Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-16

and adjust the coal in the same manner as
the coke-makers trim the coke wagons.
This work is usually done by girls from
fourteen 10 eighteen years of age. They
scramble under. between and oven the
wagons with the agility OF monkeys, ana
every one has superb physical development
] saw one place her hand upon the bumper
between the railway wagons, and with -
light spring leap upon Il. and from this. IN
another motion, vault into the -uaueu
wagon five feet above. Carrying spade
in her left hand. she only had the use Of
her right hand; and yet no professional attn
lete could have accomplished the perform
ance with
MORE GRACE OR APPARENT EASE.
Having been fortunate enough TO come
upon he pit-brow lasSes at various mines
at all hours of labor. in all departments AMI
conditions Of their labor, at their hours for
meals and rest, on their way TO the mines
and TO their homes, and again in their
homes, | can testify 10 their thoroughly
good nature, good heartedneSs and unusual
responsibility. ! confess that | expected 10
lind the most forlorn creatures bearing the
image of women. All the illustrations |
had ever seen portrayed them as hollow
checked, hollow chcsted. scraCgy, Sodden
and beaStly. They are nothing of the sort.
Physically. they are the finest formed
women in England. Il is. Of course, start
ling thing 10 come suddenly upon the plat
form above plymouth auG-anid the deaf
ening cldmor of the engines. the crashing of
the cage" as il comes from the abyss below
with terrific speed, the laundering Of the
iron trucks upon the metal floor As they are
tipped and hurled back into the hollow
iron cage. with the endless booming Of the
coal along the screens and into the
wagons. while lodging the flying rock and
shale-half discern the weird. swarthy
figures OF women. clad half in mans AMI
l,,1f =
there. rs if engaged in some bedllmish
saturnalia. II is one of the most picturesque
scenes of labor ever Ocheld. and has the
element of wild and awful grandeur in II.
But it has not the hopeless tragedy in il
of the certain wasting away OF human life
furnished by the mill or the factory. Eng
fish roses glow from English checks and
flame through the pail OF coal on the faces
of these pit-brOw laSSeS. You cannot find
pumper figures prettier forms. more
shape Ynecks and limbs Or daiuticr feet, de-
spite the ugly 'clogs, in all Of dreamful
Andalusia. There is not harder. tirmer
finer flesh and muscle in any prize ring.
The sparkle of royal good health leaps from
their splendid hazel eyes. Their lips are
like the cOckuey'S heart and spirits. CHERRY
ripe" And ySu never will find more daz-
zlingly white or beautiful teeth in the
Azores, i'll Cuba, or with our own culored
people-the Coal-dust performing the work
of Il magnificent dentrifce.
Their picturesque costume varies at diff
ferent mines Al some there are ragged
lot indeed AT their work But at nearly all
these pits. which are the property of single.
or partnership, owners. the " Blundeli
costume of the great PembertOn mine, 10
Gated two miles from WigaE, IS in the main
in use. This was originated by the late
Hon Mrs. BluUdell. wife OF Col BlundeLl.
NJ p. owner of the Pembertou, fund be
ing provided from the purse of the deceased
lady to furnish annually as Il free gift 70
each pit-brow Iassie al that mine,
ONE SUIT FOR WORKING Use.
II is of stout blue serge ana consists of
a Jacket, which is Il sort of blouse in shape,
Il short petticoat reaching nearly TO the
knees. a pair of trousers precisely like
mans. and clogs instead OF shoes. Their
hair is first done up tightly in L kerchief
and the whole Is inclOSed in a sort OF
gathered BAG. which fits tightly about the
forehead and around the back of the neck
Some wear mems caps for head gear
These costumes which attract no attention
whatever IN mining regions. save from
strangers, are donned before the women
leave home i'll the morning. and IRE worn
until they return at night. They are most
cleanly women and bath IS invariably
taken when the brow or ''brOo gear is
thrown aside for the day. Then the pit
brow lassie is arrayed as becomiugly as any
of her class in England, and on the village
streets or al church of Sunday you could
not pick her ont from among her cOmpan-
ions unless for her fine color. form and Il
posi- lively classic poise and grace of carIi-
age possessed by no other working women
OF England. | was in company with Vicar
Wood of PembertOu. part of the time kur-
ing nv visit to the Pemberton mine In
view of all that had been charged against
this form of wOman's Sibor. and particu-
larlv as the claim has been perSistently
made that its influence was ''unseXing' aud
demoralizing, | bluntlv asked him what was
the real character OF these thousands of
women for morality.
Well, g he theughtfully replied. 1T was
one of the conditions made by the Hon
Mrs. Blundell that no pit women here at
Pemberton should receive the annual gift
of suit of clothes who did not bear re
proachless character. | have charge of the
distribution. There has not been but one
instance where Il refusal OF the gift has
been found necessary during the past ten
years
In almost countless conversations with
the pit-brow women. have not found one
who did not seem happy and cOntented in
her labor. For this class any labor at any
wage is a gOdsend in England. Most of
them are rather proud of their distinction.
All prefer it to any other toll to which they
have access. Their hours are from in the
morning until nalf past in the afternoon
with a half hour for breakfast and dinner:
and their wages from seven to twelve shil-
lings per week Their meals are taken in
their own room at the mines, where there
are rude benches. tables, and, winter or
summer. a huge coal fire. at VIII ch their
coffee or tea is warmed. Altogether, [
should seriously regard the pit-brow lasses
as the handsomest, heathiest, happiest alrd
most respectable working women IN Eng
land. EDGAR l.. NAREM.N.