Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1906-09-14
UP THE MINE SHAFT

| mule man.
Morris had never minded about the
| pay when he used TO take his money home
and throw 1t into his mothers lap But
| now, when he and pretty Rosy Kline
| were sweethearts, It fired him with un-
| holy passion when Buck" Davis referred
| to him as that one-mule man." He had
| fought with Buck and ground his face
| into the cinder walk, but that did not
alter the fact about the number of mules
that he drove.
1t would be years. perhaps. before
| Morris would have more than one mule.
II enough drivers and runners were killed.
he might be promoted rapidly enough to
be in a position to marry Rosy within
year. on the other hand he might be
injured himself, and then-good- bye to
| Rosy; for how could a cripple expect to
win so choice a bride? Or he might not
get the rise in wages for which he hoped
| and somebody might rob him of Rosy.
Any one who had ever seen Rosy would
understand why the thought made him
| savage
The night before. when he and Rosy
sat under the sweet scented crab apple
tree, he had gone over n part OF this with
her. When he talked about the possibili-
ty Of injury to himself. she had chung
to him in a way that made him dwell on
the subject to an extent that any miner
would have scorned to do-unless, per-
haps, there was Rosy to do some cling
ing. Rosy was so charming that he had
told her he was ready to eat her up
There was no telling what foolish plan for
their immediate marriage the young man
would have persuaded her to accept, II
her mother had not called Rosy into the
house. Until Henry could show in the
manila envelope which contained his
monthly pay sum sufficient to discharge
the bin at the company store and the rent
and still have some left, Mrs. Kline would
not consent to listen TO proposals OF mar
riage; and Rosy could not think Of going
against her mothers will Rosy had told
him this, as gently as she could. while
they We're seated under the crab tree.
She had also vowed that she would walt
until the company had intrusted him with
another mule. But Henry kept thinking
that some man might appear with a
bulkler pay envelope and that Mrs. Kline
with her old-country notions about mar
riage, might force Rosy to accept this
| robber.
SO on this particular spring morning
Henry sat and scowled at the stunted
laurel bushes which grew about the
mouth of the Hatton mine. while he wait
ed for the cage to take him down the
shaft to his mule. On the way down he
heard the inside foreman telling one OF
the men that young Hatton was to bring
down a party OF New England coal deal
ers on that day to inspect the mine. Ir
his heart Henry hated the coal dealers
for they were responsible. he felt, for the
meager wages he was paid and for the
one mule. Henry had heard a Socialist
lecturer. who said that the dealers fixed
the price of coal and the quantity to bt
, mined. He had called the miners slave,
, of the market. 1t all sounded very grand
In the meantime the members OF tn,
coal dealers protective association haC
not yet breakfasted at the sumptous
hotel where they were quartered. VI
to this time their visit to the anthracit,
> | coal region had been one continuous
round OF banquets. receptions. and ex
cursions. Perhaps there would have beer
no trouble at all IL that foolish Scidmor,
had not insisted that they should see tn,
inside workings OF the coal mines. Ac
: | cordingly. as assistant secretary. he hat
r | arranged for a trip through the grea
7 | Hatton mine. Romer, the secretary-in
chief. would never have consented to suci
t a trip as this, II scidmore had not
, | settled the matter without consulting tn,
I | association.
Some of the men had hesltated a littl,
: about going into the mine because OF tn,
] | danger; but the younger element, led by
Scidmore, were ready to laugh at thei
fears. SO, before they rightly knew wha
= they were about, they found themselves
: huddled into somewhat bewilderet
! | group in the main gangway OF the mine
I which was much like a dark, damp
(; | draughty cellar.
] Half an hour later. as they left cham
a Der where they had been watching tn,
process of mining coal number OF mel
| came running down the gangway. For
r moment Hatton held up his lamp anC
n watched the flame. Then he said yer,
quietly 1--WE go back now"
I'm glad that miserable wind ha
| stopped blowing" said Romer. ION tn,
: | way in II blew so hard that could hardl,
keep my lamp burning"
. MIR. ROmer.' said HatfOn SLOWLY ssf
, that wind doesn't begin to blow again
. | in n little while you won't be able I,
. breathe this air. Something is wrong
: and we must reach the foot of the shat
as quickly as possible"
Arriving at the shaft. the word which
= had been telephoned down went roun,
that there had been an explosion I'm tn,
boiler room, which had stopped the ven
tilating fans and the hoisting machinery
There was nothing for II but to climb tn,
ladders to reach the top Several of tn
I | driver boys and younger miners had al
ready gone out of sight up the ladders
This is the worst hole we've been II
r | yet-worse than when the street slumpe,
4 | last winter" Scidmore said
II wish you'd keep your fool clacl
quiet" said Romer testify, and the asso
citation agreed with him.
When Hatton came up there was ;
hush among the miners until he said
\ Men, l want our friends to have {
2 chance to climb the ladders. You'll hav,
to help them. I'll stay here until the las
4 | man is out / want one of you TO 20
: with each one in this party to show then
how to climb the bunting, and to hell
. them. If they need help"
' Il don't need anybody to show me how
l | to climb a ladder!" clustered on younl
( broker. Just show me the ladder!'
That the ladder! The elegant Goa
Y brokers looked at the grmy timbers bull
, like log cabin around the sides of tn,
r shaft then at the gray patch of light II
e the eternity above them, and then into
' one another's faces for a moment II
E blank amazement. They fell on Hattor
5 with voluble protests. They could never
| do it. Why a fire escape was a prom.
enade in comparisonl Did he mean Il
say that the miners were Obliged to fac,
such risks? How far was 1t to the top,
II was preposterous!
n That's the ladder, gentlemen 1t 1.
5 the only way out There is the top, 1l0t
feet above. Every moment increases tn,
: danger, so the sooner you start the better
I Mr.. Romer you take this side Morris
J. let somebody else take care of that mul,
i and you go with Mr.. Romer All l car
{ say Is to be careful Take II slowly"
Morris and Romer the stout secretar,
Of the coal dealers, started to climb to.
! gether
did you ever climb up this way be.
; fore?' Romer asked.
! Not this shaft but I'D the second