212 FIRESIDE SCIENCE. 



and had the afternoon to themselves. They had 

 dislodged as much coal from the bed as the labor- 

 ers could load and carry away during the day, and 

 their task was completed. There is an aristocracy 

 in these subterranean abodes as exclusive as any 

 found above ground, and " consuming ambition " 

 finds as full play in the breasts of the little sooty 

 colliery boys, as in those met with in our schools or 

 employed in our counting-rooms. The boys born 

 of the men at the mines care but little about books, 

 and dream of no other occupation than mining. 

 At an early age they go into the breakers, and 

 take their first step in the business in picking out 

 the fragments of slate that fall through the meshes 

 with the coal in the process of screening. From 

 this they look forward with earnest desire to the 

 time when they can go into the mines and drive 

 the donkeys attached to the coal cars ; from this 

 they wish to become laborers, and load the coal ; 

 and the crowning summit of their ambition is only 

 reached when they become miners, and are fully 

 connected with the " ring," and under full pay. 



The mines are filled with the smoke of gunpow- 

 der ; but after a short stay it is not oppressive. 

 The work of mining, viewed from our stand-point, 

 is not an agreeable occupation, but it is less exact- 

 ing and laborious than many other kinds of labor. 

 It is also less hazardous than many other pursuits, 



