The Press., 1911-08-09

After a good ten minutes walking the pit boss ordered the others. to remain and taking Jan, set off, crouching along a still smaller tunnel.
 They arrived finally at a little cub byhole of a place where the bright black gleam of coal showed on the side of the tunnel.
 On hands and knees Jan inspected the place. It satisfied him. He had worked inland made good money out Of-worse places. He said as much to the pit boss.
 Alone, Jan retraced his steps and gained the outer air. An inquiry of an idling mule driver informed him of the location of the company store and boarding house.
 He was shown q bunk in a long room and was told that he could get board and lodging for $7 a week. He as sented.
 At the company store they fitted him with a cap, lamp, two picks and a shovel.
 The next morning he went to work, carrying with him, besides his tools, a dinner bucket divided into two com partments, one filled with food, the other with cold ten.
 The door of the mine tunnel was opened at o'clock in the morning. Jan was on hand promptly, putting cOntentedly at d long, foreign pipe.
 He was one of the first to enter, and as he led the pace along the pitch dark tunnel he hummed to himself the whim- sical strains of mOtherland song.
 Arriving at the place assigned to him on the previous day, he commenced work very methodically and with busi- ness-like precision.
 His coat he flung to one side, set the dinner pail conveniently near and in overalls and undershirt took up his pick. First he tapped the low stone ceiling, scowling at the dull, heavy sound his blows caused.
 The place was dangerous, but ill spite of this Jan sQuatted on the floor and began picking out the bottom lay CT of the coal.
 The extreme danger of his position did not trouble him. He had worked
  grown used to it.
 The fact that at any moment mass of rock weighing from 100 pounds to half a ton might drop upon him did not appall him. For an hour or two he labored steadily. By that time he had excavated quite an opening under meath the coal layer.
 Then he arose and began picking at the top, loosening the ledge he had un- dermined. In a short time the mass was loosened, and soon it fell, couple of tons of crumbled coal.
 He found a car awaiting him at the entrance of his tunnel and rolled it ill to where he could easily pitch ill the coal with his shovel. The task was soon done, and he could do nothing further until another car was sent to him.
 He opened his lunch can and took out a sandwich, eating leisurely and with relish. After long draft of cold tea he lighted his pipe.
 Directly rumbling, not unlike an freight train, announced the coming of the mule driver and an extra car
 Hey, you, eighteenp' husky voice called at the entrance of the little tun nel.
 "Wer?" retOrted Jan stolidly.
 Full upT''
 Yah! Hurry cop. I ben waitin' for car"
 The clank of chains filled the little tunnel, and in moment the car. he had filled thundered away. He went out and got the other.
 For years Jan had followed this life. The business required, in the terms of a veteran miner, nothing but strong back and a weak head"
 Jan was well qualified. He had ell tered the calling because 1t required so little of him. He could make from $4 to $S a day, was practically his own master and could work either long or short hours. as he saw fit.
 He never intended to remain long when he had taken it up. What he de- sired was to make enough to start small farm and then quit. He did not need a great deal to real ize his ambition. Twelve or fifteen hundred dollars would be ample In a prosperous year he could make so much easily. But as yet he had been unable to do so, and he was now in his fifteenth year at the business. A few months of steady work, then the monOtony would pail on him, and he would crave the city leisure and the association of companions. He would draw his wages and leave and, being addicted to drink, the re suit was always the same-a few days