Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1873-07-17
The Fourth Of July at Toll
mans Run. TO
ny g. ANNIE FROST.

| AASssA& ~ oWSAAs
4 ~% ny g. ANNIE FROST.
Il Akh 49, @E
"He's coward, Fan, a mean, con-
temptible eoward,''
Fannie Germaine made no reply
though the man thus stigmatized was
her own promised husband, and one
hour before she believed had won the
entire love of her ,yonng heart. There
were no especial points for comment in
the engagement OF Gardiner Forsythe
and Fannie Germaine; but the history
of their courtsh:p may be briefly sum-
med up. e E
Mr.. Germaine, Fannie's father, was
one Of prosperous mining company,
owning large property in the coal re-
gions near Pittsburg. His interest lay
in q district called Tollman's Run,
though no living man could say who
Tollman was, or whether there had ev-
er been any Run near the place. Toll
mans Run, however, was a name that
covered an immense tract of coal coun-
try, and included the village populated
by the miners and their families, and
the few more pretentious houses where
the members Of the company resided.
Gardiner Forsythe owned one of
these latter dwelling places, aad was
also one Of the company mining Toll
mans Run, but being a bachelor, the
young man boarded at the small but
comfortable hotel at L-o the nearest
railway station, an easy horseback ride
morning and evening from the office
where the company transacted business.
1t will readily be understood that the
advantages of social intercourse were
limited az Tollman's Rum, being, in
point of fact, confined strictly to the
interchange of courtesies amongst the
families of the company. In this small
circle Fannie Germaine was quite a.
belle, not only on account of her fa-
ther's prominence and wealth, but be-
cause the young lady herself was pref
Is and winning. rE III
Her slender, graceful figure was car
ried with an easy dignity, than suited
well the beauty of her oval face, with
its perfect, delicate features, raven hair,
and large soft eyes. She was well ed
ucated, and had that peculiar power
common to American girls-of adapting
the best of what she had read and stud
led. Her musical talent was very great
and had been. well cultivated. With |
her beauty, her tasteful dress, and her
accomplishments, Fannie was a queen
in her own little circle, and when Gar
diner Forsythe wooed and won her, the
rest of the clique agreed that the match |
was suitable one in all respects. For
Gardiner Forsythe, in his way, was as
prominent member of the TolIman's |
Run aristocracy as Fannie in hers. His |
share in the mining stock entitled him
TO place amongst wealthy men, and
he was considered rather philanthro-
pist amongst the miners.
He was tall, powerfully buiIt man.
whose face was pleasing, from its frank,
bright expression, without being regu-
lar in feature. His eyes were the best
of it-large and rather prominent, and
blue as child's. His hair was light
ill-natured folks said red-Fannie de-
clared golden; and he wore side whis-
kers cut in English fashion. But il his
face was open to a certain amount of
criticism, the same could not be said of
his figure. Fully six feet in height, he
was so perfectly proportioned that he
never appeared tall until he stood be-
side other men. In every manly ath-
letic exercise he had so perfected and
developed his natural advantages of
physical strength, that there were few
men around Tollman's Run who would
not have turned away from any scuffie
or trial OF muscle with Gardiner
Forsythe. .t
Yet as 4 man can scarcely live in
this wide world without enemies,
he marches forward in manly
or wriggles into and out
Of difficulties, so Gardiner Forsyths
had made one implacable enemy by the
very course that had also given linn
many friends.
Herman Clark was an Englishman,
from district where lie had superin-
tended coal mining for many years be-
fore coming to this country TO better
as he expressed it, insthe min
ing regions of Pennsylvania. He was
a giant in stature, and in heart tyrant
of the most brutal description. His Of
flee of superintendent gave him oppor-
tunities of oppression and exercise of
power, of which he availed himself to
an extent that had excited Gardiner
Forsythe's active indignation. a,A
Being the youngest member of the
though holding much of its
money power, Gardiner Forsythe had
at first taken lower seat in its councils,
and allowed what he had deemed older
and wiser heads to take the lead in the
arrangement of the mining interests.
But in little time his very youth and |
vitality asserted themselves above the
casy-going ways of his seniors, and lit
tie by little, the really active manage
ment of affairs fell under his direction.
Young, ardent, and generous, with his
fair betrothed to stimulate him by
her smiling sympathy in every noble
venture, he had set himself the difficult
task Of improving the condition Of the
miners, introducing all labor-saving
possibilities, arranging for better pro-
visions, improving the houses where
three or four families clustered under
one roof, and "upsetting things gene
rally" Herman Clark declared, at ey-
cry meeting of the managers.
1t was not matter for surprise that
the working portion of the community.
turned to Gardiner Forsythe for redress
from every tyrannical or unjust decree
of the bnrly superintendent, and that
the latter cherished every interference
of the former as personal affront. Bad
blood is so easy to start, SO hard to sub
due, and the courtesy Of the younger
man had but little effect in softening
the anger OF the older one.