Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1902-05-05
CHAPTER TT
THE BLACK ROCK CHRISTMAS.

- oul SIldlSeSl Vi dll. w nile
was reveling in my delicious second
morning sleep, just awake enough to
enjoy it, Mr.. Craig came abruptly, an.
nouncing breakfast and adding:
Hope you are in good shape, for we
have our work before us this day."
"HellO!' / replied, still half ASLEEP
and anxious to hide from the minister
that 1 was trying to gain a few more
moments of snoozing delight. whats
abroad?'
The devil" he answered shortly and
with such emphasis that | sat bolt up.
right. looking anxiously about.
ooh. no need for alarm. He's no
after you particularly-at least not to
day." said Craig, with shadow of
smile. "But he is going about in good
style, l can tell you
By this time l was quite awake
"Well, what particular style does his
majesty affect this morning?"
He pulled out a showbill "Pecul.
iarly gaudy and effective, is it not?"
The items announced were sufficient
ly attractive. The Frisco Opera com
pany was to produce the screaming
farce ''The Gay and Giddy DUDE
after which there was to be a grand
ball. during which the california Fe
male Kickers" were to do some fancy
figures, the whole to be followed by
big supper" with 1.-TWO free drinks tC
every man and one to the lady," anC
all for the insignificant sum of So.
Cant you go one better?' l said
He looked inquiringly and little
disgustedly at me.
what can you do against free drinks
and dance, not to speak of the higt
kickers? he groaned. mo-" he con
tinued. "It's a clean beat for us today
The miners and lumbermen will have
in their pockets $4,000 and every dol
lar burning hole, and Slavin and his
gang will get most of it. But be
added, ''you must have breakfast
You'll find tub in the kitchen. Don't
be afraid to splash. 1t is the best ]
have to offer you
The tub sounded inviting, and before
many minutes had passed l was in
delightful glow, the effect of cold water
and rough towel and that conscious.
ness of virtue that comes to a mar
who has had courage to face his colo
bath on winter morning
The breakfast was laid with fine
taste. A diminutive pine tree in a poi
hung round with wintergreen stood il
the center of the table
'Well, now, this looks good-porridge
beefSteak, potatoes. toast and marina.
lade'
Il hope you will enjoy it ALL
There was not much talk over our
meal. Mr.. Craig was evidently preoc.
cupied and as blue as his politeness
would allow him. Slavin's victory
weighed upon his spirits Finally he
burst out: Look here! | can't
won't stand it! Something must be
done. Last Christmas this town was
for two weeks, as one of the miners
said. "a little suburb of hell 1t was
something too awful. And at the end
OF 1t all one young fellow was found
dead in his shack, and twenty or more
crawled back to the camps, leaving
their three months pay with Slavin
and his suckers | won't stand it. |
sayn' He turned fiercely on me. whats
to be done?'
This rather took me aback, for had
troubled myself with nothing of this
sort in my life before. being fully oc-
cupied in keeping myself out of diff.
Guilty and allowing others the same
privilege. So l ventured the consola.
ton that he had done his part and that
a spree more or less would not make
much difference to these men. But the
next moment l wished l had been slow
er in speech, for he swiftly faced me,
and his words came like torrent:
God forgive you that heartless word!
DO you know But, no; you don't
know wha: you are saying. You don't
know that these men have been clam
bering for dear life out of a fearful pit
for three months past and doing good
climbing, too, poor chaps. You don't
think that some of them have wives,
most of them mothers and sisters. in
the east or across the sea, for whose
sake they are Shaving here, the miners
hoping to save enough to bring their
families to this homeless place, the
rest to make enough to go back with
credit. Why, there's Nixon, Miner
splendid chap, who has been here fol
two years and drawing the highest
pay. Twice he has been in sight of his
heaven, for he can't speak of his wife
and babies without breaking up, and
twice that slick son of the devil-that's
Scripture, mind yOu-Slavin, got him
and rolled him, as the boys say. He
went back to the mines broken in body
and in heart. He says this is his third
and last chance. If Slavin gets him
his wife and babies will never see him
on earth or in heaven. There are San
dy and the rest too. And" he added III
lower tone and with the curious little
thrill of pathOs in his voice, this is the
day the Saviour came to the world
He paused, and then with a little, sad
smile, "But don't want to abuse you"
''Do. l enjoy it. I'm a beast, a self.
iSb hpaCtt'' For Sonoohoxv biC iptopco