The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-10-24

eel know thar's danger, but father
won't heed il, 80 I've given up my place,
and stay at home to watch and try to
save the children If il comes. You're
very good to say I might keep the baby,
but / promised mother I'd take keer O.
them all, Thar'll be nothin' left if yer
go, but no smart young feller oughter
stay here, and it's no use O. yer waitin'
any longer for me-
"But John put his arms bout her,
and began talkin' 30 low couldn't hear,
yet knew he was tryin' to coax her to
give in and go Monday. I could see
her face grow whittier and whittier yet she
alters shook her head, till at last he lost
his temper, and pushin' her roughly
from him, said, in an angry voice, Il
believe you've been foolin' me and real
ly mean to marry that drinkin' Tom
Taylor, as soon as my back is turned I
"She denied it but he replied, that
Taylor was alters visitin' their house,
her father boasted of his marryin' her,
and the only way she could prove she
hadn't been playin' him false was to go
with him Monday, or he wouldn't an
swer for the consequences.'
"My blood was gettin' up, but I
waited to see what she'd do. She stood
perfectly still, and stared at him with a
scared look in those great sorrowful
eyes, then sprang away and ran with all
her might back to her own home. I
kept out O. sight till after dark, then
went to her window and locked in.
"She had the young uns all seated at
supper, with the baby asleep on her lap.
Thar wasn't much to eat, and they soon
cleared the plates, and none noticed
that she didn't take her share. Her
father was cursin' and swearin' at her,
and the children all quarrelin' together;
but she didn't seem to hear any of 'em,
and I'll never forget, sir, the look OF
pain in her eyes.
81 could hardly keep from goin' in
and silencin' her father. l ives nigh as
mad at John Pearson, for his cruel
threats most broke her heart, though
they couldn't make her break her prom
Use. But I know'ds I'd only make mat
ters wuss, so went home and relieved
my mind, talkin' it all over with my old
| woman.
"'Bout twelve o'clock that night,
arter Kate had finished her work, she
went to the door to look out. 1t was
very dark and cold, and as she stood
thar the ground seemed to quake be.
meath her.
"She started with fright, for she
ms, the miners call 'em. She turned
when she heerd dull heavy thud, and
then low distant rumblin'.
"She instantly ran next door, gave a
| III 10
(who lived thar to get up at once and
give the alarm Jr she was sure thar
was goin' to be !. cave-in.
| "He cnme to tho window half asleep,
and told her she'd been dreamin' ; but
his ear, too, caught that rumblin' noise.
| and at once KNOWN the danger, he
woke up his wife, and they dressed and
ran out And they were none too soon,
sir, for the whole surface suddenly drop
ped down from five to seven feet, takin'
the houses with it.
"Of course those who were in 'em
we're terribly frightened, and rushed
out, men, women and children, just as
they woke up, screamin' and fyin' in all
directions.
"Bill Myers first thought was for
Kate and the young uns, for the roof of
their house had instantly crushed in.
But she had 'em all in a group outside,
clingin' to her, the baby in her arms,
and lighted lantern at her feet Bill
caught up the two boys and said to
Kate
"'We must hurry out O. this quick
as we can but which way shall we go?
"The path up the mountain I'll
hold the lantern all follow 1 she cried,
running ahead, while crowd rushed
arter her.
Suddenly she stopped and gave
loud cry, for throwin' her lantern for
ward, she saw wide seam, into which
we would all have fallen but for her
light. Every one pushed to the edge
and looked into the black pit, which, I
believe, opened to the lowest vein, three
hundred and fifty feet
"The faces were white with terror
that the lantern shone on, but Kate
turned quickly and said:
"Follow me 1 know another way
"Yet We soon found that this was not
the only seam, but many more were
opening, as if made by an earthquake,
and down one of these Coal creek poured
its whole stream into the mines beneath,
and it was fearful to hear it hiss and
roar through the assures of the disturbed
rocks.
"Some of the people were so scarf
they became perfectly crazy, and would
have run right into it but for Kate's
GOODNESS and Bill Myers threats if they
didn't obey orders. They two went
ahead with the lantern, and found that
the seams all opened from east to west,
so by movin' south, they brought the
whole party safely out O. the sunken
portion to the high land opposite us.
81 can tell yer, sir, it was good to
feel the solid rocks beneath yer feet,
and know there was no deep pits that
might at any moment yawn open and
swallow yer up.
"All this happened in very little
while, though it 'peared like lifetime
since I'd been on that mountain before.
"We were cold, miserable set that
crowded into a little vacant hut. Some
of the men built rousin' fire outside,
and when we talked the matter over,
Bill Myers and two other chaps set off
by roundabout path to reach this
breaker for yer see, sir, we feared that
thirty men were shut up in the mines,
for none could tell how great the crush
was inside, and we knew the stream was
rapidly ioodin' the different tunnels.
"You want to know if these men es-
caDed Wal I'Il tell YER hou aonoa re-