Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-08-15
EVENING STAR.
THE MINERS DAUGHTER.

THE MINERS DAUGHTER.
The banks Of the Irving, on the northern
| borders Of Cumberla ndshire. have been long
famed as containing abundance of the richest
| and most valuable minerals. At one particu.
lar part, a few miles from the source of the
river, the banks rise abruptly, and huge preci-
| pices overhang the stres N which brawl and
foams beneath, forcing its way over fragment,
Of rocks, which from time TO time, have been
| hurled from the precipices on either side, al.
| most damming up the course of the water
In the northern side of this part Of the river
huge cavern is pointed out, which goes by
the name of King Arthur's Cave; and a ira.
| dition is still preserved amongst the inh abit.
ants of that neigh borhood, that the cclebrs.
| ted King Arthur within whose hereditary do.
mains this cave was situate6-derved q great
| portion Of bis wealth therefrom, which ena-
bled him to keep up the dignity of his court
and to reward the valor Of his knights of the
Round Table. This cavern was long looked
| upon with suspicious dread by the surroand
ing peasantry, who still believed that King
Arthur and his chiValry, surrounded by all the
spell and powers Of faiTyland, continued to
hold unearthly revels within its darksome re-
| cesses; and a proverb was carefully handed
down from father to son, which ran thus
He who has the soul to brave
-Four week s toll In Arthur's cave
And strikes an axe In Arihur's ring
SndH roll In inches like a king
| From the mouth of this cavern, on a bright
| sunny morning in the month of August, 1888.
there issued three men. They were clad in
the dress Of miners, but their bearing showed
them to be infinitely superior to the common
! class of workmen. Deep detection and disap-
| continent were strongly marked in the coun-
tenance OF all the three, as they paused on
| the broad green bank in front of the cavern
| aid rested for while on their wor king impls.
nents. After short pause, the eldest of the
three broke silence
"Well, my friends, L would not advise YOU
to act too rashly in this affair. 1t is true that
we have labored in this cave for four weeks,
| and met with nothing but loss and disap-
pointment; yet there is something whispers
to me, that by perseverance We will overcome
all our difficulties"
"Adam Lee" responded one of his compan-
| ions, rather sharply, "we have INDUCED too
| long In these fallacious hopes. For four
weeks, late and early, have We toiled wasting
| our substance and our energies, and all in
| vain. For my part will persevere no longer
in it; so give up the lease, say L. What say
you, George :" he added, addressing his third
companion.
the party addressed was resting in a mel
ancholy mood on the shaft of his pick-axe,
and heaving deep sigh, he answered
F" L am OF your opinion, Ralph. We have
fought all this time among hard granite
rocks. where nothing can be got For my own
part almost think shame to enter my ewn
| house, as night after night hear my poor
wife put the Oft-repeated question Of Well,
George, what speed to-day" And when /
| shake my head, to see her melancholy look, as
she glances round on the poor children why,
feel as If 1 were like to choke. No, no; it
won't do. Let US labor elsewhere, and give
up the lease, say u
+" But there is a tuelvemonth of il to run, .
! urged Adam Lee; and in that time we may
have all the success that our hearts could pos
| sibly desire"
"It is of no use talking any more about the
matter, responded his companions. "Give
up the lease at once y -g .-
But suppose it should not be taken off our
hands, ," said Adam
"Our young landlord is a kind and gsner-
Gus hearted man" replied Ralph; ''and when
We explain our bad fortune TO him we have
| no doubt that he will at once take the lease off
our hands; SO let US give it up instantly y
| "Well, well, F" said Adam Lee" will not
stand in your way; so let US give up the lease
with all my heart. -
| So saying, be turned, and taking q long and
| mournful look at the cavern which yawued
| before him" Thou old jade :" he said, apes-
| trOphising its L had hoped to have a snug
| and comtOftable livelihood from thee, but
| thou hast disappointed all my hopes. Never
mind, he added more cheerfulIy-" Plague
take it! I'll have slap once more at thee,
for auld lang syne" So saying he raised
| his pickaxe, and, bounding forward, struck il
| with herculean force deep into the rock at the
| side Of the cave. With such strength was
the blow given, that the very rock shook and
seemed yielding, and his friends shouted in
| dismay.
| Back, Adam back, for Gods sake See,
the rock is giving away"
i With "A violpnt wrench. Adam hrou ynt he
| pickaxe home again but losing his balance,
| staggered a considerable distance backwards
and fell upon hand and knee. Ii was provi-
Dental for him that he did go, Tor what ap-
pesred at first to be the face Of a solid rock,
proved nothing more than loose fragments Of
slate and blaise, overgrOwn with moss and
| linchin, so that the wrench, in pulling back
the pickaxe, had loosened the whole mass
and brought it laundering down, raising d
cloud of dust which almost blinded Adam and
| his friends. On recovering from their alarm,
the first impulse of Ralph and George was to
hurry to the assistance Of Adam Lee but
ere they reached him he sprang lightly to his
feet, and with rapturous shout pointed ts
| the face Of the rock which was now laid bare.
| Look there look there" he exclaimed.
81 knew that we should find it at last"
| The friends looked round, and, to their
| amazement, beheld the whole face Of the rock
| shining with the most dazzling brilliancy
and, as the sunbeams cleaned upon it, the
whole rock seemed glowing with gorgeous
| ness which rooted the on lockers to the spot
as they gaIed in silent wonder at the brilliant
| sight before them.
''Heaven be praised :" said George, as b,
recovered from his fit Of amaEement-"Heav-
on be praised this is a blessing unlocked for
and unhoped for" j.
| "Heaven be praised, indeed :" rejoieed
| Adam Lee-"f for Heaven alone has led US {,
the discovery of this treasure. "Wel, my
f! friends" he added, in a cheerful tone Of voice
-" will we give up the lease now"
| mo, no :" was the eager responss.
| "You forget" said Adam, " that our lease
only embraces the working in the cave not
an inch beyond it -
"Most true" was the sorrowful answer
/" But with so much wealth before us, what
can we do?
Listen" said Adam. "I will go to young
| Squire Ornton-I will tell him of our pas
misfortunes and our present success, and soli
cit him to grant US a fair lease of all the min
erals in his land at good lordship; it will b
| honaAo;al to all partiea What fhink vnu q.