within a year, and saved a considerable sum besides. The last
information we had respecting them was that the father had become a
contractor,--that he employed about sixty colliers and "reddsmen,"[1]
and was allowed so much for every ton of coals brought to bank. The sons
were looking after their father's interests. They were all sober,
diligent, sensible men; and took a great deal of interest in the
education and improvement of the people in their neighbourhood.

[Footnote 1: "Reddsmen" are the men who clear the way for the colliers.
They "redd up" the _debris_, and build up the roof (in the long wall
system) as the colliery advances.]

At the same time that these two families of colliers were doing so well,
it was very different with the majority of their fellow-workmen. These
only worked about three days in every week. Some spent their earnings at
the public-house; others took a whisky "ploy" at the seaside. For that
purpose they hired all the gigs, droskies, cabs, or "machines," about a
fortnight beforehand. The results were seen, as the successive Monday
mornings come round. The magistrate sat in the neighbouring town, where
a number of men and women, with black eyes and broken heads, were
brought before him for judgment. Before the time of high wages, the
Court-house business was got through in an hour: sometimes there was no
business at all. But when the wages were doubled, the magistrate could
scarcely get through the business in a day. It seemed as if high wages
meant more idleness, more whisky, and more broken heads and faces.

These were doubtless "roaring times" for the colliers, who, had they
possessed the requisite self-denial, might have made little fortunes.
Many of the men who worked out the coal remained idle three or four days
in the week; while those who burnt the coal, were famished and frozen