The morning times., 1896-07-12
B HoI1eC So
q HOUSE SiSi
& THAT JACK
ssa@ BUILT

Jake Heatherng:on was an English mi
ner'sboy. Indeed he might have beenca He'd
miner himself, for from the day he was
seven years old he had spent sixteen hours
out of every twenty-four deep down in
coal mine, never going TO school. rarely
seeing the sunshine. Jake did not mind.
His father did the same, so did all the men
and boys he knew, and probably he would
have gone on TO the end of his life think
ing and caring very little about life above
ground If, when he was about fourteen
years old, his father had not decided Il.
move to America
As this was nearly seventy years ago
the Journey across the Atlantic was very
long For the first time since little
Child Jake knew what q beautiful thing
1T Is to be ali day in the sun and AR
to watch the birds and the sea. When he
reached America there came Il long trip by
wagon and fldtboat to his new home ON
the Ohio River, where Jake's father had
been told there was coal lying almost on
top OF the ground, and where instead of
havinE to delve down thousands OF feet
as they did in England, the miners SIM
ply dug straight into a hillside and brou .ht
out tle mineral on wheelbarrows.
To Jake this kind of work was play, and
for six or seven years he labored happily
with his father. But while Jake worked he
was thinking. He was earning good wages
but why go on all his lire simply earning
wages? Why not have mine of his own?
AS soon as this idea came into his head he
began to save. When he was about twenty
three years old he had enough money to
make first payment on eight acres or coal
land and 10 buy his own wheeibarruw and
tools. Tben he went to work for himself
wheeling out his coal alone and taking il
down 10 the river bank, where he sold il
by the barrel to the steamers which went
up and down. This went on for Some time,
Jake regularly making bis payments on his
land ana every week putting by a bit
extra. He was saving now for anut her pur-
pose. though nobody knew just what until
he returned one day from Il short trip with
partner.
He introduced his companion as Jack,
and when tie next day after his return
ne drove his coal down to the wharf in
new cart To which Jack was hitched,
he was tile proGdcst man on the river
He had Il right 10 he proud of his Dcw
partner. Jack was the sturdicst little
mule in the Ohio Valley. He was only
three and Il halr feet high, hut tc was as
Itout as oak and Jake himself hadn't
more pluck. There was no load so heavy
that Jack wouldn't do his best to draw
i; there was never a hill he wouldn't
pull up il: and as for being afraid of
whistles and noise and crowds Jack sim
ply eiorificd in them and always pushed
INTO the thicllest Of every din. Jake had
been all his life a lonely fellow and every |
day that he worked with Jack he became |
happier He fel into the habit of talking !
aloud to him as they went about, telling |
him how much coal they had taken cut |
today and what they had sold il for and lie |
CoDfided to him all his future plans. AT |
Dight when the work was done Jake always |
smoked his pipe near Jack and planned tie |
next day As for the mule his affection for |
The man was something unheard of. 1t |
was only necessary to watch Jacks ears |
when Jake was ncar to know tEath his whole |
soul was wrapped up in his master. So |
devoted was lie that he brayed with grief |
If Jake attempted to drive another ami
NAL and if any one on the premises daIci !
10 attempt to harness or drive him he
Kicked and baked until the intruder was
glad TO give up the task. Every time
that Jake saw bis partner kick over
man who attempted to use him, he confessed
that it made him love Jack better This
was Jacks way of showing his affection
De said.
Jake and Jack had not been in business