:Ole Coal Miners Boot:

[tnartist05]

I remember thoses old days when my grandfather and my father worked the mines of West Virgina, down in the
shafts so deep with thier woren out old boots water soaked to thier knees.

Loading coal on sleds pulled by mules in the Alleghany Mtns where the coal was used. Breathing the coal dust killed many of men in the end. The work was so hard plus the pillar supports of the roof broke at times, taken so many lifes deep in the mines.

Black lungs from the coal dust sent many of men to thier graves. At my grandfathers grave after people walked away,I laid a little chunk of coal by his head stone,thinking to myself, I'll miss you grandpaw and you never will be alone.

In the winter was the hardest times down in the deep mines. My father walked 3 miles every day and back home covered with all the new fallen snow. His hands would have almost froze plus his face red as a rose and each foot had ice between his toes.

In them old Virgina mines alot of men lost thier lifes but in our heart and minds we will rembemer our fore fathers that worked in the mines.

This boot is 7/8 wide,1 1/2 inch long and 2 inches tall.Carved from butternut.

Your thoughts are always welcome.

Thk's Forrest

[Sharon of the Dell]

The little boot is fantastic, but the story really touched my heart!

[SlowMover]

A beautiful carving (as usual) and a beautiful story. Thanks for sharing both.

[Kadiddle]

Forrest,
That is a great little boot. The story though is the show stopper for me. Very nice.
Carve On,
Kadiddle

[tnartist05]

Sharon,I shouldnt have written the story but the coal miners had it so bad,they build towns for them,poor run down shacks,not much food,raped thier wifes,etc,etc while the owners of the mines got richer. People from over seas was brought here and they really had it tough too after the nice promises they was told didnt come true.

Im gald my Ca.friend you enjoyed this miners boot plus I hope you are doing alot better now days. Life at times doesnt seem fair but theres reasons for everything,Im reaping mine right now.

Thanks Sharon!!

Forrest

[tnartist05]

Slowmover,Im gald you like the boot and the story behind it. Everything in life has a story,some are told where others are not. I just wish I could carve better than telling stories! lol

Thanks again for taken your time to view this old miners boot plus your nice thoughts.

Forrest

[tnartist05]

Hummm Kadiddle, I ate sums of that katie-did-little one time,I liked it! LOL Just kidding but Im not fooling around when I say,thank you for your nice comments on this miners boot plus liking his story.

Forrest

[draft51@aol.com]

Forrest,l loved the story, and the boot is perfect, seeing the size of it.I take my hat off to all coal miners. Its a dirty job, but it puts food on the table. Thanks ole friend, you do us all well. fred k

[Josef]

You are very prolific at carving out pieces of heart rending history with both your words and your carvings Forrest. I retract a statement I made in a much earlier post of yours where I mentioned that a little tuition in punctuation and spelling might turn you into a great storyteller. My friend, you just keep writing the way you are, because you have that something that noone on earth can teach. Your tales are perfect the way they are...from the heart. Bless you and keep you. Joe.

[hwallen48]

Forrest
Good looking boot you got there!!