The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1899-07-22
Not While He Lived.


didn't let on to Hetty that had over
heard them.
The next day we were all under
ground as usual. Somehow or other
Matty and Marwood and me found
ourselves always pretty close together.
He seemed to me to be hanging on to
Jim in a way l didn't like, hearing
what | had heard, and l kept as close
to both as | well could.
| noticed the dwarf scarce took his
eyes off Jim, except at 10 o'clock, when
we stopped for our bits of food, and
then he sat In corner by himself I'M
der truck and scrubbed on a scrap of
paper, with queer sort of smile on his
face.
In the afternoon we got down to
lower level. 1t was a dangerous part
of the mine, as we ali knew, and we
kept our davy lamps pretty tight. can
tell you.
There's fire-damp about here" said
one of the men.
And spark would settle the lot of
us, wouldn't itY' said the dwarf
"Ah, that it wouldr Jim answered.
Nothing more was said about fire.
damp, however, and that day, the long
est day | had ever known, came
around to 6 o'clock without an explo-
| sion.
The cages were ready for us to get
the men had gone.
you go now" says l to the dwarf.
mo-" he answers; I'm going to stay
little overtime tonight. You all go on
and send the cage down again for me-
And look here, give this to your sister
Hetty-will you?-and tell her to open
It,"
He put a bundle into my hand tied
up in handkerchief. took 1t gingerly
enough, for with such suspicious in my
mind half expected 1t might 60 off in
my face somehow.
What are you afraid off, he asks,
sharp.
Nothing" l says as sharp.
And we touched the signal rope, and
up went Jim and me. and the dwarf
stood underneath and turned his face
up, watching us out of sight.
Well, l felt more comfortable when
we put our feet on firm ground on top
of the shaft, and had sent the cage
down again for him.
wonder what's in that bundle ~
says Jim.
Maybe Hetty viii tell you some
time" l replied. little thinking how II
concerned him.
l took it home and called Hetty to
open it. Our cottage wasn't far from
the pits, and 1t couldn't have been
above ten minutes since the dwarf had
put it into my hand.
She undid the knot, and there-if you
would believe it-were the title deeds
of his cottage and $50 tied up in Bit
of canvas and the scrap of paper had
seen him scribble under the truck
There were these words on it:
what Is here is for you. ugly and
miserable l am, wicked l am not.
said you shouldn't marry him while !
was alive, and l shall keep my word
Think kindly of a dwarf if you can
God made me as well as him.
We hadn't got to the end of the poor
dirty little letter when we heard {
sound that made our hearts stand still
"a long dull roaring, shaking the fool
we stood on, as II 1t was thunder under
our feet.
IAN explosion in the miner says
Hetty, with a face as white as chalk.
1t was no use trying to dig him out
He knew when he opened his davy
lamp-and he must have opened it
that human help could never reach hin
there.
She cried about 1t for a week, anC
said she should never be happy again
But 1 think she is happy now, for sh,
married come the Easter after. The,
live in Mattys cottage still, and tn,
garden Is all abloom with flowers
London Evening News.
! | EnnanfriC TsHoo