The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1896-10-22

ta#r ~ faA '#"N' "t'f'
i,f mother vas living then. aul tas lac
would often he bslwces her houte So
uurs.
1t s,ems tbst oue suudsy uisbt-i
might be this Joe bsd met her Grd told
her boz fond be vas Of her aud nked be-
20 become hisuiie She told mother ihn
thst same night Well, 1t seems she ssie
that 5e mustn't look for that, Ter she ws'
already romped sud vas going 10 set
=, Wblsuttile. When she told Joe thS'
be leyer sad a word, hu, be sres very
white In the face aui turued quickly
away.
The next day be bad to work beside
the very man who vas promised to The
lass be loved. We J they bad been at worn
tor some time when Joe's mate. Turning
rouud TO get hold Of storItr pick that
was lying near, sees him standing behlod
him with hi. arm raised aud the pick 10
bis band, a. il in doubt whether to strike
or pot. and with look 10 his eyes as be
bad never been known 70 wear beicrs.
The tWo men looked at one smother
without speaking tora while I'll, joe said
God forgive mel and turned away, and
from that day they never worked side by
side again. don't know how it was, bat
we used to think Joe kept away on puf
pose / mesu 80 as not to be IN the way
to strike the Other one. That would be q
N after Of three or four months before the
fire.
What fre2 asked.
Whist firef the other repeated 10 tone
Of ., s,t1nishmsnt. Why, the Fenton pit
Did yen never hear OF the FIRE 10 Fentc :
pit2
No. replied. You know, am strsn
ger here.
Ah, you must be, | should think, the
man said somes hat roughly, II you never
heard tell OF that
He took out g small blsckened pipe from
his pocket and filled the bowl 10 me
chanical way, for ii' thoughts were evi
dently far away, aud his face became sad
dened and almost tender 10 its expression
under their Influence.
He remained silent so lolg that sail,
| should like TO bear about thtt hre II
you dou't mind telling me.
Was you ever down in q pr, mstep be
asked
told him no, bnt had often thought !
should like to see one.
Better stay where you are, the man ans
wered,
Ahl be added alter another pause. It's
strange how we mining people die But
it's stranger how we live.
How do You mean2 | asked.
I've worked in the PIT for more than ~
years. he replied, bnt ! never go down in
the cage now-thst is, since that time !
speak on -but | think | may be going TO
nv grave. What with the rising Of water,
or the fall OF the coal, or the cho2e damp
that means death, the lives OF such ss us
amt worth much. Bat all these put to
gether ain't nothing to a pit on fire.
When the coal is bursting ont with heat
and the heavy masses OF earth fall down
crushing or lsning them that can get out
Of the way when the cry is Every man
for himself and God above for us all
when iainting and struggling they think
Tor moment of vile and children, and
then they fall and die!
Well, that is the sort Of FIRE speak OF,
and all OF those at work in ths pit that
day rushed for the lift that might carry
them up away from the place where the
fl mes were roaring and rushing with the
noise OF the wind
Well, Fighting Joe was the last man in
the lit, as they Il o1gbt, but Just as they
we're beginning to move thy heard loud
cry f.r help, aud they saw that other o1t
him who had married Jots sweel
heart-mskng for the lit and begging
them, for Gods sake, not o leave him be
tind
We'll. III tell YOU. the lift was ov5rful
then, but Joe 81 rang from It and seizec
hold OF the other one. with the help o
those inside, hauled him 10, and all VI
hesdr him say was. 'HeIl her did it, anc
God bless the, mattel
Then We heard the roar OF the ilames
sod We uever saw Joe again.
The man s,t qui 'tly Tor second or tive
and. though bis voice cii not tslter, b
added 10 softer tone:
Ba, the next day, when the fire had bur'
el itself ont, was one Of them that wen
down into the Il'.
There was crowd Of miners wives snt
children standing at the pit mouth, az
when We came up sgsln we laid a bod.
gently Oh the ground, aud the meu tool
of their caps aud said ne're word wbil
the women cried, aud m'py OF them 90
bed s,oud. 1t was bl,ckened and turned
and, but for where the pitm ne Jacket sa
ed. /, might have been no more than th
earth IT was lying on.
s.we stopped tepderIy TO raise an
carry the bocy away the l'cEet fell OF
and there. 90 that part where ouce beat
,rue heart, vas lock OF Womsu's hsir.
He h.d begged it OF her, shs fsid, +
often she hsd 10, the heart TO reuse hin
and God ouly knows Uste, Wbst eomtoI
poor Joe might have let 10 Wes,irg 1t 'C
Der sake.
W. buried bin With that little curl
: ius 90 bis breast, sud. sl'h many %
.pd many God bless thee. poor ladN v
, lowered him to his rect