The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1893-05-20
IT. & NJ

L 800 S@fheNs ou way VI Inc WGrkA
his little sister Cora stood on the trout
steps ~ ioux ss she could see her brothr,
and waved her plump hands after him
tie looked back occasionally and threw
kisses To her.
Tim WAS fifteen years old and was a drive,
In the coal mine. that Is. be drove u mule
which drew the loadei coal ears from
where the miners worked TO the mouth OF
the mine. where they were boisied out nj 4
shaft. then run down long incline TO the
river. where the coal WAS loaded into
barges by means Of a fippla
Tins father had worked In the minis
nearly all his life. and the boy had gone
down into the darkness and among the
mysteries OF the mine when Just old
enough TO walk without Assistance. and b,
the time he was twelve years old he WA
familiar with all parts Of H.
AZ the age OF thirteen he was an xious 10
earn something To assist his father in SUP
porting the family. and after much plead
Ing his father permitted him to become a
driver
| Tim was assigned TO drive old Ned, a do
ciie mule. which bad spent the most OF bi,
daylight life underground Ned was a
knowing animal and took kindly TO his
new master Tim always had n earess for
bis four footed friend A bi; OF apple or
some other dainty morsel was Sed's daily
reward from Tim iD time the two i.ecs
30 friendly that there was no friction he
tween them. and the miners playfuliy
called them II * NJ Tim got hold Of
some brass lacks one day and drove them
inso Aeds harness In such way as TO
MAKE these Characters appear In bright
| ietten
L A TIN. etspras~-N
| on his way to the mouth OF the mine the
| sun Was just rising II WIS early iu Oc,o
Der and the sarrou nding hills were re
spiendent Ia their fall attire Now and
| then red leaf dropped from among its
| fellows and fattcred To the ground in the
| calm atmosphere The sun was out Ia all
Il. spiendor that morning. the first time
for several days
Tim did not notice the beauties Of nature
- be hurried along. not that be was no,
| lover OF the beautiful. but his thoughts
were on subject which more directly cop
| oeraed has welfare
His father had been killed In a mine nc
| eideni . few months before and Tim Eel,
the responsibility Of the support Of his
| mother aud sister resting on his Young
| shoulders He desired TO attend school
aud acquire all education which would I'll,
him for higher duties In life, but al tina;
| trsopen, the outlook was decidedly gloomy
Tor our young friend Heoould not see how
be could accomplish that which he desired
- The support OF the family depended nj
| most solely on bis labor
When DO reached the mouth o. the mine
| Ned was Hacked lnto the cage aud TIM FOL
| lowed and pn, mp the hars While waiting
Tor the man Ia charge OF the machinery 10
above back The lever and lower the cage 10
{ he bottom of the shaft hundred feet be
low. he beard some one inquire ss TO The
| stage OF the water In the river, which
flowed swiftly by 30 yards away Tim
glanced hastily rirerward at The instant
the cage started downward aud Naw that
the water vas almost 10 the top OF the
hanks Of the stream and WAS oiled with
floating drifiwood Heavy fall rains bad
sci In = week before. add 10 oonscqucncc o,
the great rainfall the stream was cxtrcineIy
high
Without q though, Of serious dagger
however. Tim dropped foot after foot TO
ward the center Of the earth. with Ned
er~AihipR softiy on bis neck M the two
s,ood crowded into the cage
IL quiet, Ned, comman ded Tim, As the
animal manifested some uneasiucss at the
sound OF water dripping faster than usual
down the sides Of the shaft You are not
getting ski,,ish in your old days. I trust"
pAitins Ned on the hose The animal
placed his bead xfIectionAiely on Tins
shoulder and became quiet
When the cage stopped a, the bottom the
barr were lowered and Ned followed Tim
out Tim bad lighted little tin lard oil
lamp. which he carried al the front OF his
cap. before entering the cage When be
emerged from the cage he saw the lamps
OF many miners aashipa about here and
there, like frcAics before a storm in sum
mer, A. the men prepared to so TO the var
Gus departments OF the mine lie had wit
ncssed similar SCENES many times bctorc
aud paid no attention TO them, but hi,chcd
Ned TO the train Of empty cars tina, stood
waiting. and with a merry crack OF hts
whip and a cheerful &c lon. Ned" wen,
rafting away over the steel rail track
Half q dozen miners had clambercd into
The cars with their dinner pals and the
tools which they bad taken out Of the
mine the nigh, before to sc, re pointed
Tim was perched up on the head OF the FOR
ward car. and he had to frequently duck
his bead to avoid colliding with well
known orerhAnginH obstructiona
After going a short distance Tom looked
iis occupants, two old miners. were dis
GUESSING something Of . serious nature
Thomas jenkins. the one nearest Tim. had
removed his lamp from his cap and WAS
gently tapping the side Of 1t against the toe
Of his shoe In order to expose more OF the
wick 40 that the light would burn brighter
As the blaze fared up Tim could see the
faces Of the two men. and was alarmed a,
their seriousness He caught the word
water" A. be strained his ears to hear
what they were saying The rumble Of the
cars and the many echoes bounding back
from the wallis aud the roof Of the mine
drowned the remainder OF the conversation
Tim had heard enough, however, to make
him uneasy, The part Of the mine In which
he worked was almost directly under the
led Of the river There were many feet Of
apparently solid sandstone between the
water and the coal vein. but sometimes Il
was feared that with high stage Of water
In the river and Its consequent heavy pres
SURE, an opening assure might let the
water into tho mine aud drown all the
miners. besides running the property
The owners OF the mine, IN or,lcr To
guard against such catastrophe as much
- possible. had years before walled up the
entrance to that part Of the mine, leaving
only room enough for the cars to pass
through A stout oakcu door was then
hung 80 that II closed from the inside
which made that part % the mine almost
water tight and separate from the other
parts Of the mine. II was 80 arranged that
the greater the pressure against the door
the tighter IL fitted. A large well was then