The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-06-19
Seletteo Storm.
Rough Jacks Little Lad"
A STORY OF THE ENGLISH
CoLLIERIEs.

the great ack-bearded, grimy fellow,
with his greasy cap pulled down over
his hard, surly, bulldog face. And he
was rough by nature as well as by name.
Those huge bony hands of his, which
could swing the heaviest pickaxe for
hours without firing, 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
for having ever tried his strength
against the terrible Jack.
But there was one person to whom
even Rough Jack never said a harsh
word, 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
big, bony, sullen-faced woman, almost
as untidy and coarse-looking as the
rough collier himself. But no mother
could have been more tenderly careful
of the little fellow than they were. How
ever dirty and untidy they might be
themselves, they did their best to keep
Jim's face clean and his clothes in
order, aud cross-grained Aunt Susan,
who was always grumbling at having
"sitch power o. work to do" sat up
at night several times after her days
work was over to knit little pair OF
socks as birthday present for him.
Jim had been the pet of the whole
neighborhood ever since he could re-
member, and these savage, wild-look-
ing men, so fierce and surly with every
one else, always had kind word for
CROUCH Jacks little lad" as they
called him. Every day he used to
carry his fathers dinner to the works
in little basket, going fearlessly
among the GOLFERS savage bulldogs,
which seemed 10 know him quite as
we'll as their masters, and would wag
their stumpy tails and put up their
fat-nosed heads to be patted whenever
he went by.
Indeed, the "l little lad " seemed to
have such perfect trust in every one
and to be so sure that nobody would
for any one even to think of doing so.
The rough collier lads, whose great
sport was to pelt each other with heavy
Jumps of coal, which made a bruise
wherever they hit, shouted to one
another to stop the moment they saw
the little fair-haired head in the dis
lance, and once, when Rough Jack
and his mate-who had been great
friends hitherto-quarreled about some
thing and were going to fight, little
Jim stepped in between them and
taking hold of his fathers jacket,
looked up at them both with an air OF
such piteous establishment that the
two fierce men, after eying him blankly
for moment, turned their backs and
slouched off in shame-faced kind OF
way, and the next morning they were
as good friends as ever.
But after awhile troubles began tc
come upon Blackpool Colliery Bust
ness grew slack, and wages had to be
reduced, which bore very hard upon
these reckless fellows, who spent theil
money as fast as they got it, never
thinking of laying anything by. There
was plenty of grumbling and growing
against young Harry Forester, the
great man of the district, whom hi:
fathers death, about year before, haC
left sole owner of the cOlliery; and the
quiet people of the neighborhood began
to fear riot and to talk of sending fol-
soldiers from the nearest large town.
But amid all their troubles the rough
men were still as loyal as ever TO their
" little lad" Many a grumbler went
without his dinner to buy something
good for Jim, and Rough Jack, as he
danced the little fellow on his broad
shoulder, wore something as nearly
approaching a smile as his iron face
could assume.
AT last it began to be whispered one
day among the colliers that number
of them were to be discharged. Nc
one knew how the report had arisen
or even whether it was true or not
but the mere thought of it was quite
enough for these wild fellows, ripe as
they already were for mischief.
FWe nun must strike" mutteret
a big, sullen-lOoking pitman.
cay, we nun strike-but not as tho,
mean'st," growled Rough Jack, clinch
ing his sledge-hammer fist with terrible
emphasis. "I'se not let my little lad
starve for a. tn gentlefolks i England
We mum strike Mester Forrester's ye(
head so as he'll feel. Who'll join
lads?'
81 will"
"And l."
"And l."
"And SOIL l."
In fact every man there was as cage
as Jack himself, and it was soon agreed
that they should watch for chance o
attacking young Forester, and thel
beat him within an inch of his life
"and mayhap bit farther" as th,
burly pitman muttered, with a crue
CLEAN in his eyes. Two sharp lad
were at once chosen to keep watch upol
"young 'Squoire Harry" who had com
down from London a few days before
and on the third morning one of tn
scouts came running in to report tina
Harry had gone to see a friend fey
miles from the colliery, and had sen
the groom home with his horse, sayn,
that he would walk back in the even
ing, the road being too rough to risk
good horse ON after dark.
The looks exchanged by the collier
at this news said more than any word
could say. All was soon settled. Mid
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