prison officials, but upon our lawmakers.



CHAPTER III

THE COAL MINES (Continued)

After we had mined some twenty-five feet we took down the coal. To do
this the wedges are set and driven in at the top of the vein of coal,
with the sledge hammer. After my companion had struck the coal several
times it began to pop and crack as if it would fall at any moment. I
became alarmed. I was never in such a place before, and I said:
"George, had I not better get out of this place? I don't want the coal
to fall on me the first day." His reply was, that if I wanted to learn
how to mine I must remain near the coal and take my chances of being
killed. This was indeed comforting! Then he informed me that he was
going to knock on the coal and wanted me to catch the sound that was
produced. He thumped away, and I got the sound--a dull, heavy thud.
Now, says he, "when coal sounds in that manner it is not ready to
drop." So he continued to pound away at it. The more he pounded the
more the coal cracked and the more alarmed I became. I was afraid it
would drop at any moment and crush me. I begged of him to cease
pounding until I got into the entry out of the way of danger. He tried
to make me believe there was no danger. I was hard to convince of that
fact. There I lay stretched out on my side next to the coal, he
driving in the wedges, and the coal seeming to me to be ready to drop
at each stroke of the hammer. "Now listen," said he, "while I knock on
the coal once more." I listened. The sound was altogether different
from the first. "Now," said he, "the coal is about ready to fall." It