Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-08-30
THAN FICTION

| SIRANUEk THAN FICTION
Stray Leaves from Curious Histories-The
| Daughter of a Dun 9 tn Wife of Con-
nellsville Coal Miner-Royal'y in the
Abode of Poverty-The Pluck "f a High
| Born Lady-A Coal Miner" Who Was
Once Wealthy Pittsburgh Merchant
The Freaks of a Literary Adventurar.
Pittsburgh Dispatch.l
In any section of the country that is rap
idly developing mineral wealth, and conse-
quently inducing large influx of people of
all classes and from oil parts, there are to be
met with, more or fewer of this number in
whose history is to be found vein of real
romance to which that threadbare truism
that ''Truth is stranger than felton, can be
aptly applied. The great coke interests, to-
gether with the rapid development of the
mineral richness about Mt. Pleasant and
| Connellsville, is attracting large numbers,
| many Of whom are adventures, whose
| checkered lives would form the ground work
| for remarkable novels. Worry few, however,
even among the class in which circumstances
have placed her, know that
THE DAUGHTER OF DUKE,
| an Intelligent, high born lady, of aristocrat.
ic lineage, moves among them, the denizen
of a mining village, aud the inhabitaut of
| smoke-begrlmed. three. roomed cottage in
Westmoreland county, the wife of a humble
coal miner. The story of this lady was OBJ
tanned from friend of hers, who is fntly ac-
| quainted with the principal events 10 her
past history, having obtained them from the
lips of the lady herself. Her father, Ger
dr. o,,f 60 I,
years ago, loft her share of the Inheritance
in charge of an elder brother. Things
moved along smoothly for several years, dur
ing which she enjoyed all the Injuries of her
ducal home, though her share of the inheri-
tanoe was still manipulated by her brother,
who doled out to her small pittances when
she needed funds.
Finally the blow came, and scarcely two
years ago she found herself penniless, her
trusted brother having squandered al! her
property, as we'll as his own. Creditors de-
voured every thing that could be converted
into money, and she was thrown upon tb.,
world. Sickened with the treachery of
friends, she determined, with al irou will, to
make her own living, despite the fact that
the blue blood of the aristocracy flowed in
! her veins. And in pursuance of her deter
minatiOn, with what money and valuabas
she had of her own, in company with a fam
| lily of German emigran:s, she embarked on
an ocean steamer for the new world. 1t was
here she first
MET HER HUSBAND,
who like herself had left his father:and to
! fiud home in America.
| He was young man of sober, steady hab-
its, and though her inferior both in educa-
| md fo att ,,+o< RI
| by the friendless woman and before arriving
| in New York marriage engagement existed
| between them.
In the hurry and hustle of the metropolis
! both sought in vain for something to do, but
nothing being offered suitable to the young
woman's position she was compelled to seek
| work wherever it could be found. It WAS
during these dark days that the fortunes of
| the two beings so strangely met and so dis
similar in position were united, and the
daughter of the duke of the house of B.,
| became plain Mrs. C.. After their mar
rage the husband, thrifty and Industrious
though he was, found it impossible to keeI.
the wolf from the door, and with rare
pluck and energy the wife obtained posi-
ton az
| COOK IN A RESTAURANT.
| 1t was during this time that an agent of
several large firms in the Connellsville coke
region visited New York for the purpose of
obtaining men to fill the places of the strik-
ing miners in the recent troubles in these
coal fields, and among the number who ob-
tanned situations was Mr.. G. few months
ago they arrived at Mt. Pleasant,
having no personal possessions what.
ever beyond their clothing and. taking
one of the vacant cottages, the ooupls
settled down to the monotonous routine of
daily life in the coal region. There is a
marked contrast bet the department of
Mrs. G. and the average miners wife, which
is a matter of comment by many who are
| unacquainted with her p,st. Dressing neat
", of refined appearance and intelligent
conversation, a scrupulousIy neat ousekeep-
er, even mid the dirt and smoke of her sur
roundings, this aristocratic yet humble
woman honors the position in which hard
fate has placed Ter.
As to the above facts, ample proof eau be
given as to their truth, though our reporter
has, wi Il due regard to the feelings of both
parties, withheld the names. As another in
stance of the cruel fate to which fortune
the tickle goddess, has consigned some, is
the case of man,
ONCE WEALTHY PITTSBURGH MERCHANT,
who for several years has labored early and
late in the damp recesses of a coal mine far
under ground, earnings living for his family
that were. not many years ago, numbered
among the fashionable of the Smoky CITY.
His place of business was at one time upon
the corner of Smithfeld street and Second
avenue, afterwards upon Water street, where
he did business of 100000 year in the
wholesale grocery trade. Business reverses
however, visited him, his wealth melted from
his grasp together with the home comforts
and luxaries which he had so long enjoyed
and after many severe trials and severer re
butts in various other channels of business
in which be engaged, he finally drifted into
the coke country few years ago, where he
has since remained. His family, which con
sists of several children rapidly approaching
manhood and womanhood, are yet sangulne
that there is a better day il
store for them, and that through indomitablt
energy, . virtue that is characteristic with the
father, thsy will YET regain position in life