The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-02-19
SELECTED STORY.
At the Pits Mouth.

answer, lass, i KNOW III. wen, fOrgI
me what a. said. Goodby, Jessie, and
God bless thee, lassl God bless theel"
Thus Steven Armstrong, as he turned
away from the cottage where Jessie
NacDavitt lived-that cottage, with the
gay flowers around its porch, that
made the one bright patch of bright
ness in this dismal, dust-begrimed
country side, blsckened everywhere by
coal, saddened by the lives of men
whose destiny had cast to delve and
burrow beneath the fair earth that
other men might grow rich.
But, somehow, to-day Steve Arm
strong could see no brightness in any
thing. He had been a fool, and no
mistske-this great, stalwart, broad
shouldered miner. He was we'll past
forty; his hair becoming gray, and
sparse on top-quite old to her.
He had been bachelor all these
years. He might have known it Was
sheer madness now to lavish all the
wealth of his great manly heart on
pretty, winsome Jessie. She did not
want an old fogy like him.
At first she seemed to hear his tale
with gentle tenderness and pity. Bad,
indeed, must be the woman whose
heart remains untouched by the love
of true and honest mai. Then a
word or two she dropped, almost un-
consciously, had revealed the truth
OF course, Will Benson WAS the man.
He had been blind fool not to have
seen it long ago. Will was twenty
years younger than himself. On Sun
days Will was quite favorite (the
Americsnism had grown into common
use even here) Will was just the lad
to please the girls fancy. And so,
having settled that matter in his own
mind, Armstrong walked slowly and
sadly away about his business.
1t was Saturday night. Bar and
parlor of the Miners Arms were
crowded with men. Here the hard
earned money few merrily - money
which should have gone to wife and
weans at home, money which might
have been as tower of strength in
fighting the battles that labor and
poverty always have to fight.
Will Benson was there ir the midst
of noisy throng, reeking of beer,
spirits and rank tobacco. He had had
a great deal too much to drink already
Suddenly some one laid hand upon
his arm. He turned tipsily, and en-
countered the serious, steadfast gaze
of Steven Armstrong, who was not
drunk, and had only just entered the
public house.
"Dunnot taxi ony moor" the latter
whispered, gently, but firmly.
"Who told thee to interfere, Master
PreacherP"
"No one. ask thee not to, for t.
sake O. girl who loves thee"
Ibid she tell thee to COON pryin'
afther me?"
"Tha knowest betther no that. l
ask thee for her sake, and fur tina own
good. ask thee not t spend all T.
meet here. Think O. her who'st O. be
tina wife. These chaps do thee no
good. They'll maxi thee spend tina
brass, and, when tits all gone, the y'll
only laugh at thee"
Ye daren'tl It's tina thyself as are dom
it. Come outside, then, and We'll see
who's t. best monI"
81 Wilma fight VII thee-and GER
tainly not now" Armstrong answered,
slow y and with dignity; it was not the
retraction of coward. His we'll
meant remonstrances had proved worse
than useless. From that time those
two men felt each other to be rivals.
Horror and CONSERVATION are spread
ing far and wide through the grimy
Lancashire town. A terrible explosion
has just been heard. They know only
too well what that means; and the poor
women, both young and old, are rush.
ing wild and terror-stricken to the pits
mouth.
Down in the workings" the excite
ment is at its height. Men are running
to the bottom of the shaft, running
for their lives; for the noxious after
damp is choking them, and they know
only too well that many o. them are
destined never to see the light of do,
again. The cage is going up aud dow
again as quickly as may be, but it will
hold only limited number. The,
must patiently wait for their turn, an
that turn may mean life or death.
"There be room for one moor" tn
miners shout. "Come along, S ev
Armstrong; it be tina turn"
But he does not move.
"No," he answers; 81 be old q
alone. Here's yooDg fellow as a. got
ten mither; let un go instead thi
time"
1t was Will Benson who stood by hi
side.
"You, Armstrong! You maxi roor
for mel" he exclaimed.
"What dost suppose aid do? A figt
fair-when a. want to fight "
"You do this for ma sake?"
Not for thine, mon; for her'sl Go!
The words were few-there was n
time for more-but they had roug
heroic dignity about them. Benso
stepped into the cage without anotht
word; the signal was given and the
went up toward the light and air abov,
From those about the pits mouth
ringing cheer arose as the cage reache
the surface. They knew that so man
at least, of their mates were safe, al