The Sunday herald., 1881-02-13
ANNA CARTER.


/ was walking in Chestnut street, in the
great mining camp on the carbonates. had
been crowded by the dense throng from the
sidewalk into tho street. galloping horse
was jerked back on his launches by my sde
An active figure sprang from the saddle, and
before me stood Henry Watson, with out
stretched hands. Clasping palms, we gazed
at each other for an instant. Then he said,
am very glad to see you. This is not a
place TO greet each other after thirteen years
separation. am at the Occidental Hotel.
l will wait for you there this evening. The
pressure Of our hands lightened for an in
stant. He leaped on his horse. | saw the
spurs struck into the animals side, and,
with great leap, the horse bounded up the
hill on gallop.
That evening we dincd together. The
meal over, Watson suggested that we should
walk. Putting on our overcoats, we stepped
| into the stream Of pushing, struggling men
that moved past the hotel doors. We walked
slowly until we came to q cross street
that led to the hills where the mines are.
| Turning into it we walked briskly up the
| mountain slope toward the pine forest. In
the edge of the timber We seated ourselves
on a fallen tree and talked far into tho
| night.
To the west the snowy crest of the Third
Range gistened in the light of q glowing
| October moJn There was dark horizontal
| line, drawn by the hand of nature, on the
| deeply. .channeled hanks of the mighty
range that marked the limit--thc deadly
| breath of the Arctic winds--set to the en-
| croachment of the hardy mountain pines
| Eastward the Second Range loomed glooinily
against the horizon. The glare of many
| flaming furnaces failed to relieve the dark
ness in the valley below us. There was a
glimmer of lights in the cahon whore the
great mining camp lay. Minglng with the
sad signing of the gently waving pine
boughs, but as sharply separated and de-
fined as chords in music, was the distant,
subdued hum ofearly jewellers who thronged
| the narrow streets of the town below. There
had been great F" find that day, and the
camp was wild with excitement. The sigh
ing of the pines depressed me. said so to
| Watson, and he rose instantly, saying,
Let us go the hotel.' We walked down
the mountain side, picking our way care
| fully through the opens where the forest
had been slain to satisfy the ever-growing
| demand of the mines for timber. A veil of
| light clouds had been drawn across the sky.
Another, and far thicker one, was rapidly
pushing up from behind the Third Range,
and threatened to deprive us of the faint
uBnt tHe InOOn Stlll aHorueu. we were
among the miners. The sounds produced by
the clang of plunger pumps, the creaking of
hoisting machinery the gurgling Of water !;
the sharp tinkling of bells hanging in en-
| gine rooms. as they rang in answer to pit
men pulling far down into the earth, were
about us. The moon was hidden by the
second veil. 1t was very dark and chilly on
the side of the high mountain. We passed
beyond the active mines. We missed our
path. Sharply rang the challenge, "Who
comes there ?'' from sentinel who lurked
invincible in tiny redoubt thrown up to
defend the ownership of disputed mine.
:" Drop behind a stump Watson whispered
to me as he disappeared from my side. The
click, click of rifle cooked sounded omin-
ously. Again the voice rang out sharply,
angrily, "Who comes there ?'' l also
dropped behind a stump. l could hear the
quick breathing of my comrade, and was
surprised at his apparent nervousness. He
knew the invisible sentinel could not pos
sibly see the sights of his rifle, much less see
us. Silently we lay ON the earth for few
minutes. Then for third time the challenge,
slightly varied, was sternly repeated, Who
lies there? Answer, or l will fire." In
stantly my comradc answered, Henry
Watson and friend. Don't shoot, Fred
Haskell"
| 1ucTc was u SilSht ptusc, llcu III All caSci
pleased voice, the sentinel said: Z" Is it you
Watson Come to me-" We arose up and
walked to the redoubt. There was shak.
ing of hands through little embrasure
Then the sentinel said "You are cold, Of
course, will not detain you here talking
You have missed the trail Keep more tc
the right and you will come to it. Go to the
Tennessee Rooms and wait for me. will bt
off duty little after midnight, and will join
you there" We found the trail, and were
soon in Leadville's great gambling rooms
Securing chairs, we drew them to window
My comrade was still nervous, and ap
parently occupied with painful thoughts.
beckoned to waiter and ordered som,
whisky and cigars. We drank the liquor
and when our cigars were glowing Watson
said, laying his hand lovingly on my shoul
der: I'VE were boys together playing il
the streets of a city by the Hudson. W.
were soldiers together serving on the sam
piece of artillery, and after the war w
worked together in the coal mines of Penn
sylvania for our daily bread.' He ceased
talking for an instant, then musingly re
marked: 81 do not believe that man eve
forms real friendship for another.man afte
he is thirty years old. have many friend
in the Rocky mountains, but do not fee
toward them as / do toward you and Free
Haskell Meeting you two has brought bacl
to me viyidly the memories of the sweetes
and the bitterest days of my life." Draw
ing his chair nearer to mine as though i
need of aid or sympathy he in q low vote
told me of his life.
"You remember that left the Sandy Ru
coal mines, wherew we worked together, becaus
saw the spectres of the Welsh miners VIII
, were killed in the gangway by the explosio
J of gas, and went into the anthracite regions
/ was refused work at the first mine stoppe
at, and l decided to walk over the mountain
to another mine. ! started on my journe
through the woods early in the mornin,
Walking briskly, was at the summit OF til
divide by noon. saw q column of smol,
rising from the valley, several miles to tn
south of where was standing, and kne
it marked the location of the mine. Resum
ing my walk, descended the rugged timber
\ clad mountain flanls obliquely. After wall
i ing few hours / came to an irregull
cottage, made by standing oak slabs, wit
the rough bark on them, upright in lea
rocky SOIL in small inclosure. The cottae
and surrounding fence were covered wit
vines, bright with many flowers. A wei
beaten path led from the house to hul
: moss grown rock short distance to one sid
Directly beneath, in the valley, stood IL
plant of great mine. Clustered around II
mine buildings We're irregular rows Of shabl
houses, that ! well knew were foul wit
smoke or coal dust. A railroad terminate
at the breaker in a couple OF tracks and
Y huge Y. heard the voice OF woman sin
ing an old English ballad. turned TO Il
quarter the voice came from, and saw grac
full girl walking from the house down Il
path. She had a water bucket in her han
A desire to board at the house made OF slal
took possession of me. grew thirsty, ais
Rising, shouldered my sack OF tools al
walked rapidly to the rock. The woman
L, not see me until was within ten feet Of he
To my surprise, instead Of seeing the ign
rant daughter Of an Irish miner, | saw
young and handsome woman who had
intelligent face. was no longer thirsty.
spoke respectfully to her, asking the nan
OF the mine below US. There was quiz
look Of alarm in her blue eyes as she look
up at the canvas sack that ! laid careful
3 OH the rock. She raised her eyes to my ia
when she heard my question: and answer
me pleasantly. But there was a trouble
anxious look ON the fair face that cou
| 4