The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-09-22

loved ee Ike my avn son. Ii aught han
pens to me, you'll be son to the avid wo-
man still?''
"Ay, that | wiIl.''
And Annie, poor lass-you'll De a broth
er TO poor Annie@''
"Be sure Of that l answered. But keep
up good heart. We shall all be together
soon"
He gazed at me souowfully. with ewes in
which there was no earthly hope
May be, Lad, may be; bat loozee. be an
avid man nav, and a'most done wi life.
There be sumnat here / my heart. gnawing
Ike and feel Ike that chap i the Bible as
! Were ate mp by worms But mun wait and bear
wait and bear; only promise me again. lad.
TO look arter the avid woman and our littls
| lass"
L promised with all my heart He still
gripped my hand, and seemed about to say
| more. but with 4 moan. he blessed me and
| turned away. Greatly moved and troubled
l left him, and walked away across the open
moor.
The day was bright aud still; one OF those
calm days early in the year. when the chill
of winter is still about the dark bones of the
earth, but when there are quiekenjng mo-
tions IN the air, and mesmeric admOnitions
! OF VeTnal resurrection. The dew spark led
/ upon the heath. and strung Its silver threads
| upon the bare branches OF gorse and broom.
| \ lark was rising from the ground and sing
ing heayeuWard. as II il were spring indeed.
| The sun was setting when | sighted Tor
| borne, the inland village where | had ar
ranged 10 sleep. which was close on fiftv
! miles trom my old home by the sea Ii was
a mining settlement ami as l approached
| found myself abreast of a rough tram-ruad
| communicating with the mines. 4 busy
/ sound of gathering amt elankjng. claShing
| and rushing, broke upon my ear; great wheels
| suddenly appeared, revolving msthe air
| above nay head, together with a lofty chim-
| ney, skeleton platforms, and iron chains
clanktng over iron pulleys. Flocks of wo-
| men and children soon appeared, busy on the
| sarfaea. Close BY them ran a brawlng
! stream, copper reolored by the refuse of the
mine.
| They greeted me merTily. as | paused TO
| look at them. | noticed that they spoke a
| dialect somewhat different from that OF the
| district where had lived so long.
slept at forbone, and al daybreak next
| morning proceeded on my way Soon after
midday, L reached my destination, another
| mining settlement on the very borders of two
| counties, Cornwall and Devon. I found il
to be, as rumor had informed me, lone
some place situated ON the banks of a small
river, and surrounded on every side by the
wild blocks and tors of the moor. The mines
on which | had been engaged belonged to
Lord, who had a residential castle close
by. and whose representative a solicitor
resided in the village. l reported myself in
| due course, and was forthwith installed in
| my position
Before the day was out | quite understood
| the motives which led to the engagement of
man with 4 rift in his character The
miners were a wild, goddess lot, and the last
| OverSeeT, an elderly man. had more than
| once gone in danger of his life. As per
son still suspected of violent proclivities ]
| had been chosen to take his place The
| truth was, the place bore the worst Of names,
| and few men would have accepted the situa-
| ton, at any price.
The agent, during our first interview,
hinted that the miners needed an iron hand
| TO rule them; and 1 was rather glad than
otherwise OF the information, for 1 wanted
work. the more desperate the better. That
very afternoon | inspected the place, and
| found myself inspected in turn by as villain
| Gus a set of faces as had ever encountered
| There was much muttering and mumUring,
| for the fellows wanted to be under the di-
reetion of one of their own number one
| Michael Looe, red-haired giant, who had
this one advantage over his comrades-that
| he could read and write.
| The very next day. the first after my in
| stallatiOn, | found out the sort of opposition
| with which | had to reckon. As stood by
| the open mine, giving some direc tions, that
same LOOe ran up against me, with piekax
| on his shoulder, and almost capsized me- 4
| hoarse laugh greeted this performance.
Cant zee look where you'm gaun, meas
| ter?" cried the fellow, grinning savagely, 10
the huge delight of the thTong-men, women
| and children.
| l looked him steadily in the face, as one
| looks in the eye of furious bull. What
saw there did not daunt me. The fellow was
a bully, and had dealt with bullies before
| If | was to retain my authority i'll the place
/ must bring him to his senses.
whats your Manner | said, quietly.
MY name?' he repeated leering round at
the others. Mike Looe, if ye maun know
As good name as yourn, III wager"
Another laugh greeted this touch of primi-
tive-humor.
MY name is Hugh Trelawney; and as /
am master here, I'll trouble you 10 remem-
Der it If you don't my man, II find way
to impress it on your memory"
you viii, will 'ee?" said the giant And
so you be measter? Mates. " he added. look
| ing round. dye hear 'un? Take off your
hats to 'un! This fine gentry pup be meas
ter i the mine. Take OFF your hats to un. l
| sayr'
And suiting the action to the word, he
bowed mockingly before me. Hy blood was
now up, and | faced him resoIutely. $50
| back to your work, - / said. No more words.
| Do as | bid you"
His manner changed from mockery to saw
| age determination.
Who'll make me2' he said, brandishing
his pickax.
Before he knew what [ was about,
wrenched the weapon from his hand, and
flung it on the ground. He clinched his fist
and made rush at me. | waited for him.
| and landed him blow which made him
stagger back dazed. The men hocked round
| Us, murmuring and threatening.
But Michael L0oe had confidence in his
own powers. He weighed fifteen stone, and
had the fists Of Anak; 50 that l. though a
| tall, strong man, looked no match for such a
giant. He uttered fierce oath, and babe
the men stand back.
Fair play, lads y he cried, grinnmg again.
Lea the new chap to me. Don't zee see he
| means fghthinP'
With that the men made a ring, while their
champion stripped oil his waistcoat and be-
gan quietly turning up his sleeves. showing
an arm with muscles like iron bands. For a
moment shrnk back, not that l feared the
ruffian, but because l felt ashamed 10 take
part in such brawl.
The men saw my hesitation, and uttered a
derisive cry:
Look at 'un! lie be afeer'dl Hit 'un in
the 'eer'
At this junctme. an old man. one of their
number, but superior in manner 70 the rest,
whispered in my ear:
You'd best bolt, measter. He'll smash
zee like an egg, as he did chap afore 'ee!'
Ny answer was decisive on went my
coat, down went ms hat on the ground and,
clinching my fists, l faced the giant. This
rather turned the tide Of feeling in my favor;
at any rate, it elected a feeble cheer. The
men prepared themselves for enjoyment; q
real stand-up fight was imminent
Were | acquainted with the beautiful
vocabulary of the ring, / might compose a
prose poem on this episode; bat alas / am
as one uninstructed, and, after all, it is toe
| absurd. Annoying as the affair was at the
time, L laugh at it now.
Mike Looe came at me Ike Goliath, bu
at the first encounter L discovered that hc
had no science. myself had little, and
though far his inferior in weight, possessed
muscles and sinews of steel, due to ml
healthy life and constant exercise, from boy
hood upward. in the open air. The result is
easily predicted. IN matters of fstiana
science, combined with pluck, IS everything
Before many minutes had passed. Michae
Looe had received as sound thrashing a
a man could desire. He lay on the ground
his head supported on the knee of one OF hi
comrades and looking stupidity up into m!
face.
turned to the men, with as much gooS
bt4uaor a. eonId assume under fha orua