The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-01-09
A Miners lad
1CcpyHght EW2- " W.. r .HeaNtJ A-By Frances JeromeT

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Teddy Burns kicked the dry, blackened
grass impatiently with his bare feet. Only
a miners lad, grimy and bent, but with a
clear. honest gray eye, which looked into
yours good humoredly, and a shock of
curls generally cut short, but now grown
longer for Teddy was somewhat of dam
dy in his way; he had grown too old for
mammy's haircut around a bowl, 1t
cost money to go to the barber.
That article was very scarce with Ted
dy; he was Is now, and for ten years he
had only seen daylight once a week, and
now how long was 1t since the mines had
closed down?
Weeks, months, it seemed years.
The sunshine hurt his eyes. What was
it those good people said who came down
into the mines occasionally to gaze at
the men as If they were a lot of animals
on exhibition?
Poor fellow, shut way from the
blessed sunshine" Well, for his part, he
did not want their sympathy.
The blessed sunlight was too bright;
it hurt his eyes; the blessed gloom" of
the mines, he thought-how he longed for
1t. The fresh air. swept over the hills and
brought the delicious fragrance Of Indian
summer. but it was lost on Teddy. His,
nostrils Quivered for the damp, close air
Of the mine: for the familiar smell Of the
smoking lamps, the acrid odor Of fresh
cut coal.
Man Is the creature of his environment,
and though for some days Teddy had
stretched his limbs above ground, and
thanked heaven for a few extra hours of
sleep, now he was tired to death of it all
and sick with an awful nostalgia for the
surroundings he had always known.
The lack Of money had something to do
with it, of course; 1t was hard to live on
almost nothing; to deny ones self tobacco
that little sister should have a penny'S
worth of milk with her hard bread, but
that was only of minor Importance.
He had been a miners boy, born into a
world of miners, and he knew nothing
else. AS the prisoner shut out from sun
and air for years totters, with blinded
eyes, and would go back again to his
dungeon, SO it was with Teddy.
He did not belong to this outside world,
with its garish sunlight, it's harsh sounds
and colors. Eyes and ears alike rebelled.
An active, alert figure approached; it was
the son of one of the ..barons," and a
favorite with the men because Of his
frank good nature. his evident sympathy
and desire to help them in Eaany little
ways. Not SO much older than Teddy in
reality. for what does a miners son know
of youth; he came up to the little group
with his gay, Infectious smile:
Boys" he said, who wants to do me
a favor? Yesterday fooling around out
here l dropped a watch charm Of mine in
No. 6. There's not much chance Of get
ting 1t, but It's something l prize heartily.
and I'll pay the fellow well who will go
down in the bucket and try and get it for
me. I've a sort of a seine here and there
Is not much water in No. g."
A dozen men sprang to their feet. but
Teddy was before them all. "Oh, sir" he
said, his face quivering with emotion,
"Oh, sir, let me go. Iuon't want any pay,
sir; indeed, not from you, but I want to
go down again, SIR" His voice was sick
with longing n the others drew back.
Young Bradford laughed. why, I te-
lieve you are actually homcsick for the
horrid, gloomy place." he cried. But if
I thought there was the least danger from
the flood l would not consent. However,
it seems perfectly safe, so here goes"
The young men walked swiftly to the
entrance of No. 6. Teddy's face glowed,
his tread was almost elastic, as much SO
as the step Of a miner can ever be; the
miner who lies for hours on his side with
a pick at work, while muscles gradually
lose all strength and spring.
THE bucket looks all right, SIR he
cried. shaking the empty, useless thing
which hung there grimy awaiting the time
when it should be proved whether men or
wealth should triumph. II can manage
it all right" No one interferred; chat part
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miners mingled peaceably in the noon day
sun.
In a few minutes Teddy was down in
the disused shaft; daylight was shut out,
the light from his miners lamp attached
as Of old to his forehead gave it's feeble
glow In front of him, and Teddy was once
more himself.
He drew in deep breaths of the dank
air; filled his lungs with the odor Of wa.
ter and coal, as he used his homemade
net to draw up particles which seemed tc
shine about him under the dark water.
But nothing save bits Of coal or wood
and debris rewarded him.. He felt he had
been there some time, and must give uI
the search, but he would yield himself fol
a brief moment to the feeling Of rest anG
home which took possession of him. How
happy he was in these familiar surround.
tngs If he but had his pick and the right
to work. He could him Of nothing more
blissful. But even as he dreamed some.
thing cold touched his bare feet. Surely
the water was rising about him slowly; he