San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-06-22

begin"
Thus il will be seen that my destiny was
mapped out for me. On the Monday began
my duties as under-clerk, with but little sat
isfactiOn to myself beyond the fact that
contributed six shillings week toward the
household expenditure. Thus my new life
began, life which promised to be uneyent-
full enough. At first chafed somewhat; but
time that healer of all things, brought sOlace
to me. As months rolled on, the memory of
MINISTER'S began to grow dim; and when I
thought of Madeline it was of some lovely
vision seen in dream.
MOnOtOnOus as my days promised TO be,
soon managed to infuse little pleasure into
them, principally with the aid of my friend
and ally, honest John Rudd; for we soon be-
came close chums. He conceived great re-
speCt for me, partly OH account of my super
iOr education and partly because | rendered
him such valuable assistance in the transcript
ton OF his poems. He placed his boat ell
tlrely at my disposal, also lent me his gun a
rusty old Joe MantOn, which kept in secret
and with which | used to amuSe myself in
the evenings when my work was done.
But the one great fascination for me was
tie mine. 1t was becoming a sort of Frank
enStem,' haunting Inc by night and by day;
| saw it before Inc as | sat writing in the Of
ice, and when was asleep at night saw II
in my dreams, opening its huge black Jaws
and preparing to crush away some hapleSs
life. The more | heard of it, the stronger
grew my wish to explore for myself those
dark bowels of the earth.
Again and again had begged my uncle to
take me down, but he refused. At last, how.
ever, one Sunday morning, he came to me
and to my intense delight said:
you can gaw dawn the mine t'day, Hugh.
| be GAVIN dawn. I'll tax zee wi me-"
Excitement is welcome b all boys, and II
was especially welcome 10 me; but there was
one cloud on my sunshine, when | looked
up and saw that my cousin Annie was as
white as a sheet and trembling violently.
Don't, father, dOn't!' she said, piteously.
My father laughed.
"Lor a mussey, Annie, what frawhtened
little woman you III gettin' y he said. VIVA,
you Amt like a miners lass, Annie We
must max the lad a man, nawt a milksOp.
Nav then, Hugh, hurry up and get ready,
we'm nawt got much time to lOSev'
The first thing to be done was to attire N.Y.
self in one of my unC es mining suits of
flannel, and possess myself of one of his
broad felt hats. This was soon done. | was
now man in ill but years, and | managed
to cut a tOleraOle figure in my uncle's clothes;
indeed, when | made my reappearance in
the kitchen, he declared, with a nod of APP
prevail, that | looked every inch a miner. 1t
was proud moment for me; now, for the
first time, felt my manhood upon me, and
| laughed with my uncle ut Amnie's pale
cheeks and my aunt'S sad eyes.
My uncle handed me half dozen candles,
which he told me to put into my pocket, then,
with merry nod to the wOnrnfOlk, we start
ed
twas no easy matter to get 10 the entrance
of the mine, not being able to 90 straight to
the shafts as in the case Of mines on level
ground. First of all we had to make our
way to the contingencies, in which l sat at
my daily toll. The way was long and diff
cult to travel, on account of the accumula-
ton of mining gear we had to PISS; long
chains stretched out over bell crankS, wood
en- platforms looking like battered remnants
of wrecks, yet supporting large beams of
timber and heavy coils of rope. Here and
there was a little Creaking shed, there
brOken-dOwn post or two, and there again
we had to wind round by the rocky path
amidst chains and cables and ascending
loads.
l, having to travel this road every day of
nv life was well accustomed to it, and ac-
cordingly followed on my mcle's footsteps
without much feeling of curiosity or joy; but
when we had passed the COunting-hOuSe, as
cended the cliff, and gained the trap-dOor
entrance to the mine, my heart began to beat
with anticipation.
Here we both paused.
you'll keep a strawng head" said my
uncle, 10 Oking at me. "Twill be bad bust
ness II you begin to tramble like our Annie.
Are you sure you amt afraid, ladP'
Not Bit" returned; then, looking at
the ladder which was set at the entrance of
the mine, asked, "ShaIl / go first?"
''Bide bit, bide bit lad! !" he returned.
"Gi's one O than candles"
did so. whereupon he lit it and stuck II
into my hat then he lit another for himself;
after this he began to descend the first lad
der, and followed him.
The first object was conscious of was the
huge beam of a steam-engine, which worked
on my right, alternately bowling and rising.
and heavily straining at the deuge of water
which IL lifted. On the other side, through
boards the chnkS of which admitted just
light enough at the foot of one of the ladders
to show the passage, saw the loaded tubble
or bucket, rushing past its descending COM
panion.
We were now between two shafts, descend
ing from stage to stage; the daylight was
completely gone, and we depended solely on
our candles, which threw but faint light
into the gloomy abyss below.
t,r,n Id
which were almost perpendicular, we came
to platform, and made halt.
"Waal, ladP' said my uncle, holding his
Pickering candle above his .head, and look
ing into my face.
laughed, and fastened to assure him it
was all right though, in reality, began TO
feel some of my cousins misgiving. We
rested second or two, the halt indeed being
made more for me than for my guide; then
my uncle took another lighted candle, and
stuck 1t into my hat
'Naw, lad" said he, ''come on wi will;
lay hawld O. the sides O. the ladder, and ha'
o care"
lpromised to obey him, and we recon-
menced our descent he going first and fol-
lowing. We went down first one ladder
and then another, till again we came to .
platform and rested. " ..r.
whats below?' / asked of my uncle, who
was again regarding me curiously, trying to
detect II possible any sign Of fear OF shrink
ing in my face.
"What's belaw, ladP' he said. "Wha, the
water drained from all the mine, the pumps
at wark pumping 1t awt, and p'raps cart
load o. rafting human bawns."
We descended a couple more ladders
and landed again, this time to traverse one
Of those side galleries in which the pit
abounded. 1t was about seven feet high, but
80 narrow that two persons, II thin, could
lust Snnhaza mast nna another Thn nnlv