The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-15

pit, Jim Marwood by name. See him
on Sunday going to chapel, clean and
smart, as straight as a pole, with his
Glue eyes looking SO frank and smiling,
and you'd say he looked picture.
Well, one day. remember 1t as
clear as yesterday-it was between the
lights on September evening, was
smoking my pipe in our back room
father was out of the house-when I
heard voices in the other room across
The passage. 1t was Matty and my sis
ter talking together.
Matty was the dwarf. He had a
long Welsh name, but we called him
"Matty" in the general way, because
Of his rough hair, and he didn't seem
to mind the Joke.
II love you!" he says to Hetty, eve
loved you ever since Eve seen you.
Won't you marry me? I'd be a good
husband to you"
She went into light, kind of scorn.
ful laugh.
Marry you?" she says. "why,
Matty, you must be dreaming! OF
course, I won't"
Jim Marwood's the man that stands
between you and me. Do you think
I've been blind?S Jim Marwood has
got your heart, and do you think you
will ever marry him while I'm alive?"
Hetty never was the girl to be
cowed, and she flashed round on him
the next moment like gunpowder:
1T is Jim Marwood that has got my
heart, and have his, and I'm not
ashamed to say 1t before you or any
man.
saw him no more that night, and
didn't let on to Hetty that I 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 to-
gether. He seemed to me to be hang
Ing on to Jim in q way didn't like,
hearing what had heard, and kept
As close to both as well could.
I noticed that the dwarf scarce took
his eyes OF Jim, except at IL o'clock,
when he stopped for our bits Of food,
and then he sat IN corner by him.
self under truck and scrubbed on
scrap Of paper, with q queer sort of
smile on his face.
In the afternoon we got down to a
lower level. It was dangerous part
Of the mine, as we all knew, and we
kept our davy lamps pretty tight,
can tell you.
There's fire damp about here" said
q Of the men.
"And spark would settle the lot
Of us. wouldn't itT" said the dwarf.
"Ah, that 1t wouldw Jim answered.
Nothing more was said about fire
damp, however, and the day, the long
est day I had ever known, came around
to O'clock without an explosion.
The cages We're ready for us to get
the men had gone.
"You go now" says to the dwarf.
NO." he answers; I'm going to stay
Z little overtime tonight. You all go
on and send the cage down again for
sister Hetty-will you?-and tell her
to open it,
He put bundle into my hand tied
up in a handkerchief. took it GIN
gerly enough. for with such suspicious
in my mind, I half expected it might
60 OF in my face somehow.
what are you afraid of?'' he asks.
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, 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 win tell you some
time,S I replies, little thinking how 1t
concerned him.
took 1t home and called Hetty to
open 1t. Our cottage wasn't far from
the pits and 1t couldn't have been
above ten minutes since the dwarf
had put 1t In my hand.
She undid the knot, and there-if
you would believe it-were the title
deeds of his cottage and SEQ tied up in
bit0f canvas and the scrap of paper
I had seen him scribble5 under the
truck. There We're these words on it:
what is here is for you Ugly and
miserable I am, but wicked am
not, said you shouldn't, marry him
while wassalive and shall keep my
word. Think kindly Of q dwarf. If
(you cAn. God made me az we'll as hin"
Welhadn't got to the end Of the
poor; ety little letter when we heard
~eot16t that made our hearts stand
still-a long, dun roaring shook the
eArth where We stood, as IL 1t was
thunder under our feet.
An explosion In the minevs saws
Hetty, with q face az white as chalk.
It was no use trying to dig him out.
He knew when he opened his dayy
lamp-and he must. have opened IT.
that human help could never reach
him there.
She cried about It for a week and
said she should never be happy again.
But think she is happy now, for she
married come the Easter after. They
liys In Matty's cottage still, and the
Garden Is all abloom with flowers
ondon Evening News.
- Sure Cold Whils You sleep
e"WH0ks'I3reak -Up-A-Cs0ld Tablets. -: We
lfund the purchase price II 1t fails
Is cents. ". p. Myers 4 Co.
The suite of rooms over
drug store, formerly occupied by
tley. 7. E.. HOMER.
lAlM nOR SALEl
% q cul tivation, house
orchard, wells, 2
pgS Valley. Terms