The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1899-12-14
not WHILE HE LIVED

seftei suh . gspg I'd Nsbe w y"
lcry sboui fifteen yesrs back, and tier
sac one mac there vbo allied IRON Sou'i
wslss - 90, prst', irisndly With.
Zee called tin . nee. dOni tnos ih'
title comes fisti he vss mete litr !
Stated boy ttsn . msn, sud more iik'
soms sori OF aaetr Knimsl tbsn either
Ne hsd mosstrous large bead aud should
ss. aud . pair Of lnlls, bosed, tsisled
less. 90 bigger than ebild's OF tiae years
old
/ lsessid .e wete pretty friendly. bni
don't kbow ss | w~ spything nore ibsn
civil to him.
lie xss cleAyet sod could spesK Enslish
ss veil % sDy OF ~. He bad been tao
yests OF more q, toe Nine Pits and be bad
brought some money With him when be
me, for be bad q cottage Of bis own shd
tidy piece oi garden, which wa' above
xhst the rect OF ne had.
There wasn't q msu OF siI feet smong Us
stronger thsn be wss To have seen him
swing bis pick would have made you bold
your breath He could walk, You sec,
down some OF tue narrow, low galleries,
where ohsps like We would have to crawl
| lived With my father and sister thea.
We we're precious poor, and istber used TO
say he hoped Helty would marry tome
one able to keep her aud 80 give US lift
that way.
90 day new hand came 10 the pit jim
Marwood by name. See him Sundsy going
to chapel, clean snd smart, as straight as
pole. with his blue eyes looking so frank
aud smiling, and you'I say he looked
picture.
lie struck up mighty sfisciion Tor me
before be had been a mouth 10 the gang.
lie told me all about his friends aud such
like. most confidential, aud | found on,
be had to keep his mother aud hadn't q
sir pence be could call his own.
Well. one d,y-I remember it as clear
as yesterday was between the lights on
q September evening. | was smoking my
pipe in our back room father was out OF
the house when | heard voices In the
other room across the passage. 1t was
Ms,ty and my sister talking together.
Nj tty was the dweri. He had a long
Welsh name, but we called him Metty in
the general way, beclu OF his rough |
hair aud be didn't seem to mind the joke
love you be says to Hetty. I've loved
you ever since I've seen you. Won't you
marry me2 I'd be good husband to you
Marry your she says. Why, Mstty you
must be dreaming OF course ! won't.
He was silent for minute; then be
ssyt: I'm ttun,ed and crooked, know,
but love you better than any other man
will ever love you, and I've comfortable
home to tfisr you.
II you bad twenty homes ! wouldn't
have you, sbe snsweted quick. So do say
no more sbou' 1T.
He spoke short and savsgelike.
jim Msrwooi's the man that stands be
tween you and me Do you think I've
been blni2 Jim M,rwood has got yonr
beer and 90 yon think ytu will ever
mary bin while On slive2
1t is jim Msrwood that has got my
heart and l have p,snd I'm not ashamed
10 say it before you or any man. know
Rou've got your cottage and your garden
bat you are so mortal proud OF. aud
snow Jim is poor, and We shall have to
ssit for years but you needn't think
Iou'll friehten me o1t OF marrying him.
"a never marry such miserable, wicked,
lgley little wretch rs youl 50 don't h,tter
ourstli would.
The nett day We we're all underground
8 usual. Somehow or other Mstty and ,
darwood and me found ourselves always
retty close together. He seemed TO be
D be hanging on to jim 10 q way | didn't q
he, hearing what / bed heard, and | q
ept ss coee 10 both rs we'll conld. !,
| noticed that the dwarf scarce took his :
Yes Of jim except at II O'Clock. when We
Topped for cur bits OF food, and then he .
1t Ia q corner by himself under q truck
nd sc ibbled on scrap OF paper, with
neer sorl Of smile on bis face.
10 the afternoon we got down TO lower
.vel, |. was dangerous part OF the mice
3 We all knew, and We kept our Davy
mps pretty tight ] can tell you.
There's hre damp about here, ssid one
the men.
And spsrk would settle the lot OF us, :"
ouIdnt in said the dwarf
Alb, tbs. It wonldl Jim answered. = :.
Nothing more was said sboot the FIRE -
AMP, however, and the day. the lon est
" had ever known, came around TO 6 y
clock without an explosion.
The cages were ready Tor us to get up to :"
ie top OF the shsft. ana mos, Of the men %
ad gone. :"
You go nov, says 10 The dssrt :"
Ne. be answered, I'm going to stay q lit -
e over time tonight. Yon go on and send ~
10 cage down for me. And. look here, =.
We this to your sister Het,y will your ~
ID tell btr to open it,
He put bundle into my hspd tied up
Q handkerchiei took it eineerly
ianph for gith ench euspicious In nv