St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1902-11-19

went on his way. Geordie despised the
"hale hypOthick'' as daft plOy," and
the spending of So upon a ticket he
considered sinfu' waste O guild sii-
ler," and he warned Billy against
"coontenancin' ony sic redeeklus non
sense"
But no one expected Billy to go, al
though in the last two months he had
done wonders for his personal appear
ance and for his position in the social
scale as well. They all knew what
fight he was making and esteemed him
accordingly. How well l remember the
pleased pride in his face when he told
me in the afternoon of the committees
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 recognition
of his return to reSpectability
| 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
l find 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 l wonder as | look back
and remember the pleasurable antici-
patton with which | viewed the APP
! preaching ball. But | do not wonder
now any more than l 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 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 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
done up slick" for 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 | passed up to 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 you" | said.
Yes" he answered slowly. "Tll
drop in, though | don't like the looks
of things much"
whats the matter, Neson?' asked
Graeme cheerily. There's no funeral
on
perhaps not replied Nelson, "but
| wish Mr.. Craig We're 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 violns, a
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
ly Shaw came along.
"Thats good, Billy" he called out.
"You've got the trick yet, see"
But Billy only nodded and went on
! playing.
"Where's Nixon" asked.
"GOnc 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
sides with beer barrels and whisky
kegs. At one end the orchestra sat; at
the other was table with refresh
ments, where the soft drinks might be
had. Those who wanted anything else
might pass through Il 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 soemnity, but
the strain upon their feelings was quite
apparent, and it became a question
| how long it could be maintained. AS
the trips through the passageway be-
came more frequent the dancing grew