Year: 1873

though you may not think it, | have a
story to tell like one of those you read in
books and papers; none Of your made-up
ones, though, but an "out and-out plain
statement of facts"


| am an old man now, but when | look
back to that day my blood thrills and
whirla through my veins as though it were
but yesterday


You see, | was collier, as they call it in
the old country, and worked in coal
mine IN MOnmouthshire. | was new
hand there, and being strange to all at the
pit, was little down in the mouth at
first; but as the days went by the men
seemed more friendly with me, and at last
one Of them, Joe Edwards by name, as
good an old soul as ever lived, asked me
10 dinner at his house on Sunday.


Bright and early that morning I made
myself as clean as ii was possible for a pit
man to get, and, dressed in my best.
started. felt little backward about 90
ing in, for had heard old Joe had the
prettiest darter around Surrowy, but in |
went


Good morning, lad; see you're here
Jane, this is the lad ! was speakin' about.
He's a Smartun, isn't he? Come and
shake hands with the stranger Sallie.
There is my darter," said the old man.
Salle came through the open door of the
kitchen, and, holding out her hand to me
she said: 'How dye do, sir?" in whis-
per like, with her cheeks growing redder
every minute | thought then She was
the prettiest girl | ever saw, and it didn't
take me long to find out that she was as
sensible, steady, hard-Working young
woman rs ever was.


@Well, that was the first time | saw
| Eat to al
ottener and oftener, and staying longer
and longer every time. | went until
made up my mind I'd ask Sallie to be my
wife, for | thought she looked kinder and
more loving like to me than to any of the
young men she knew, and one day | made
the venture. She said yes. in that nice
quiet way she's got In a month, or
mebbe six weeks, we were married, and
YOU never saw a prettier or a likelier
bride than she was She had the bright
est eyes, clearest skin and neatest form
that ever was, and her hair was so bright
and shiny. 1t used to cause her n good
deal of trouble though, that hair did, for
DO what she would, it wouldn't stay
smooth. She'd tuck it back forty times
an hour, yet it would creep up in the
dearest little rings all around her face.
liked ii to be so, but Sallie said it looked
very untidy, and suppose it did


Well, we went on living very happy to-
gsther, | working steady every day, and
Sallie keeping the little house clean and
comfortable, and looking as bright as
new sovereign, and she got handsomer
and handsomer all the time | used to
tell her she was my weekday sun, for You
know | never saw the sun except on the
Sabbath, being in the dark pit every day
beside and she seemed like sunbeam to
me when | came home in the dusk OF
evening and found her so trim and smll-
ing. ltwas worth staying ten hours IN
that deep, black hole, and then see my
pretty little woman when came up.


We seemed to have no trouble nor fret
tings And why should we when we
loved each other so much, and when there
was plenty of work and good wages: But
every day can't be a fine one, neither can
every life be without sorrow.


How well ] remember the day our big
trouble cane | got up that morning and
ate the breakfast Sallie got for me, and
after a kiss and good bye from her | start
ed for the pit | looked around three or
four times at her standing in the doorway
and wondered as looked at my grimy
suit all spotted over with tallow from the
candle in my cap, how she could love and
tdIt lbl llt


Somehow or other, the shaft never look
cd as deep and dangerous before. | shiv-
cred as | looked over the basket at the
black, black place below, and | recolleet
thinking then that something was alllng
me, to make me feel fear that morning,
when had gone down the same place
hundreds of times before. But the strange
feeling soon passed away after my work
was fairly begun.


The part of the mine | worked in that
dav was far from the shaft and being
worked out, was almost good for nothing,
aud miner seldom piled his pick in it.
There were two men besides myself there
that day, and we were engaged on one
large mass, which was hanging from the
roof. My companions were standing and
striking at this piece over their heads,
while |, to ease my arms by a change of
position, had turned from them and was
working at different lump, much lower
down, when suddenly | heard a sharp
crack, and felt shooting pain, then moth
ing else, but-nothing.


Yes, yes, that time always brings the
sweat out on me- When | think Of it