This family bought five houses within a year, and saved a considerable sum besides.

The last information we had respecting them was that the father had become a contractor,--that he employed about sixty colliers and "reddsmen,"[1] and was allowed so much for every ton of coals brought to bank.

The sons were looking after their father's interests.

They were all sober, diligent, sensible men; and took a great deal of interest in the education and improvement of the people in their neighbourhood.
[Footnote 1: "Reddsmen" are the men who clear the way for the colliers.
They "redd up" the _debris_, and build up the roof (in the long wall system) as the colliery advances.] At the same time that these two families of colliers were doing so well, it was very different with the majority of their fellow-workmen.

These only worked about three days in every week.