The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-10-14
DIAM OND PIT
BY NINA EDGEC0MBE.

The village of Diamond Pit was ia an up.
roar. Wild Dan had escaped. Diamond Pit
was a large coal mine, and Wild Dan was the
. greatest desperate of the place. pretty
picturesque village IL was, though situated in
q wild, almost desolate region, between two
hills; the nearest town was fully fifteen miles
of, anG the nearest city quite fifty. Diamond
Pit was but Il little village as yet, boasting OF
but one store, which sold everything and
doctor who, having very little work to do in
his profession, eked out living by working
IN the coal mine. There were two really
good houses, and the rest were merely Gotta.
ges, occupied by the miners and their fami-
lies. One of these houses was a roomy affair
of brick, and 1t dwelt Mr.. Allen Daventry, a
man between fifty aud sixty, the owner of the
"Diamcnd Pit coal Mines" his son, young
Allen" as he was called, a wild boy Of nine
teen, up TO all kinds of mischief and the oyer
seer of the mines, who was distant relative
of the family, William Cortland by name.
Years before these coal mines were discovered
Mr. Daventry's eldest son, boy Of fifteen
then, had run away from his home, so, as they
never heard of him, and folks said he was
dead, young Allen would have all the proper
ty at his father death.
The other good house was of numbering
stone, and as dark inside as 1t was outside.
The former overseer OF Diamond Pit had liv-
ed here and now his widow and child still
occupied it, for Mrs. Wilmer had no other
friends or home she likod better than those
in the little village Widow Winners hus.
band had been dead two years, and rumor al
Dimond Pit said there were plenty who would
like 10 consol her for the loss of her first, in
the character OF q second husband. Rumor
said, too, That she had refused the wild son of
Mr. Dayentrv. II gave out most conflicting
reports that Widow Wilmer was docking out
for higher game" meaning MIR. Daventry
himself 1t SAID that If Will Cortland wanted
her, he could have her for the asking, and
lastly, that Wild Dan had threatened to shoot
her if she married any one but HIM. In short,
to tell the truth, little golden.haired, sweet
faced Kate Wilmer was coquetle-a perfect
one.
Her little daughter was nearly eighty ears
old; she was the pet of the whole village,
the sunshine Of the gloomy old home in which
she lived Kate she had been called, but
Pansey was the pet name given her by her
dead father, because of the magnificent pur-
pie pansey tint Of her eyes, which she in
herited from her mother, and as Pansey she
was known throughout the village.
Five years before Wild Dan had solicited
work In Mr.. Daventry's mines. He was at
first usually silent, working Industrously.
He said nothing of his past life: he told the
miners 90 call him Dan" Who he was no
one knew. Diamond Pi, rumor. though, as
serted he had been up to every kind of wick.
edness-even murder; In fact, that he was
hiding there 10 escape the hounds of justice
who searched for him. At any rate, he he.
hayed as bad as possible at Diamond Pit
after awhile, and the miners, after tolerating
him as long as they could, informed him, in a
body, they'd stand him no longer, and he'd
better quit"
So he went, but The next year lie was back
again, and Mr.. Wilmer, the overseer, then re
conclled the miners TO him. After Winners
death, Wild Dan became more aud more un-
ruly. Two or three times the new oyersaer,
Will Cortland, turned him away, and as many
times took him on again. In this way he
hung around the village till he ended in pro
posing marriage 10 Kate Wilmer, who listen
ed in utter establishment, and then bursting
into a ripping, silvery laugh, asked him in
saucy and rather tanning way:
aAre you crazy Dan, IL the first place
where is your money TO support wife? And
in the second place, look ihere.' pointing e
small mirror.
He looked at her. faint frown darkeninl
his already too dark face.
81 know I'm not handsome" he said, I
strange look coming INFO his eyes as he added
@but could make you richer Than the riches
hereabouts, Kate
"The man Is insane" said Kate to..herself
and then she only laughed Of him and sen
him of.