The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1902-06-21
CONTINUED.

WI hob Dtch Do OtCupleu VIII the cuFe
OF her sick child, II may be Billy might
have been saved his fall
The anticipation OF the ball stirred
Black Rock and the camps with a thrill
or expectant delight. Nowadays when
i lind myself forced TO leave my quiet
smoke In my studio after dinner at the
call OF some social engagement which
l have failed to elude groan At my
hard lot, and | wonder as look back
and remember the pleasurable antici-
patton with which | viewed the ap-
preaching ball. But | 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
In the dark breasts Of the mines or who
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 10 bear but
whatlit was 10 men who had seen life
In rs most cultured and attractive
forms fail to imagine, From the mine.
black and foul, 10 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.
Ii was well on toward evening when
Sandy's four horse team, with a 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
dome up slick" for this was great
occasion. and they must be up 10 H.
The manager appeared In evening
dress, but this was voted too giddy"
by the majority
AS Greene and / passed up 10 the
Black Rock hotel, In the large store.
room OF which the ball was TO be held,
we met old man Nelson. looking very
grave.
"Going. Nelson, aren't your | snid.
Yes" he answered slowly. iii
drop In. though don't like the looks
of things much
whats the matter. Nelsony asked
Graeme cheerily. There's no funeral
on"
perhaps not" replied Nelson, ''but
i wish Mr.. CrGis were az home" And
then he added There's Idaho and
Slavin together. and you may bel the
devil isn't far 90
But Graemc laughed NJ his suspicion,
and we passed on The orchestra was
tuning up. There were two yiolins. a
concertlna aud the cello Billy Breen
was lovingly lingering his instrument.
now and then indulgne himself in a
little snatch of some air that came 10
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 arl went
on playing softly 10 hims resent
~ Shaw came along
"That's good b ly." hr called out
you've GOT the tte yet. / see.
But Billy oAly nodded and went on
playing.
where's Nixonl' asked
Gone TO bed" said shaw. and am
glad Of IT. lie finds that the safest
place OH pay day afternoon. The boys
don't bother him there.
The dancing room was lined on two
sides with beer barrels and whisky
kegs. At one end the orchestra sat: az
the other was a table with refresh
ments. where the soft drinks might tc
had. 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
and went through the various figures
with faces of unnatural solemnity, but
the strain upon their feelings was quite
apparent. and II became a qucstiDp
nfw long II could be maintained As
the trips through the passagrway be
came more frequent the dancing grew
in vigor and hilarity until by the time
supper WINS announced the stiffness
had sufficiently vanished TO give ne
further anxiety 90 the committee.
But the committee had other cause
for concern. inasmueh as after supper
certain OF the miners appeared with
their coats or and proceeded 60 knock
the knots out OF the floor" in break
down dances Of extraordinary energy.
These. however. were beguiied into the
barroom and 'flllcd up" Tor safety. for
the committee were determined that
the Dfspectability OF the ball should be
preserved 90 the end Their reputation
was ar stake not ~ Black Rock only,
but mt the Landing MS well. from which
most OF the ladies had come. and TO be
shamed i'm the presence OF the Landing
people could not be borne. Their diff
cultles seemed 10 be increasing, for at
this point something seemed 20 20
wrong with the orchestra. The cello
appeared 70 be wandering aimlessly up
and down tho ecalo occasionally nick