Strangers, when they visit the “coal-fields” are often desirous of seeing how the mining operations are carried on, and for this purpose they go down with some of the miners into the coal pits.
One day a gentleman was going down, accompanied by a miner, who was to show him through the mine, and to explain the working of the different parts of it. This miner was a simple-hearted and earnest Christian, and as they were let down into the darkness, he was shocked at the language of the gentleman, who added an oath, or some blasphemous expression, to almost every sentence he uttered. Down and down they went, when the gentleman said, “Do you think it is as far to hell as it is to the bottom of this mine shaft?”
“I don’t know, Sir,” replied the miner, “I am not sure how far it is to hell. But, judging from your language, if the rope were to break, you’d be there in less than a minute.”
