happen break
thee neck."

"Nay, not soa; I've warked mony a day in a coil-pit," said Abe. "Bless
thee, my lass, when I were nowt but a bairn I used to wark i' th' pits;
niver fear, I'm an owd hand, I can do a bit o' hewing wi' ony on um."
And then when Abe saw the first burst of feeling on his wife's part was
giving way, he went on to make good his position: "Thaa knows I mun do
some'at, and there is nowt else I can see to turn to, and it 'll keep
us going till I can get back to my own wark; we mu'nt be praad in these
times, thaa knows. I'll promise to wesh th' black dust off my face
every day," said he, laughing, and trying to get her to do the same.
"Cheer up, my lass, we mun look th' rock i' th' face."

"Ah, th' Lord help us," responded Sally.

"Naa I like to year thee say that," said Abe, "because I believe it was
the Lord that put it into my yead, for I niver thowt abaat such a thing
till I were telling Him my troubles just naa, and then it came to me
all in a moment, like as if someone spake to me, and I says, I'll goa."

And he did go, and he got employment in one of the coal-pits in the
neighbourhood, where he received so much per week as wages, and a lump
of coal every day as large as he could carry home, as a perquisite. Of
course he took as big a lump as he could manage, and sometimes he was
tempted to overtax his strength. Many a time poor Abe had to stop on
the way home, lift the coal down from his head, where he usually
carried it, and rub the sore place; and many an expedient, in the way
of padding, had he to resort to, in order to compensate for the soft
place which nature, so prodigal in her gifts to some, had denied him.
However, day after day he struggled along under his dark and heavy
load, each day finding himself oppressed by another weight--of coals.

The new work was hard and trying to him, but he kept toiling on, and
patiently waiting for the time when his heavenly Father would open up
another sphere for him; meanwhile there was this consolation, that his
toils kept fire in the hearth, and bread in the cupboard at home, and
knowing this he was happy. He didn't envy any man his wealth, or his
ease; he many a time on his way home, with the lump of coal on his
head, was happier than the rich employer who passed him in his
carriage; he had no ambitious schemes with which to harass his mind,
his highest object was to glorify God in a consistent Christian life,
and try to lead others to do t