so disconsolate
in the street? That evening her parents
noticed great change in her, but could not
discover the cause. She did not talk or take
any food, but soon retired to her own little
room, complaining of headache.
"Do 1 love him?" she muttered, when
alone. "Poor fellow! he studied hard for
pose he calls it. All! Joseph, why did 1
leave you so abruptly? What a giddy,
worthless thing amp
That night She could not sleep until she
had decided upon future course of action.
The next day, being Saturday, Margaret
spent at home in household cares, which
she shared with her mother; but she scarce
ly spoke a word all day.
In the evening she went to the draper's
and bought few ribbons and other little ar
ticles, for there was some object now in be-
ing pretty. On Sunday she appeared in
church dressed with more than her usual
care; and she may be forgiven if she was
not quite so attentive to the sermon as she
should have been, for there, at distance,
sat Joseph Treager, looking at her with his
great blue eyes, making her blush and in
Spring her with desire of sinking through
the floor.
On leaving the porch and dismissing her
flock, Margaret found Joseph Tregear and
Tom Polglaze pretending to read the in
scriptions 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," she said indiffer-
emily. "How are you"
Polglaze was replying as they neared Ire
gear, when Margaret stopped.
Tregear still held back, trembling IN MS
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