Year: 1878

but sho told them story. And tblths

 the story that was told: ~ @tA

 Twenty years ago last May cnmc

 to live In this bit of il house by thogrcat

 coal mine, to he near my husband and

 my two boys,--Not that felt they were

 In any great danger when I lost sight of

 them going down in the shuft In the

 morning; but then You see l could have them by mo q blt longer In the morning,

 and then lt was so pleasant to watch for

 them coming up Nt night, and, moro than

 all, little crumbs of news came up from

 time to time all day. Somebody would

 be coming up every lIttle while, and l had many chance to drop into tho bucket little tn palls. with taste of something worme right or tho fire or a bottle of hot coffee. when I saw my hus- band, or Rufus, or Charlie was little weak; and then 10 watch for the thank you, wife, or thank you. mother that Was always certain to come back the next chance, O, I liked living here, would not have gone away to live in the finest house in the land, and left my husband and boys behind. We had a bit of n garden at the door I sec you laugh as you look at thc ground now 1; but they have covered up the spot and l am glad. Icould not bear to look at itarterthctimc am going to tell you of.

 "It was seventeen years ago last May when the ovcrsccr of the mine came one night to talk to my husband. He took him out of the house, and beyond the little garden paling, where l could not hear what he said; but when he had gone, John-tlat was my husband looked soberer than I'd ever seen him in my life, and he was always the brightest soul full of good thoughts to all men, and the thankfulc5t man to our Father that ever saw. He couldn't help laugh ing out his gladncss. He said, there was so much of it coming up in his soul that he couldn't help letting it.out and it made me feel as ifsI was all done up in q rainbow somehow; and then the two boys"

 For a moment Aunt Nudge stopped and Paul vcntured to ask: w g

 "What did the oycrsecr want?"

 "Hc wantedmy husband to go down in the mine at midnight, and cxanilcit, just as the miners had gone below HOW. There were noises, strange growlings and groanings, and the Uamps were fill ing all the mine. You see they opened the mine on both sides of the mountain, east and west and were working toward each other, hoping to gain an opening through themountain, and some thought it was the airrushing through that made the noises. Well, my husband went down. He never told me till twas just midnight You see it was Sunday night, and nothing could coax him to go down on Sunday so he let me go to sleep, and when l woke up, the moon was flooding into the room like q great high tide, and there, right on the river of it, was John, kneeling on the floor and saying his prayers; and heard the little clock on the kitchen shelf strike, and I counted twelve. Just then came a knock, and John said amen quite out loud, and got up. Then he came and leaped over me, and saw that I was wide awake, and | so he kissed me and said:

 fGood bye, my little Nudge! am going down the mine to look at some | things they've found down there. I'll be | back, please God, to eat breakfast with you"

 "The moonlight and the prayer and the knock, and the goodbye all seemed so strange that they dazzled me, and l | let him go; but drtam I had just af- ter frightened my sleep, away, and l went out and sat by the lonely shaft | and watched all night. I listened with l my ears close to the opening; butt was all so still and the great full moon walked down the blue field, and the dark | mountain came up between, and the day began to break at last, and then got up. | My two boys were out, early as it was, digging in the garden. to suprise me; so 1 stole in at the front door, and let | them think was fast asleep.

 "The little round table-yOu see it there-was soon ready; four plates and knives and forks on it-it was just large enough for four. Well. when the break fast was waiting for John, the boys came in to enquire for their father, and when I told them where he had gone they never stopped to speak, but went straight out, and l followed them to the place where l had watched all night. Just then the miners were come and they said Ru- fus and Charlie must not go down; but my two boys could not be kept back, and they bade me goodbye, Rufus called back, keep the breakfast warm, mother; and we will fetch father up to cat it soon."

 "The place where the coal was taken out of the mine was about half a mile away. and the men who stood at the windlass were gone to it, and I could 1E1SA v~&8sa<4ss -4--