Year: 1867

slider that 1t was showing hard, blowing
hard, and that where I stood the snow-drifts
was over my knees, while inside there was
everything reasonable workingman could
wish for, you'll say was, just about the
truth.


So gives myself pull together, hitches
up my shoulders, sets my head down to
face the wind and the binding snow, and
then, with my hands right at the bottom Of
my pockets, off I goes.


Now, we'd been together into the town
that night to bring home good baskctful
Of Christmas cheer for even if you do live
in the black country, amongst the coal
mines and furnaces, and work as pit car.
penter at making brattices and the different
woodwork wanted, that's no reason why
you shouldn't spend merry Christmas and
happy one. But now there was this tobac.
co and the lemons to get; and from where
we lived, right across the heath to the town,
being two miles, and me being alone, 1 made
up my mind to cut off corner, so as to get
pack sooner. So turned out of the road as
soon as L was out of the colliery village,
made sure of the town lights, and then,
taking my stick under my arm, set off at a
trot to the left of the old pits.


The wind was behind me now, and though
the snow made it hard work walking, 1t
wasn't long before | was trulgiDg like a
white statty through the town streets, then
thronged with people, when I goes into a
shop, and, after u good deal Of waiting, gets
my lemons and tobacco, pays for 'em, and
starts off home.


As soon as was out of the town again, l
gets out of the road to take that short cut,
and now | began to find out what sort of Il
night it was, for the wind was right dead
in my teeth, while the way in which the
snow cut into my eyes was something ter
rible. But fought my way on, setting
up an opposition whistle to the wind, and
thinking about the warm freside at home,
with the snug suppcr-tablc and then I
thought of what blessing it was in hard
winter to live close to the pits mouth, and
get plenty of coal for next to nothing. We
could afford good fire there, such as would
cheer the heart of some of the London poor,
while wages were not so bad.


Every now and then | had to stop and
kick the snow off my boot-solcs, for it col
lcctcd in hard balls, so as to make walking
harder: then, not having the town lights to
guide me found I'd wandered bit out of
the track, so that the ground grew rougher
and rougher, and more than once ! stun
bled The wind beat worse than ever, the
snow blinded me So that I could not look
out for the lights Of the village, and at last
| began to ~ hit I'd done foolish
thing in trypt % make a short cut. But
then one a.sa. aor la3a owning to be-
ing in the WONG. g ..aie.ed and STUN
bled on: but at last, a.ter walking for some
time, was obliged to own to myself that
was lost in the snow.


"Stuff and nonscnse!" Isays the next min
ute, and then had look round to try and
make out where / was. for I knew every
foot it almost, but nothing could / see
but snow falling almost like in u sheet all
round me, so that l could only see few feet
each way, while the snow where stood was
nearly up to my knees. l listened, but
there was nothing to be Eeari Lu. the
whistling of the wind, shouted, but the
cry sounded muffled and close just as i'll
had been in Il cupboard, then walked u
little one way, and then turned and went
another, and at last, to my horror, l found
thatJ was regularly confused, and could not
make out in what direction lay town or
village, while the snow covered in every
footmark in very few minutes.


Now, did not feel alarmed, only bother
cd and confused; for felt sure that, if |
kept on walking, must como to some
place Or another which knew, unless l
walked right out on the great waste, where
| might 60 for miles and miles without find
ing house, but l was hardly likely to get
there, the thing | most cared for was my
poor gal at home getting upset about me,
and thinking that I'd stopped in town
drinking with some mates, being Christmas
eve, when I'd promised her over and over
again most faithfully that I'd always have
my drop of beer at home.


"There's no danger, that's one comfort"
I said, unless run bang into the canal
and even then shall know where / am," |
says, $50 that won't be such very serious
natter, and then | tried again to make out
where | was, but the snow came down more
than ever, and at last, feeling worried and
cross, started off afresh as hard as l could
go, when all at once l let 60 Of my stick,
for felt one foot slipping, and, as felt it
60, fearful thought came across my mind.
With an agonized cry, tried to recover
myself, but, from leaning forward to face
the wind, this was impossible, and then
out


"My God, it's the old pitt Twas falling
and rollin downtown into the black dark
ness.


1t was like being in some horrible dream,