Danger Dimmed By Darkness

Owing to the darkness that filis our deep mining shafts our miners are less conscious of the dangers of their trade than'they would othenvise be. A mincr standing on a bit of a plank thrown across a shaft 1,000 or 1,500 feet in depth sees little of the pit yawning beneath his feet. The darkness rises up luxtil it almost seenis to form a floor under his plnnk, giving a place on which his eyes may rest and preventing an unsteadiness of the head. Place the same sbaft on the snrface of the earth, and let it tower 1,500 feet into the air and broad light of day, and the minor standing on his single plank at an elevation three times as great as the tallest church spire would be unable to move - would be paralyzed. Looking down through the tnrtia depth below, he would clutch the nearest timbera, afraid to mnke a move in any direction. Make for him doors on each sido of this shaft, representing the openings at the stations, and he won'd not be likely to jump from door to door across the yawning shaft, as he does undemeath the ground, whcre the dark rises up and niakes a seeming floor botween the doors. It is undoubtedly the darkness that bemunbs the senses of the miner to the da-iger to which he is exposed -nhen passing to and fro across shaftó and winzes, or w-hen climbing the interior of their compartments, trusting to the scanty hold for hands and feet afforded by the narrow ludgos of the timbers projecting fróm the walls. - Viniivia City (Nev.) Enterririse.