The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-09-14


every inch OF the stall, In between the
posts, sending their shadows swiftly
round like wheel of light; all down
the lower side OF the stall he searched,
whistling quietly.
''Well, dash that boy, whatever"
calmly said job.
He did not exactly use the exple-
tive dash" hut Il will serve.
lie slowly bent lower and picked up
q bit Of shining steel.
r'Dash that boy" said he again,
without the slightest sign OF temper.
"An' after sayin' he did put back ev'
erythln' The best wedge | got An
90 go an leave IL there to be buried
when the top comes down an shov-
elled into the COB with the rubbishl
j might lost that wedge forever. The
best wedge got, toe. Dash that boy"
Then he whistled softly as before,
NJ II he had been giving he boy
chocolates instead of beans IT any
thing could have disturbed the calm,
easy, wonderful temper Of Job the dan
ger of losing his favorito wedge would
De the thing He had the same feel.
ing for IL as an editcr for n favorite
brand OF blue pencil.
Il can knock out stirr bit o. coal"
he said to himself "easier with that
wedge than anythin'. An for him To
go an leave II there! Dash that boy"
But that was only at the end of the
verse. lie whistled the next verse of
the old Welsh melody Just as softly
and sweetly and rs beautifully In tune
Nothing made him lose his presence of
mind. Not even such n glaring in
stance OF misplaced confidence In
that boy could upset him. II would
take an earthquake to do that.
Bent double, he put the lamp In
front of him and gave final look
around before laying the low top lower
still; then he threw up his light 10
the lids of one or two of the posts
to see IL he had forgotten or not TO
loosen them slightly for knocking out.
BY this time he had come TO the end
OF the last verse, and he stopped whist
ling.
He carefully stuck the wedge into
a cog, and hung his lamp upon 1t.
Then he went into the roadway, past
the full tram of coal which glittered
in the light, and picked up slender
six-foot post. But before going back
10 the cog he looked up the road way
TO make sure that the boy was no.
where to be seen. The darkness OF
endless night filled the place-the
black night that knows no day; for
Job looked upon a spot hidden under
the earth a thousand feet from the
light Of the sun. Nearer the coal, his
little lamp glimmered on the cross
timber and rough sides that held up
the dangerous roof.
"lf | didn't send the young rascal
10 clean his lamp" said Job, he'd
be potchin' about in here an get a
clout with a stone on his head mos
likely"
1t was merely the kindly nature Of
him which made him so careful. The
boy was no son of his only his butty.
He slowly put plug of strong to-
bacco into his mouth; for a chew is
a very excellent dust sponge, and the
job Job had in hand Just then would
make II necessary. Then satisfied that
the lad was far enough from the dan
gerous operation, he began to whistle
once more. and with the six-foot post
under his arm returned to his lamp on
the cog.
Holding his slender battering-ram
as near the end as possible, he went
down a step or tive, and with profes-
sional skill, knocked out the furthest
posts firsts. A little creaking and
grumbling by the fall of the upper
vein of coal, mingled with rubbish.
More rubbish than anything else"
said Job. splitting out the dust which
enwrapped him like a fog.
OF course. no one wants rubbish; so
job spoke of it disrespectfully. The
mineral called mine makes iron, which
in turn makes Birmingham jewelry
coal makes smoke, and smoke makes
limited companies and happy share
holders.
He listened for a moment to the
voice of the top. All around him il
creaked, groaned, and strained like
vessel in rough water. The collier
took as much notice of these terriflcs
as an old salt of puff of wind. TIC
those who went down to the sea and
the pits, shipwreck or destruction was
always too near to be terrible. Like
an cid sailor taking a squint al
the weather, the collier just tapped
the shining black surface above him
gently with his knuclxles over his
head. 1t sounded hollow.
Mini" said job.
He stepped nearer to the cog which
with its sQuarely arranged sticks
looked firm pillar under the roof
Then Job knocked out the remaining
Oosta.
A most unexpected roar followed; {
sudden terrific downfall of earth; anc
poor Job of the good temper and swee
melody found himself engulfed in thi
deluge of stone.
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