Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1920-07-29

joke Gas jokes often do) went farther
than we intended, for the top pin gave
way, and cart bed and boys were all in
a heap, the cart bed on top. None
were seriously injured though some were
bruised. To cap the misfortune of the
trip, we get the good old horse mired
and time we did have eXtricating the
faithful old animal. He escaped with
severe cut in his flank from his shoe.
The next morning my father discovered
the wound and Billie had a hard time
explaining and at the same time ad-
here to the strict truth. which he did
not.
We had one boy working with us
that we dubbed the gentleman min
er. That was Sammy Coad. Jr. He
always came to work dressed like a
gentleman and changed his clothes at
the mine, or wash place. Sammy did
this work for little extra spending
money. He did not have to work like
the rest of us.
We lads could run up and down the
holes like lot of squirrels; made but
little difference whether it waa ladder
or rope.
| recall a time when my father and
were sinking a shaft. We were down
about forty feet when we had to put
in blast. was not fourteen years
old and had to haul my father up with
the windlas. This particular time he
miscalcuated the length of fuse and
before could get him to the surface
the blast exploded, the stones coming
up around us in perfect shower, not
one hitting US, although the windlas
beam was indented in many places. In
that same shaft Henry Martin, Sonny
and | worked all of one summer and
many trick we played on the good
old miner.
| think it was in 1866 that my father
ended his experience in this old dig
gings, or rather it was terminated for
him by Gavin of body of clay three
feet thick and weighing probably
ton falling upon him and thus ending
his mining career for several years As
soon as he was able. he made a visit to
his old Cornish home, after an absence
of more than thirty years He came to
America in 1912, and To Mineral Point
the following year
In referring again TO 1--WE boys" /
recall Sunday afternoon experience
when | was about thirteen. think it
was the Hutchinson and the two Cox
boys and myself that concluded to com
NIT the objectionable sin of going
swimming after Sunday school. Our
destination was old Cedar Cliff. AT
this time the Pecatonica was high and
we experienced some difficulty in getting
our clothing across dry, which we did
by bundling them up and throwing them
across All went well until gave my
last boot a whirl, but the whirl was
too weak. and the new ed-topped boot
was gone forever and my peace of mind
with 1t. for how was | to explain at
home the true facts. The true facts
never were explained for the next
morning Billie's boot was not to be
found and the blame finally placed on
poor little hound pup that was only too
often guilty of such tricks; but the
pup saved the day for me.
| must again refer to tive Cox boys.
Their father was away from home
much of the time and his hay loft be-
came the rendezvous for all the neigh
Dor boys and each and all would bring
what reading matter they could get
hold Of. IF the mothers of that day
should have discovered that nest of lit
erature they would have held up their
hands IN holy horror. There were
few of Harper's Weekly with Tommy
Nast's mastery political cartoons, but
the bulk Of the assortment was Beadle's
dime novels. There were but very few
homes sixty years ago into which a
newspaper came and a magazine was
practically unknown. 1t 10 almost a
wonder that any of US young rascals
made good in the battle Of life, but the
BLACK sheep" are mighty scarce,
thanks be to the good blood in our veins
and the good old mothers prayers,
which followed US whither-so-ever we
went