Mr. Jervas, on whom all eyes were fixed, after thanking the company for their _welcome home_, took his seat at the table; and in compliance with Mr. R----‘s request, and the wishes of all present, related to them his story nearly in the following manner: “Where I was born, or who were my parents, I do not well know myself; nor can I recollect who was my nurse, or whether I was ever nursed at all: but, luckily, these circumstances are not of much importance to the world. The first thing which I can distinctly remember is the being set, along with a number of children of my own age, to pick and wash loose ore of tin mixed with the earth, which in those days we used to call _shoad_, or _squad_--I don’t know what you call it now.” “We call it _squad_ to this day, master,” interrupted one of the miners. “I might be at this time, I suppose,” continued the gentleman, “about five or six years old; and from that time till I was thirteen I worked in the mine where we were yesterday. From the bottom of my heart I rejoice that the times are bettered for youngsters since then; for I know I had a hard life of it. “My good master, here, never knew any thing of the matter but I was cruelly used by those under him. First, the old woman--Betty Morgan, I think, was her name--who set us our tasks of picking and washing the _squad_, was as cross as the rheumatism could make her. She never picked an ounce herself, but made us do her heap for her among us; and I being the youngest, it was shoved down to me. Often and often my day’s wages were kept back, not having done this woman’s task; and I did not dare to tell my master the truth, lest she should beat me. But, God rest her soul! she was an angel of light in comparison with the _trap-door keeper_, who was my next tyrant. “It was our business to open and shut certain doors, that were placed in the mine for letting in air to the different galleries: but my young tyrant left them every one to me to take care of; and I was made to run to and fro, till I had scarcely breath in my body, while every miner in turn was swearing at me for the idlest little fellow upon the surface of the earth; though the surface of the earth, alas! was a place on which I had never yet, to my knowledge, set my foot. “In my own defence, I made all the excuses I could think of; and, from excuses, I went on to all kinds of deceit: for tyranny and injustice always produce cunning and falsehood. “One day, having shut all the doors on my side of the mine, I left three open on my companion’s side. The men, I thought, would not go to work on that side of the mine for a day or two: but in this I was mistaken; and about noon I was alarmed by the report of a man having been killed in one of the galleries for want of fresh air.