Digging Deep

This atmospheric short story by Carol Hathorne is set in 1912.

YOU’LL have to think again, Gaffer,” James Smart said as he met his employer’s challenging glare. “The lads’ll never use these new-fangled pit baths!”

“No, sir!” Daniel Gregg put in, his handsome face striped with coal dust from his latest shift.

“In Sheldon’s Main we take our dirt home. Always have, always will.”

Walking between his thoughtful mother and grinning father, eight-yearold Raymond wondered what was going on.

Glancing back towards the darkened coal mine, he saw its owner shake his head before climbing into the gleaming miracle that was his motor car.

As the car seemed to fly past the crowd of homeward-bound coal miners, Raymond stepped instinctively to one side.

From within the car, the driver’s laughter echoed like a bell.

“It’s 1912, lads!” he shouted. “I thought you might like to join the rest of us in the twentieth century – and get your backs wet!”

“Cheeky devil!”

Raymond’s mother’s blue eyes flashed in a familiar way as she drew her little family closer.

In that moment, the boy realised, not for the first time, how important this time of day was to her.

This was the time when, leaving his sister Sheila to set out their evening meal, she would walk with Raymond to meet his father from the pit.

Only later, with his belly full of beef stew, would James Smart be ready to soak in the tin bath in the warm scullery, scrupulously washing away all coal dust except that which remained on his broad back.

As they entered their little house, warmed by the roaring fire and the appetising smell of the waiting food, Raymond listened to his mother as she retold the ancient legend.

“In these parts, miners believe that their strength lies in their backs, Ray.

“That’s why, in Sheldon’s Main, the men who work at the coal face never wash their backs.”

“And why the poor overworked women have to put sacking in the beds every night!” his sister added.

Finishing laying the table, Sheila flashed a look that reminded Raymond of their mother.

Turning from hanging her shawl on the back of the door, Leah Smart stared at her daughter.

“Like I’ve told you before, my girl, every day your dad goes safely down that pit, but I never know if he’s coming back. Now, let’s eat and be grateful.”

Later, tucked up in bed, Raymond listened sleepily to the conversation drifting up the small staircase.

As usual, Daniel Gregg had called round, pretending to want to talk to Raymond’s dad about politics, but never taking his eyes off Sheila’s pretty, animated face.

“I would use the baths, Jim,” Daniel admitted, and the boy could imagine how such a declaration would brighten his sister even further.

“A law has been passed and it is the gaffer’s responsibility to provide these facilities.

“But I can understand my dad, and others like him, not liking it.

“It may be a superstition, but until proved otherwise, he’ll go on believing we must keep our backs dry to hold the strength in them.

“We need all the help we can get, digging in the dark a mile under the earth.”

Shivering in spite of the weight of his blankets, Raymond tried to put that image out of his mind.

But as he fell quickly asleep, he couldn’t help the bolt of relief which shot through his small body.

His father had promised him long ago that if he worked hard and “got an education”, Raymond would never have to work in the pit.

It was for this reason that the boy put his hand up in class and made sure he handed in his work on time.

****

Next day, when he came out of school, Raymond found his mother waiting for him, her apron visible under the familiar black shawl and her face white with terror.

“Raymond, love.

A miner’s life was a hard one, for all the family . . .

There’s been an accident,” she said. Bending down, she pulled him close.

Raymond thought of the strangeness of the day – the sound of pit alarms; the eerie quietness in the street outside the school playground.

‘Where’s Dad?” Raymond heard himself whisper, and at the same time he saw Sheila appear behind their stricken mother.

“They’re saying they struck water just when they didn’t expect it.” The girl took her mother’s arm.

“The lads thought they had all managed to get in the cage.

“Only when they got to the surface, Dad wasn’t with them! But the gaffer’s there and he’s getting a rescue team together.”

At the silent pit head, a crowd of people waited.

Daniel Gregg wasted no time in joining Raymond’s family and the boy felt tears prick his eyes as the young man bent to ruffle his hair.

“It’s going to be a long wait, son,” he said, nodding to where one group was gathered around the local

Methodist minister.

“We can’t do better than say a few prayers ourselves.”

Night fell quickly and the landscape of the pit was like an alien planet, in spite of the appearance of candles and oil lamps and hastily collected billycans of hot tea supplied from the nearby houses.

As the hours slowly passed, it was as if hope and energy ebbed from those who waited.

“Like to sit in the car, Mrs Smart?”

Raymond started as the unusually subdued gaffer appeared at their side.

“It might be a bit warmer for you and the lad.”

“No, but thank you.” In a surprisingly gentle gesture, his mother touched the man’s sleeve.

“It’s kind of you, but I want him to see us when – when he gets out.”

The rescue team had decided to risk sending the rickety cage back down what was obviously still a water-logged pit.

It was dangerous, but many of the men had known James Smart most of their lives and couldn’t bear the thought of leaving him to perish in the water beneath the dark earth.

Now, joined by Daniel, they were about to lower the cage when a faint voice echoed in the silent and oppressive air.

“Fetch . . . me!”

“Listen!” Raymond heard the voice first and gripped his mother’s arm. “It’s my dad! Can you all hear him?” “We can, lad!”

The rescuers moved quickly, encouraged by the shouts of joy and relief from the Smart family.

“Come on, boys – let’s go and fetch him!”

It was like a miracle when the cage disgorged the pale and exhausted figure of James Smart, supported between his gallant friends.

“Thank heavens!” He gasped as Leah and the children rushed to his side.

“I thought I was never going to see any of you again.”

His voice broke and Sheila reached out to take her father’s stone-cold hand.

“Come on, Dad,” she ordered. “Let’s get you off to bed.”

She turned to her mother, laughing.

“We’ll even let you lie on the white sheets tonight, won’t we, Mum?”

****

It was three days later and James had received a visit from the gaffer.

“I’ve been thinking about them new-fangled baths of yours, Gaffer,” the miner said, pausing to light his pipe.

“I reckon we should give ’em a go after all.”

“Really?” The other man nearly choked on his cup of tea.

“But what about the Sheldon’s Main legend and keeping your strength in your backs? Do you think the other lads will agree?”

“I reckon so, Gaffer,” James said with a grin.

“After being washed round that pit for ten hours I was cleaner than when the midwife washed me, as the saying goes.

“But I had the strength to hold on – though only God knows where it came from.

“The real miracle is, I never even knew I could swim!”

The End.