The daily morning Alaskan., 1901-07-25
The Hi66ionarv'5 Death

llU | uOClOllul U O OOullh
 He was a tall. dark browed man and apparently not cxcceding S3 or 80 years old This Lancashire miner, whose man- ner was uncouth and whose speech was composed Of dissOnants conveying quaint figures of speech. had crossed the Allan tic Co work in the great coaldelds of Pennsylvania. and. sooth Co say, be could discover little difference between the mines of Lancashire and those of Scran- ton.
 "You SIC. sir" be said Co me. 'I'm a real son cf earth. was borP hundreds of feet below the surface. You see, sir. my father and mother were workers iu the lead in which I was born. They very rarely came to the top of the ground. Once Q month or 90 they'd do that, when thcrc was money in wage Co get and brandy and tobacco and food Co buy.
 "I was not only born but grew up in the galleries. and was a good bit of a yuuugstcr-pcrhaps c or < years old-be- fore | took seat In the bucket and was sent up the shaft Co where there was an other kind of light How strangely l was affected by no, only the light of the sun, but by all l saw on that first day. Why, just thought ! was in the paradise old Joe Bliukiop used Co talk Co us about
 Well. the shaft was upward of 800 feet from che top Co the bottom, and after my first visit Co earth. which was my holi- day-aud | was a regular savagc-l found | had work laid out Tor me-work push ing coal cars on the tramways that was sometimes beyond my child strength. Stiu ! worked without complaining. for remembered well the strange world had been allowed Co look upon f0C an hour and asked Co be permitted at some fu- lure time Co visit it again.
 Two years later. when I was about as big and strong as an ordinary sized man, came up with others. mostly lads of my own age Co enjoy for a week the life of the outer earth.
 That was my second visit Co the sum light, and l never went down that shaft to work again. There yas 1n explosion. Let me add this much; Alter many days, when the mine had been thoroughly ex- plorcd. no living soul was found in the in- tcrminable corridors. but go where you would. thr bodies of dead men and deud women aud pale. face piuchcd. back bent and shoulder distorted lads and lasscs would trip you up-ycs, even in the path ways.
 ''The fire damp had done its work in- deed
 'I was too young Co feel greatly ag- grieyed at their loss.
 "Smau time was given me for sorrow. My father and mother had hardly been a duy u their collins. lying in Che earth of Che graveyard. when 1 was ordered Co au- other shaft where l was Co be set at my oll business uf pushing over the tram ways beneath the coal boxes.
 "Thr first person ] recognized when | had got Co thc foot of thc shaft of the culHery Co which had been assigned was Che missionary Joe Bhuktop. 10 Was ,hrrwily suspected that Che cause of the explosion in Che mine in which my pIr cnts were destroyed grew out of this mans negligence Co comply with ru.c> which arc considered imperative and ul ways necessary Co thc safety of the "p. rratives.
 However this may bc, the missionary was not refused admittancr Co the other shafts by a strange chance be was uh sent. it was said he had been iu Lond' u. at thc time Df ihc explosion and us he was personally popular with an. no moi- Ger where hc vent bis drinks of liquor we're quite as frequent as his prayers.
 "lu thr new miDc l worked hard. and Che little that was given me in return | put carefully away.
 "SiN years laLorrd in 'he new coIiory. In that bong period ot time. during which | grew out of hoyh0od into manhood. ! don't think ! saw Che sun as many tImc. as there were added months iu these years. ! was quite careless and happy, and | perhaps would have worked con. tcu,edly there all my lifc but for the ac- cidrut am about Co relate.
 "Iu the course of time the missionary was made aware that ! wasted little uf my earnings. and hc became covetous and resolved on possessing himself ot my treasure. Had he come Co me and frank ly asked for any or all of my pounds and crowns ] should iu an probability have grutifed hls wishes. but the man chose Co take them from me hy surepti- ti1us means. and be succeeded in his evil desire.
 "I in time found out what hc had done, but not before he had wasted an my substance. aud l became terribly angry, threatening. in my passion. Co kill him whenever ! had decent opportunity.
 "lt happened one Saturday afternoon | had inscnsibly grown into the habit of going up Co the surface at the close of the week and staying there sometimes until the following Monday in bcastly condition from Che Goo free use 1f liquor. the missionary was Co ascend with me He stepped into the basket and. seizing the chains, placed himself on the edge of che vessel. saw how dangerous was bis seat and told him be had better stand up by my side. He laughed at me aud cried out;
 "'So you're tbr man that's going Co take my hfeT
 This was heard by several but before could reply we were a hundred feet on our way up thc shaft. The basket tp- ped.
 "'Get iu. sirn cried. quite as much alarmed for my safety as for his. and l .nvoluuurily stretched out my hands Co clutch and save him. but. excited by hQ- uor and possibly remembering what ] had said when | charged him with steal ng my money. be pushed farther away from me and did what ] had dreaded .ap-ized the basket.
 ''The man was instantly out of my tght ! heard a heavy thud. as of the falling of a soft body from a great dis tancc below me. and l knew that the