Year: 1869

Mr.. Black lived in the same region
when he was boy, before the mines were
opened, and his fathers rude little home
was so close to the place where the ground
was first broken that lt was moved a little
way TO give room for the workmen to
move about when they began the shaft
and then when his son--Belrs father
grew to manhood, and had saved money
enough to put up roof and four walls,
that he could call "h0me," the old love
for the spot made him put his cabin down
"a near TO the mouth of the mine as he
could .Hrtu


One might almost say that the Black
family were rooted into that coal-mine,
for there were three brothers who went
down into II together every morning, and
came up out of il together every evening,
and sometimes fourth person went with
them, and him they called Father and
looked after tenderly, for his steps were
feeble from age, and his sight was dim
nevertheless, he also loved the old coal
mine where he had worked when in his
strength, and where his boys toiled all
the day


Bell liked the mine also until last June.
gentleman who had an interest in the
mine invited Bell To go to Philadelphia
and make his daughters visit. lie did
that, partly because he had sincere wish
tomake Bell happy and he did II, in part,
because he saw some signs of a strike for
increased pay among the miners, and he
desired to please the Black brothers be-
cause they were men of influence in their
own class.


Bell went She left home with tears Of
affection for her father and mother, many
words of good.by for her brothers and
sisters, Just as long as she could see
sign Of the place, she looked back toward
1t, while the wheels of the rail.Car rolled
her from home.


@-BelPs home sickness was very slight
and lasted but q day or two Amid all the
marvels and delights of the city, she be.
gan to wonder how she had lived in the
black, dingy coal region, and she was
sorry when the time came that Mr.. Capt.
tai said; Now, Bell | am going down
tomorrow, and | suppose you win be
very glad to see your father and mother
again"


AYES, sir" said Bell; but she did not
look glad at all and will t. Il you what
she did just as soon rs she could escape
from the table, she went up to the room
that had been given TO her for the visit
shut the door, and then she sat down and
cried.


Presently Mr.. Capitals little daughter
Bernie went up, and found Bell crying.


"What is the matter ?" she asked.


"Ohl i can't never go back to that
dreadful place to live, and l don't want
to" said Bell.


/ always like to come back home when
I've been away" said Bernie, "and I'm
sure so you ought" altman.


"Well, don't you have nice home to
come top guess | should said Bell
~ just wish my father wasn't an old coal
miner"


40 Bell Black FOR shame to say that
You ought 10 be glad he wasn't slav,
nor an Indian. And you just cried to SEE
him the night you came, you know yor
did"


al don't care if did" said Bell, "hed
be my father Just the same If we lived
somewhere else, wouldn't hey You needn't
talk"


If this feeling had lasted only moment
IL would have been bad enough but il
staid until she reached home, and made her
forget all the pleasure that had been given
her. When the train stopped, she felt rs
cross and disagreeable as possible.


Thinking to surprise and please her
daughter, Mrs. Black had gone to the rail
way station to meet her.


cannot tell you how that poor mothers
heart felt when she saw Bell. Instead OF
running down from the rail-car to kiss her
the little girl just went up and said
Mother how shabby you do look"


Mrs. Black was not very well dressed
but she looked quite as well as usual, and
she wore the same dress that she had
worn when, at parting, Bell had clung to
her neck with kisses.


"Do /, my dear child9 I did not know
it but dare say forgot to brush my
hair: the baby has been i'll, and some way
there never seemed so much TO do before
Besides, Bell, there's trouble at the mine.


"I wish there wasn't any mine, mother
and wish father wasn't a miner, and We
wern't poor. / don't want 10 live here
anyhow" Bell said, as they came in sight
of the little cabin. Mrs. Black and Bel
were walking, while ON a wheclbarrOw
Just behind them was Bells little trunk
and rolling the harrow Sbas Jimmy, the
eldest child Of the family. aldts


Jimmy heard that remark, and he
dropped the barrow, exclainiing, as he
wiped his face


Bell, you may just trundle that barrow
home yourself. l guess my lady has pu
on altogether too fine airs for the mining
regions" And Jimmy walked past then
and in at the cabin door, leaving Bell
baggage on the highway.


"It's nice TO come home and be treated
So" said Bell, "and every things so meal
here. just wish l was dead"


"Didn't you have nice time at MI
Capitals? Were they kind 20 you, ny
dear ?" asked Mrs Black, going up 4
Bell and taking off her hat, while at tn
| same time she turned about and mad'
| Jimmy understand that he was to go baci
after the wheeltarrow.


He went, and Mrs. Black did her ut
most to make Bell feel happy in he
home coming, but Bell did not try to fin,
happiness in anything When her fathe
came up from the mine that night, insteat
of finding Bell at the top Of the shaft, a
he expected, TO greet him, sne was no
there, and when he went in ut the doc
she shrank back from his kiss. o.;


Il is true that it was not SO pleasant I
kiss man who had been for eight hour
delving in the black dust and CRIME O
the mine, but Bell had kissed her hthe
when he was in just that condition man.
times.


"Got a new dress ON, have you
that you are afraid Of Belll" h
said. "Well, wait till wash.n


When he was ready, Bell had disar
peared. "She has gone upstairs" he
mother said, and added; "You had bette
let Bell alone tonight; she feels til
change in every thing here, comm
home"


"a weeks great time to change ia
l don't see that every thing isn't just abOI
the same as usual around here" said tn
miner.


It had been arranged that one Of AZ
Capitals little daughters should so dow
with another little girl and see bell some
time, but the time was put OIL from wee


TO week, and then came the great strik'
That wrought evil in the miners home
, and in their hearts AT first the Blac
, brothers held out against il, but they fina
, ly we're forced 10 fall IN with the rest, an
50 want and trouble came into their cal
/ ms r. i iU afg rdf rnl.aa hsl
An unhappy summer IL was Bell Blao
I was not wise enough ~ know that Go


knew What was best for her when Tie ser


her 70 be q miners daughter, and that 81