The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-04-17
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Evening Chat

We shall call him John Magyar.
stnceIthat Is not his amt John Is a
~coalAminer and has worked q long
Hmesi In the mines in this region. He
has done various things about the
mines from the time he first can't
over from Europe. At first, he was
only day laborer, doing the cheaper
Kinds of iunskilled labor, such as lay
ingktrack and shoveling up slate rails
5inYtheSmine, under the direction OF q
BOSS who, spoke his language and
could tell him what to 10. Later, by
fntellfgent application and hard work
he learned enough about the mines
to be allowed to work by himself and
shoot down and load the coal into the
big steel cars. This work, wtlio hard
and dangerous, paid better than the
day labor, as he received so much
per car. Bys12 hours a day OF steady.
$backbreaking toll, John could ome
times load six or seven cars II he
had good luck in shooting the coal
down SO that the use of his pick In
breaking up the larger Jumps was not
Unnecessary. Some days he made as
much at $2.35 or $3.50. For severn!
years he averaged we'll over S2.0O O
day and was considered d good miner.
But he needed to be q good miner, for
having married one OF his sturdy
countrywomen shortly after obtain,
inR employment in the mines, he now
had several healthy, hungry children
to feed and clothe beside himself ana
wife. Yet, with all OF this expense,
John, being u thrifty man and look
ing to the future, saved Il portion nf
his wages each month. After eight
years OF. work and saving he had nc.
cumulated about $500. Just about this
time one of his friends got mixed up
with fight among sOlnc other miners
and was. uniustly accused Of attempt.
ing to kill another IAN. John was
grieFed to learn of this and was sure
that Justice would prevail and his
friend be exonerated. So, when his
friend was arrested, John went to the
interpreter in Fairmunt. Il spoke
the same language. and gave him $500
to use as q bond to obtain the trrGdom
of his friend. III due time his friend
was tried by the court aud foilnn
not guilty, and the charge against him
removed. Then John went to the III
terpreter to his savings that
had been pledged for the liberty Of
his friend. The interpreter, in the
meantime, had spent the money for
his own use and was lot able 10 re-
turn 1t. John has employed All attor-
neytnow to try to get the money, but
1t is not probable that lie will ever
see his savings of eight years to!l
again. OF course, II John had given the
money to the clerk of the court, he
would have received 1t back, but he
was credulous and trusted the inter
prefer, who was OF his own race. Back
to tho mines for eight more years is
the quickest way. perhaps, for John
to get another $500.
Days$like yesterday are days long to
be remembered and treasured amOng /
the happy memories or ones life.
Whatsscotld be more pleasant, to the
tired and worried worker than to Sc
lect some warm, sunshiny spot and
succumb to the inevitable fever Of
spring that causes n to survey the
world with a calm, contctnplatiYc,
philosophical view, untroubled with
foolish plans of the busy week ahead
or the disappointmcnts and mistakes
OF the past week? Thus to sit with
idle fancies and to speculate aud
Sdream for an hour OF the world beyond
the horizon, where perhaps lost H.
lusions are to be found and gasoline
can be bought for less than 30 cents
perigallon. 1t may not be profitable
for anyone to indulge i'll such visions,
.fbit5 1T Is n good way to fill space i'll
this column.
Poets have troughtfully provided
spring with u full complement of
@harbingers', but there are others.
Among them is the young man who
rushes the season with low shoes