The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-03-02

away, and from that day they never
worked side by side again. 1 don't
know how 1t was, but we used to think
Joe kept away or purp0se-I mean so
as not TO be In the way TO strike the
other one. That would be q matter OF
three or four months before the fire.
What fire ?n 1 asked.
What are ?" the other repeated, in
q tone OF astonishment. "Why, Fem
toms pit Did you never hear Of the
fire in Fenton's pit 2"
NO. replied. You know, I am
q stranger here"
"Ah, you must be, l should think"
the man said somewhat roughly, "if
you never heard tell of that"
He took out q small blackened pipe
from his pocket and filed the bowl in
a mechanical way, for his thoughts
were evidently far away, and his face
became saddened and almost tender
In It's expression under their Influence.
He remained silent so long that /
said 81 should like to hear about
that fire, II you don't nina telling me-"
WAS you ever down in a pit, mate?"
he asked.
| told him no, but had often thought
l should like TO see one.
Better stay where you are" the
man answered.
"Ah" he added, after another
pause, "it's strange how we mining
people die. But it's stranger how we
live"
"How do you mean ?" 1 asked.
I've worked in this pit for more
than twenty years." he replied, "but
| go down in the cage now-that
is, since that time | speak on--but
think | may be going to my rave.
What with the rising Of water, or the
fall OF the coal, or the choke damp
that means death, the lives of such as
us amt worth much. But all these
put together amt nothing to q pit on
fire.
"When the coal is bursting out with
heat and the heavy masses of earth
fall down, crushing or tanning them
that can't get out Of the way-when
the cry is, Every man for himself and
God above for us all when fainting
and struggling, they think for a mo
ment of wife and children, and then
they fall and die
"Well, that was the sort of fire ]
speak of, and all those at work in the
pit that day rushed for the lift tina,
might carry them away from the
place where the flames were roaring
and rushing with the noise of a grea,
wind.
"Well, Fighting Joe was the las,
man in the lift, they thought, but jus,
as they were beginning to move they
heard a loud cry for help, and they
saw that other one-him who haC
married Joe's Notwithstanding fol
the lift and begging them, for Gods
sake, not to leave him behind.
"Well, I'll tell you, the lift was
overfull then, but Joe sprang from i,
and seized hold of the other one, and
with the help of those inside haulc,
him in and all we heard him say was
Tell her | did it, and God bless thee
mate 7"
"Then we heard the roar of the
flames, and we never saw Joe again"
The man sat quietly for u second OF
two, and, though his voice did mo-
falter he added In a softer tone:
But the next day, when the fire
had burned itself out, L was one Of
them that went down into the pit.
"There was a crowd Of miners wives
and children standingiat the pit mouth
and when we came up again We laid Q
body gently on the ground, and the
men took off their caps and said ne'er 8
word, while the women cried and
many of them sobbed aloud. 1t was
blackened and burned, and, but fol
where the pitman's jacket saved him,
it might nave been no more han the
earth it was lying on.
but as we stopped tenderly to raise
and carry the body away the jacket
fell off, and there, on that part where
once beat a true heart, was a lock o.
u woman's hair.
"'He had begged it of her., she said
so often that she had not the heart tt
refuse him. and God only knows, mate
what comfort poor Joe might have
felt in wearing it for her sake.
"We buried him with that little
curl lying on his breast, and, with
many a sob and many a God bles,
thee, poor lad! W lowered him to his
rest.
I'VE planted them little flowers
and it seemed to M as if they growet
brighter on his tomb than anywhere
else"
He paused again, and as | stole ,
look at him | saw two large tear,
rolling down his hard face.
He was Il lite embarrassed at my
observing them, | think, for he said
"Don't think the worse of me, mate
because Pm giving way a biz, but l an
the man Joe saved"