Deep down; a tale of the Cornish mines (1883) (14729630926)

Identifier: deepdowntaleofco00ball (find matches)
Title: Deep down; a tale of the Cornish mines
Year: 1883 (1880s)
Authors: Ballantyne, Robert Michael
Subjects: Children's stories, English
Publisher: Philadelphia, J.B. Lippincott & Co.



Text Appearing Before Image:
ng money from the confiding CHAPTEE XVI. DESCRIBES HOLING TO A HOUSE OP WATER AND ITS TERRIBLECONSEQUENCES. One morning, about seven oclock, George andJames, the two fair-haired sons of poor John Battenof Botallack, started for their work as usual. Theywere in high spirits, having obtained a good pitchon last setting-day, and things were looking well. They put on their underground clothing at thechanging-house, and with several spare candlesattached to buttons on the breasts of their coats, andtheir tools slung over their shoulders, walked towardsthe head of the ladder-shaft. At the mouth of theshaft they paused for a moment and glanced round.The sky was bright, the landscape green, and thesun lit up many a distant sail on the Atlantic. I do wish, said the younger, with a slight sigh, that our work was more in the sunshine. You 11 never be a true miner, Jimmy, if ee gohankerin after the sun like that, said his brother,with a laugh, as he stepped on the ladder and beganto descend. ttOQ
Text Appearing After Image:
THE LAST LOOK AT THE SUN PUBLIC LIBRARY TU.BER rouNSAfj©^ A TALE OF THE COKNISH MINES. 201 Jimmy took a last look at the rising sun, andfollowed him close without replying. The lads weresoon beyond the reach of daylight. This was the last they ever saw of earthly sun-shine. In a few minutes there came a low softsound up the shaft; it was the lads singing one ofWesleys beautiful hymns. They had been taughtto sing these by their mother from their infancy, andusually beguiled the tedium of the long descent ofthe ladders by singing one or two of them. Arrived at their place of wrork the brothers threwdown their tools, fixed their candles against the. wallsof the level, and began the labour of the day. Other men were in that part of the mine at thetime, and the brothers found that a message hadbeen sent to one of the captains requesting him tocome and examine the place, as the men were be-coming uneasy at the increasing flow of water fromthe walls. One miner, named John Mcols, was driving