The Bossier banner., 1889-08-22
LITTLE jim.
How the Pet of the Collieries Pre-
vented Tragedy.

"Rough" enough he looked, indeed,
she great black-bearded, grimy fellow,
with his greasy cap pulled down over
his hard, surly, bulldog face. And he
was rough by nature as well as bv
name. Those huge bony hands of his,
which could swing the heaviest pickaxe
ior hours without tiring, and could toss
about great Jumps of coal which other
men could hardly lift, were ALWAYS
ready to knock down any one who dis
pleased him; and many sturdy fellow
IN the Blackpool Galleries wore scars
and bruises enough to make him sorry
Tor having ever tried his strength
against the terrible Jack.
but there was one person to whom
even Rough Jack never said a harsh
Woro; and that was his little Jim, the
only child he had. Jim's mother had
died soon after he was born, and his
aunt, who kept house for Jack, was a
Dig, oony, sullen-faced woman. almost
as untldy and coarse-looking as the
rough collier himself. But no mother
could have been more tenderly careful
OF the little fellow than they were.
however dirty and untidy they might
pe themselves, they did their best to
keep Jim's face clean and his clothes
an orders and cross-grained Aunt Susan.
who was always grumbling at having
"sltch power o work to do,' sat up
al night several times, after her davis 8
work, was over. to knit little pair of
socks as birthday present for him.
Jim had been the pct of the whole
nelghborhood ever since he could re-
member; and these savage, wild-look-
ing men, so fierce and surly with every
one else, always had a kind word for
Rough Jacks little lad,'' as thew
called him. Every day he used to
carry his fathers dinner to the works
N a little basket. going fearlesslv
among the collier's savage BULLDOGS.
which seemed to know him quite as
well as their masters, and would wap
thelr stumpy tails and put up their
nat-nosed heads to be patted whenever
ne went by.
indeed, the "little lad'' seemed to
nave such perfect trust in every one.
ana TO be so sure that nobody would
hurt or vex him, that it was not easv
ior any one even to think of doing so.
Inc rough collier lads, whose great
sport was to pelt each other with
neaVy Jumps of coal which made a
Orulse wherever they hit, shouted to
one another to stop the moment they
saw the little fair-haired head in the
Instance, and once, when Rough Jack
ana his mate-who had been great
Ftehas heretofore - quarreled about
something, and were going to fight,
ns1le Jim stepped in between them and,
taxing hold of his fathers Jacket.
iooKed up at them both with an air of
such piteous astonishment, that the two
serce men. after cycling him blankly
lor moment, turned their backs and
saouehed OFF in shame-faced kind of
way; aud the next morning they were
@ good friends as ever.
Dus after a while troubles began to
ssne upon Blackpool Colliery. Busi-
ness grew slack and wages had to be
sseuuced, = which bore very hard upon |
enese reckless fellows, who spent their |
.aoy money as fast as they got it, never |
sa1aAing OF laying any thing by. There
y plenty of grumbling and prswlinp |
alnss young Harry Forester, the |
tssas IN man of the district. whom. his
-. ,asusr : death about year before had |
,o,s o,,;.s sole owner of the colliery; and the
aa.es people Of the neighborhood be-
$. ~ Q lear rios and to talk of send
sog ~ lOs soldiers from the nearest large
MAJ Dss amid all their troubles the rough
s9n s.,;.., were still as loyal as ever to their
r;trs ..e iao. Many grumbler went
0u' aus dinner to buy something