Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1914-10-16

at once. There was always some lone
ly one awake. thinking. Sometimes
the nipper sang us songs he had
picked up from going to shows and
told stories and made Jokes like a
play-actor. He was always doing
something to cheer us up. The Irish
man was brave man, and so was my
old Dutchman. They were ready to
take what came. But they were not
as cool about 1t as the little nipper.
They'll get u.s. he would say;
don't you worry. Wen be eatin' sup
per at home tonight, maybe They'll
get US. There's lots of time; the airs
pretty good, an we got water. Hun
cry? Oh, well, we was all too slobby
fat anyway"
well, after a good while we were
more hungry than we were afraid.
The herring-eater was the first to
speak of 1t. but we all knew It was
true.
1t Is one for all. Or II is all OF
u.s. says he, very wild and shaky.
1t won't be me, yet while.' says
the Irishman. Nor / don't think I'd
fancy chewin' on Dutchy here, neither.
He's nothin' but one big quid of to-
bacco.'
And was sure in my own mind
that 1t should not be myself, and the
herring-eater was in no hurry to Of
fer his own body.
SO we held on longer.
But we were getting weak so we
could not work much, and as we lay
down to sleep In the safety-pen we
were thinking, all thinking. At last
we began to quarrel. The Dutchman
and the herring-eater had knives.
Look-a-here, Simon says the lit.
tie nipper. very nice and gay. You
got wife and kids. amt got no.
body but can get along without me.
Quit fghtin'. You can kill me. I'm
tough. I'm used to work and fightin'.
guess 1t won't hurt much; / amt
scared, anyway
Then there followed a long time
when nobody said anything; we lis
tened to each others breaths. All In
minute the herring-eater began to
cry like a sick woman; an awful
sound. He was very sorry for the
boy. because the little chap was 80
good about It.
Not today says the Irishman.
we don't have to yet. One more day. |
I'll wind up my watch and let II run
down; then II will be time enough
Suit yerself. Jim.' says the nipper. |
I'll be on hand
And all that day he sang to us and |
cheered us up just as before. Only
he did not talk any more about eating
our next supper at home.
We'll, we worked that day, too, but
we had not got much done since the
hrst. II seemed years. But the time
came when there were picks on the
rock outside.
They were far away, and We were
very weak with hunger. and Jim's
watch ran down. We pounded on the
rails with pick and the men outside
pounded back. so We knew they would |
find US. But 1t might be a long time.
The little nipper came again. and
said that thing. and offered to be
killed II we chose. The herring-eater
talked about his wife and his new
house, and tried to take the youngster
by the throat He was crazy by that
time. But we others pitched I'm and
fought him and got the boy out of HIS
hands. 1t was the kind OF fighting
there Is no pleasure in.
We'll they got to US that day. They
found a back way through the old
workings somewhere: Il was quick
cutting. when they began. So we
went out to the shaft and up into the
blue air after all. and got home in
time to eat supper at the table.
The nipper's mother was there at
the gates. waiting for him as he got
on the cage. Except that he walked
slowly. he went home with her as II
nothing was the matter.
"He never minded II, that boy. He
was back in the Buttonwood as soon
as there was any coal being mined.
But every man that worked there
knew the whole story. The Button.
wood men told II to outsiders, and
those went away and told Il to other
towns. The courage OF that boy was
known everywhere In the hard coal."
There was q meditative silence. No
where Is courage more esteemed than
by such judges as Marnek's boarders.
men who knew the risks OF the mines
and value a high heart. Children.
moreover. are regarded with an ca.
pecial tenderness in the Lithuanian
scheme OF things.
The big boarders looked at Joszie.
little. sleepy Joszie. perching on Poul
Lepka's knee.
II like that story" spoke the tow.
headed laddie. 1T is q true one.
that"
Mikolas Szluopas grunted and turned
half.round In his chair. He was an
older man than the rest. He had been
in the hard-coal mines twenty years.
ut is a truo one, that" he echoed.
Yes, some Of II is very true, though
Il Is twelve years old. that tale. NV. |
self. ! came to the Buttonwood just
after II happened. There were four
men and boy shut In for Eve nights
and six days. knew the boy. He