Year: 1866

to the opening; but ii was all so still and
the great full moon walked down the blue
field; and the dar-- mountain came up
between, and the day began to break at
last, and then | got up. Ny two boys
were out, early as it was, digging in the
garden to surprise me, so | stole in at
the front dcor and let them think | was
asleep.


The little round table-you see it
there-vas econ ready; four plates and
knives and forks On tit was Just large
enough for four. Well, white the break
fast was waiting for John, the boys came
to inquire for their father, and when
had told them where he had gone they
never stopped to speak, but went straight
out, and | followed them to the place
where | had watched all night. Just
then the miners were come and they said
Rufus and Charles must not 90 down /;
but my two boys couldn't be kept back,
and they bade me good by, and, as their
bright heads went out of sight, Rufus
called back, Keep the breakfast warm,
mother, and we will fetch father up to eat
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 wind
lass were gone to it. and | could not bear
to leave the place; the signal might come
at anv instant, and there would be no one
there to mind it so | stayed, but no sign
came until the sun was high in the sky ;
and then, boys, heard soft step behind
me, as | sat watching the rope, not daring
to take my eyes from it to see who came
nearer and nearer


go What is my little Nudge doing hers !?
said Johns voice I've come for my
breakfast and my husband stood lean
ING over me "The boys, John! was
all that / could utter, never stopping to
ask or wonder how he could have come
to me.


"'God pity us, wife, if the boys are
down below was all he said and in an
instant he was gone for aid. lie met the
two men returning from the coal shaft
just beyond the garden railing, and dazed
as | was by everything that day, knew
enough to run to the house for bit of
food, that might never meet the lii 8 it
was prepared for, and to lend a hand at
the crank, as my John and another brave
soul went down out of sight The signal
came to draw back before many seconds,
ana the two men could not lift themselves



the air, but held on with white, gaSping
faces, although we wound up as fast as
we could and when ! saw them | knew
my two boys would never come back to
me az tiiev had gone from me But had
my husband safe, and | tried to take that
into my soul and to make it grow there
and cover up the great wound that / had
got.


You didn't tell US how your husband
got out" gasped Paul, thinking of his own
Just escaped danger.


Z" No forgot that, thinking of the boys,
There were terrible cruptions and explo-
sions down there in the deep blackness,
and the lamps seemed of no use at all, the
air was so thick; and God alone knows
how, but the way between the east and
the west shafts were opened by some
angel, and the poor fellow escaped death
by it. At that dreadful time the mine
was so filed up thai the old places are
not cleared away yet and that is what |
am waiting for It will come soon now.
John never cot we'll lie went away from
me day by day, until at last | could find
him no longer; bat in some way he left
all his checrluncss and his thankfulness
behind for me to live by. The last words
he said were, I'm going to the west shaft
10 W3tcu lOr the Do\S, you stay ana Watch
here That night he died, and | saw the
same full moon walk down the great blue
field up above, and the shadow of the
mountain came up, and it was all dark
ness but the sun was shining when
lifted up my facet had been shining
full on my face and on Johns, but it was
not the sunshine that made his shine so,
it was something that he saw III heaven.
and they put him away with the light still
on it


That night the miners brought up from
the depth below something that they touch
cd tendcrly and carried with uncovered
heads into the little brown house


The little brown hut of house has
gone from the mountain, the little wo-
man who had found the fountain of per-
petual youth. l. gone from the earth 10
where life springs are immortal, and sees
the something that John saw in heaven
and to us, who watched and are left, there
are dark mines, and miners ever coming
up and going down-waiting for Us 70 give
them a helping hand, and to pour into the
shafts Of life Of the sunshine that God
gives richly to those who dwell on His
mountain.