Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1902-06-05


ance and for his position in the social
scale as well. They all knew what q
fight he was making and esteemed him
accordingly. How well remember the
pleased pride in his face when he told
me in the afternoon Of the committee's
urgent request that he should join the
orchestra with his cello 1t was not
simply that his cello was his joy and
pride, but he felt it to be a recognition
Of his return to responsibility.
l have often wondered how things
combine at times to a mans destruc-
ton.
Had Mr.. Craig not been away at the
Landing that week, had Geordie not
been on the night shift, had Mrs. Ma
vor not been so occupied with the care
of her sick child, it may be Billy might
have been saved his fall.
The anticipation of the ball stirred
Black Rock and the camps with thrill
of eXpectant delight. Nowadays when
find myself forced to leave my quiet
smoke in my studio after dinner at the
Ii
l have failed to elude 1 groan at my
hard lot, and l wonder as look back
and remember the pleasurable antici-
patton with which l viewed the ap-
preaching ball. But l do not wonder
now any more than did then at the
eager delight of the men who for seven
days in the week swung their picks up
fy,f 1,n n IL hrn ne,{e,
chopped and sawed among the solitary
silences of the great forests. Any break
in the long and weary monotony was
welcome. What mattered the cost or
consequence? To the rudest and least
cultured Of them the sameness of the
life must have been hard to bear, but
what it was to men who had seen life
in its most cultured and attractive
forms fail to imagine. From the mine.
black and foul, to the shack, bare,
cherries and sometimes hideously re-
pulsive, life swung in heart grinding
monotony till the longing for "big
drink" or some other 'big break" be-
came too great to bear.
1t was well on toward evening when
Sandy's four horse team, with load
of men from the woods, came swing
ing round the curves of the mountain
road and down the street. A gay
crowd they were with their bright,
brown faces and hearty voices, and
in ten minutes the whole street seem
ed alive with Fundamentally had
a faculty of spreading themselves so.
After night fell the miners came down
"done up slick" fer this was a great
occasion, and they must be up to it.
The manager appeared in evening
dress, but this was voted too giddy"
by the majority.
AS Graeme and l passed up to the
room of which the ball was to be held,
we met old man Nelson, looking very
grave.
"Going, Nelson, aren't you?" l said.
eyes," he answered slowly. "I'll
drop in, though l don't like the looks
of things much"
whats the matter, Nelson?" asked
Graeme cheerily. There's no funeral
on"
perhaps not" replied Nelson, "but
I wish Mr.. Craig were at home" And
then he added, "There's Idaho and
Slavin together, and you may bet the
devil isn't far off,"
But Graeme laughed at his suspicion,
and we passed on. The orchestra was
tuning up. There were two violins,
concertina and the cello. Billy Breen
was lovingly lingering his instrument,
now and then INDUCING himself in a
little snatch Of some air that came to
him out of his happier past. He look
ed perfectly delighted, and as paused
to listen he gave me proud glance out
Of his deep, little, blue eyes and went
on playing softly to himself. Present
~ Shaw came along.
"That's good, Billy" he called out.
You've got the trick yet, see."
But Billy only nodded and went on
playing.
where's Nixon" 1 asked.
"Gone to bed" said Shaw, "and am
glad of it. He finds that the safest
place on pay day afternoon. The boys
don't bother him there"
The dancing room was lined on two
tides with beer barrels and whisky
Kegs. At one end the orchestra sat; at
he other was a table with refresh
nents, where the soft drinks might be
lad. Those who wanted anything else
might pass through a short passage
INTO the bar just behind.
This was evidently superior kind of
ball, for the men kept on their coats
md went through the various figures
With faces of unnatural solemnity, but
he strain upon their feelings was quite
apparent, and it became a question
low long it could be maintained As
he trips through the passageway be-
anne more frequent the dancing grew
n vigor and hilarity until by the time
supper was announced the stiffness
lad sufficiently vanished to give no
urther anxiety to the committee.
But the committee had other cause
or concern, inasmuch as after supper !
certain Of the miners appeared with |
heir coats off and proceeded to knock |
he knots out of the floor" in break
lown dances of extraordinary energy. |
These, however, were beguiled into the
'arroom and filled up" for safety, for