hearts revolt at the idea of
sending a child of such tender years into a coal mine, and thanks to
the advance of civilization, and an improved legislation on these
things, such an enormity would not now be permitted.

In some dark corner of that deep mine poor little Abe was found day by
day doing the work assigned to him, and earning a trifle of wages which
helped to keep bread in the little home at Lockwood Scarr. He went out
early in the morning, and came home late at night, with the men who
wrought in the same pit, his little hands and feet often benumbed with
cold and wet, and he so tired with his toils that many a time his poor
mother has had to lift him out of bed of a morning, and put his little
grimy suit of clothes on him, and send him off with the rest almost
before the child was awake. Many a time he was so weary on coming out
of the pit that he has not been able to drag himself along home, and
some kind collier seeing his tears has lifted him on his shoulder and
carried him, while he has slept there as soundly as if on a bed of down.

Some few years passed on, during which time Abe continued to work in
the coal pit with but little change, except that as he grew older and
stronger he was put to other work, and earned a better wage. His
parents, however, were not satisfied that their son should live and die
a collier, they thought him capable of something else; besides that,
there were always the dangers associated with that calling in which so
many were maimed or killed. They therefore determined that their son
should be a mechanic, and learn to earn his bread above ground. After
a while they found a master who was willing to take him into his employ
and teach him his handicraft. It was customary in those days for a
master to take the apprentice to live with him in his house, and find
him in food and clothes. So Abe was given over to his new master, with
the hope that he would do well for him, and the boy would turn out a
good servant.

Now it is quite possible all this was done by the kind parents without
consulting Abe's mind on the subject, which certainly had a good deal
to do with the realization of their hopes, more perhaps than they
thought; however they soon discovered it, for in a day or two Abe
returned home with the information that he didn't like it, and should
not be bound to any man. It was a sad disappointment to the honest
pair, who had begun to indulge in expectations that some tim