Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1891-12-18

amt although they had adopted me. could
afford to allow me 10 eat for very long the
bread Of idleness. Had it been necessary,
they would willingly have shared with me
their slender means; but ii was not neceS-
sary. ] was fourteen years Of age, i had re-
seived good education, and | was in every
way fitted to earn my bread. But what could
do? My inclination was for the sea.
longed 10 become sailor; not because | had
any particular love of ships, but because |
had some wild idea that it might ultimately
be the means of bringing me 10 Madeline.
Besides, / mustown that / was not exactly
proud II my newly found relations and a
home which was 80 different to MINISTER'S.
Sometimes at night, when | sat furtiyeiy
watching my uncle smoking his pipe In the
tngle, and my aunt darning the stockings
fell to wondering what the boys would say
If they saw them, and my cheeks burned
with shame. 1t was on one OF these even
Ings | ycntured to express my wish TO 90 TO
sea. My aunt threw up her hands in horror.
''Lawd love the Iadp' she cried; eff he
be'aint like his father already! You'd like
TO gaw to say, would We? to wander over the
face Of the earth and die, like your father
did, without a roof to cawyer your head?
sailor Lawd love zee, and why would you
be a sailOr?'
l stammered something about visiting %
work for my living, when my unc;a eat ~"
explanation short by patting me OIL Ia. head
and saying:
''You'm q good lad, I'm glad 10 lear &c
talk saw; but there's no cause for zee to gaw
to say. lOu'm a comm to wark wi me,
Hughp
'ln the miner / exclaimed in delight, for
my strong desire to go down the Shaft was
growin-; but my uncle shook his head.
Nav, nav, md; the mine be only for big
coarse men like me; a slip OF a lad like you
will be better whar you'm gawing-inta the
awfice"
"'rhc officer l repeated, my ardor being
considerably damped.
Have zee fixed it all, Tawm?" asked my
aunt.
'Iss, mother, fixed it Wi the master this
fawrenoon. Hugh can gaw on Monday and
begin"
Thus it 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 Shillngs a week toward the
household expenditure. Thus my new life
began, a life which promised TO be unevcnt-
full enough. At first chafed somewhat; but
time, that healer Of all things, brought sOlace
n
MINISTER'S began to grow dim; ana when L
thought Of Madeline it was of some lovely
vision seen in a dream.
MOnOtOnOuS as my days promised TO be, |
soon managed to infuse little pleasure into
them principally with the aid Of my friend
aud ally, honest John Rudd; for we soon be-
came close chums. He conceived Il great re-
speCt for me, partly OF 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 en-
trely at my disposal, also lent me his gum 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
the mine. 1t was becoming sort OF Frank
enStCin," haunting me by night and by day;
/ saw it before me as | sat writing in the of
fee, and when | was asleep at night | saw it
in my dreams, opening its huge black jaws
and preparing to crush away some hapleSs
life. The more | heard of it, the stronger
grew nay 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. Atlast how
ever, one Sunday morning, he came to me
and to my intense delight said:
you can gaw dawn the mine tday, Hugh.
be GAVIN dawn. I'll tax zee wi me-"
Excitement is welcome to all boys, and it
was especially welcome to me; but there was
one cloud on my sunshine, when | looked
up and saw that my cousin Annie was as
white as 4 sheet and trembling violently.
Don't, father, dont! she said, pteOuSly.
My father laughed
"LOr mussey, Annie, what fTawhtened
little woman you III gettin'! he said. "Wha,
yOr amt like a miners lass, Annie. We
must max the lad man, nawt milkSJp.
Nav then, Hugh, hurry up, and get ready
wem nawt got much time to loser
The first thing to be done was to attire my
self i'll one of my unce's mining suits of
flannel, and possess myself of one o his
broad felt hats. This was soon done. | was
now a man in all but years, and managed
to cut tOlerable figure in my uncle's clothes /;
indeed, when | made my temperance in
the Kitchen he declared, with nod of APP
proval, that | looked every inch a miner. 1t
was proud moment tor me; now, for the
first time, | felt my manhood upon me, and
i laughed with my uncle ut Annie's pale
cheeks ana my aunt's sad eyes.
My uncle handed me half a dozen candles,
which ne told me to put into my pocket then,
with merry nod to the womenfoIk, we start
ed.
TWAS no easy matter to get TO the entrance
of the mine, not being able TO go straight to
the shafts as i'll the case of mines on level
ground. First of all we had to make our
way to the counting-hOuse. in which 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 t. pass; 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 little creaking shed, there a
broken-down post or two, and there again
we had to wind round by the rocky path
amidst chains and cables AMI ascending
loads.
|, having to travel this road every day of
my life was we'll accustomed to it and ac-
cOrdingly followed on my uncle'S footsteps
without much feeling of curiosity or joy; but
when we had passed the counting-house, as
entrance TO the mine, my heart began TO beat
with anticipation.
Here we both paused.
You'll keep a strawng head" said my
uncle, looking at me. Twill be bad BUSH
ness If you begin to tramble like our Annie.
Are YOU sure you amt afraid, lad?'
Not bit" l returned; then, looking at
the ladder which was set at the entrance of
the mine | asked, Shall l go firSt?"
"Bide bit bide a bit ladr' he returned.
'Gl'S one O. than candles"
l cid so, whereupOn he lit it and stuck il
into my hat then he lit another for himself:
after this ne began to descend the first lad