The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1878-02-28
VOLUME XVII.
AN D,oH,s.nsr ABvEsrraS

4 Daring the Lincoln eampAign the Re-
I publican Committee Of fsnnsylvAnla
we're troubled 10 set competent speakers
who would dare Addrvss the miners In
The Molly Mcguire coal districts, Around
PoltHville u was absolutely dangerous for
any man 10 make a speech IN favor o. The
Republican candidates. Some one sug.
gosted Mlss Dickinsous name, A. she
was becoming frmoua. She vas looked
upon As poor Elrl used 10 .hs hardships
Of travel, aud they offered hsr The coal
mine district TO practice on, She needed
money aud accepted The bravo and
+ chivalrons gentlemen who claimed 10 rep
resent tho intelligence and morality OF
PennsylvAulA laughed among themselves
and called The bargain good Job. No
man could be hired TO enter the danger
Gus region aud make a telling speech.
The poor girl packed hcT soaniy ward.
robe and started for the seal Of war. On
the cars she had an intimalion tha, shs
was going 10 imperil her life II not lose Il.
Strange TO say, just before the train
reached the town where she was going to
speak, . member OF the committee re-
pented, and telcgrAphcd her to return.
| lie urged that the risk was too great.
She reflected moment aud said 10 her,
self that the cause was just, Some one
must make the sacrifice. II she returned
the defeat would be hers. She might as
well lay down her life for her principles
frat as last. She crumped the despatch
into her pocket and went on. Those
who have not been IN the back mining
towns OF the anthracite coal regions eau
have little idea OF the dangers that infeas
that locality In times Of political excite
ment. Hundreds Of men are thrown Into
the pits every year or assassinatedt Ia the
mines, and only vague, horrible rumors
reach the valleys below. A mining town
has no police, no refuge for the stranger
who does not agree with the men who
furnish light for tho world. The places
OF public meeting arc dark, dismal and
black with coal dust. The miners crowd
In I'll the benches and door are packed
with them.
When Miss Dickinson reached the
place where she was to speak, The hall
was filed with a motley crowd. II was
with difficulty that she made her way to
the speakers stand. A dark mass ofup.
turned faces stared at her In silence. She
began. Not q muscle moved. But whom
she made point In favor Of tho war and
the Union, they broke into sneers aud In.
sulting epithets. With solemn aud digni-
fed demeanor, she hurled back argument,
mingled with sarcasm, that moved them
TO silence. There she stood young girl
among thousand rough and brutal men
She felt that to leave the hall alive she
must conquer them. The dark faces grew
pale as her eloquence increased, and the
struggle between her mind and theirs
was so terrible and painful that she
thought she was going TO lose control OF
her brain.
Suddenly powerful, thick-set man, a
leader Of the despcradoos, raised himself
from the floor and hoarsoly cried-Stop
where you are or will shoot you dead,
and he pointed the muzzle of his revolver
towards her face.
Every eyo In the house was fixed on tho
girl, who continued speaking while she
looked with undaunted gaze into the five
chambers OF death.
The last warning, he said, ONE, two,
three, bang.
The bullet entered the wall abont two
feet from her head. She cav that her
supreme hour had come. She never fa-
tered, but with clenched hands and In
spired face she poured out the eloquence
Of her soul for her country aud the men
who we're fighting for Il.
There was brief, ominous pause, then
the man slowly raised his weapon again.
This time shall take sure aim. give
you another chance. One--two-t three.
The ball passed 80 near her face that
she felt the wind OF II, but with mighty
effort she stood nnmoyed andsber voice
rang with terrible palhos. Suppressed
breathings OF the listeners could DO heard
at the end Of her sentences, but neither
the bully nor the speaker flncbed A
strange aud awfal cAImness came over
her, aud her eyes bluzed fire. Some OF
the miners rose TO their feet, bat her sub
lime genius transfixed them on the spot.
Once more the man with the revolver
slowly raised biz arm again and deadly
pollor came to bic face. lie pointed the
cecked pistol directly into the giFps face.
This time shall shoot you dead. One
two--three. With the crash Of the ex-
ploslon, lock OF curly black hair fell
from her head to the floor, but her voice
never broke. MyGod, boys, that woman
speakes the truth.
In an instant twenty men were around
her, with the bully st their head. They
carried her through the town As II
she was some superior being Jast sent
down from Heaven, and they made Eol.
emn oath to kill the frat man who laid
hands on her.