Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1894-12-13

street a dirty river, at the other
a somber landscape where one object
dwarfed all others to the view, the ma
chinery which rears itself about the
mouth of a coal mine. AT certain times
struggling army of men, women and
children, oddly CARRIED and sable with
coal dust, moving from the mine to the
village; and at other times, hardly less
sable, from the village to the mine.
That was Blackville, eternally. For
the rest, it was an assemblage of hu-
manity which laughed and swore,
worked like horses and drank like fish
es, made love and hated, fought and
talked scandal and possessed, in fine,
though it knew little of fashion or So
ciety as those blessings are understood
in Paris or London, all the elements
that go to make up comedy and TRACE
dy and even heroism.
Jessie Greythorpe was the belle of
Blackville. She was the goddess in
whose temple all the young men Gin
Guiding some married ones not so very
young, it was whispered worshipped,
and the temple was the Mailman and
Shovel, the inn kept by her father.
For some time Jessie was an I'M
known quantity in Blackville and dur
ing that period was a source of danger
and disturbance all around. She would
not choose a "chap." She seemed to
prefer to have all masculine Blackville
for her lover; she was sweet to every
one in general but she favored nobody
in particular.
In consequence of this attitude of the
belle the other lasses were having a bad
time just then. Even girl who had a
''chap' half dreaded lest at any mo-
ment a smile from Jessie should lure
him away from his allegiance, and q
girl who had none scarcely dared hope
until the goddess was suited. Among
the young miners there was always the
chance of fight springing out of the
affair although an excuse for this was
hardly necessary in Blackville-and fl
nally the married women were by nc
means at ease.
Not, altogether, that these considered
Jessie 50 bad as to encourage married
men more than her fathers business
required. But if she did no more, she
kept many husbands away from the
wives of their bOsoms until the last
minute for closing, and when they did
get home they carried more good LID
uor inside them than the wives thought
necessary; whereat there followed much
matrimonial pickering in the cottage
homes of Blackville. However, in due
season the inevitable relief came. Al
last Jessie chose regular and official
lover out of her congregation of wor.
shippers, and then there went up the
glad thanksgiving of all the women
mingled with the grOans and curses Of
the disappointed ''lads." Not to pu
too fine point upon it, Jessie began tc
walk out with Jake Grimsby!
-,
said Mrs. Ricketts,, discussing the new
with her neighbor, Mrs. Wiggan. Tht
fateful intelligence had leaked out tn,
Mailman and Shovel and all Black
vile knew of it by now. "But / ha
my doubts OFT. She thinks a soigh
too much o. her good looks, tits thowt.
"Ah," replied the other, "mebbe tn
wives'l see summat o. theer menfoll
now-not as / dunnot see enow o. M,
old un as it's"
Jake Grimsby, the winner $50 far o
the grand prize, had particular frient
who had wOrshipped like the others a
the shrine of Jessie. 1t was well know
that Ned Walton was behind no one il
admiration of the neatly rounded arm
that handed the liquor to customers a
the little bar window, or of the SHAPED,
figure that came and went, trippingly
amongst them in the 'parlor." Tn
sunshine Jessie's appearance brough
was always noticeably reflected il
Ned's face. Once Jake and Ned ha
been great enemies, for no particula
reason except the question as to which
was the better man "wi' his bonds.
At length they had ceased to be enc
mics by fighting one of the most mag
nificent battles Blackville had ever see
and it had seen few-and ever sine
they had been the greatest chums, ais
for no particular reason, save that tn
battle had been drawn, and they cOulC
therefore, admire each other. Blu
everybody watched Ned narrowly now
Would he take it quietly, being thu