The Labor enquirer., 1885-12-05
PRICE FIVE CENTS
.I1have . sons. =.

"Ifhave SOUS. ass
Keep them for drink. NY God
Isix days will never end. W6 owe 80
francs to Maierat. who turned me from
the door yesterday. He refused TO give
us loaf Of bread. That will not prevent,
me from going to him again to-day. But
liz he keeps on refusing =
Little by little she had been Obliged
to raise her voice, for the screams Of
Estelle drowned her words. These cries
became unbearable. Maheu seemed all 4
at once to becomes conscious eof them.
Almost crazy, he seized the little ONE
from the cradle and threw her upon the
lbed of the mother, stammering With
rage:
"Take her, or III choke her. Great
hesvensl that child She don't want
anything, and vet she makes more fuss
than anyone else"
Didn't the rich folks Of the Piolaine
tell YOU to 20 and see them p resumed
the father at the end ofa silence.
+ eyes, they met me- ! they'll give some
clothing to the poor children. At any
rate, I'll take Lenore and Henri to them
this morning, If they could only give
|me 100 sous" Y
4 Etienne, in the boiIer-shed talking
With the stoker. He shivered greatly
at the thought of the cold night which
he had passed. However, he. had de-
cided to set out again, when he felt 9
hand placed upon his shoulder.
Come 2 said Catherine, "here's some
work for you to do"
At first he did not understand. Then
he experienced a feeling of Joy, aud vigr
orously pressed the hands of the young
girl. q
sThanks, comrade. Ah1you are lin
deed good fellow"
1t tamused her that he still took her
for a boy. .>q# IS
/ tfsz N ~ a..- g..
SIS it deep2" asked Etienne of a miner
who was waiting near him.
Five hundred and forty-four metres"
responded the man. aBut there are four
levels below the first 32O"
Both turned their eyes to the cable
which was running up again. Etienne
resumed: - 90. 80
"And what if that should break 2o
"Ah what if it shouldp
The veins were at last filled. Little by
little the leads were alive at each story.
at the end of each path. The deyourine
shaft had swallowed its daily ration Of
men-almost ZOO workmen who were
laboring at that hour in that huge swarm,
boring holes in all parts ofths sarth; It
was riddled like an old piece of wood
Tf3lled with worms. Aud, in tie midst OF
d sprp t5und si1ence fUstuxing aase crpstsg
81 t5a heavy LAYERS, with the ear held
ssoss To- the rock one could hear the
steps of the" human insects in walking,
and the flight ofthe cable which sent
the oisting cage up and down.
Etlenne found himself again pressed
against Catherine. But this time he
noticed the roundness of her neck and
shoulders, he comprehended the warmth
he had felt.
"Are you girl ?" murmured he in
astonishment.
She responded with gay air, without
blushing: ia. .
eyes it's true but it's taken you
long time to find it out"
Maheu was the greatest sufferer.
Where he toiled the temperature was
higher by thirty degrees, the air did not
circulate, and at length the sufocation
became more lntolerable than the heat.
His lamp fastened above him enabled
him to see clearly, but 80 warmed his
head as to bring the bloodto fever heat.
But his anguish was increased by the
dampness. From rock above his
face came continual dripping. IN obsti-
nate rythm, always falling in the same
place. In quarter of an hour, with
perspiration and water combined, he
was wet through. A drop fell IN his eye
causing him to swear.
Not word was exchanged. No sound
was heard save the regular blows of the n
pick, mufhed as though coming from "A
distance. Not an echo responded as the
sounds came forth from the still ali.
Even the shadows ,wessp ar known
darkness: dense wi.sf Me AgipeS coal
dust, rendered heavy by the gas which
weighed down the -y1tids. Tho dim
lights fell on spectral forms fitting. to
and fro. At times pieces of detached
coal were suddenly lit up with a crystal
like reflection. Then darkness returned,
while the heavy blows still continue,
coupled with the painting of weary chests
and groans of uneaslness and fatigue
from the heavy air and falling water.
~
This is sinking" responded the
young man. Look there's crack. Pm
afraid it's giving way" rs
But bis father shrugged his shoulders.
"Ah giving way 1t wouldn't be
the first time; they'd get out of it all the