Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-03-17
ANNA CARTER.

WAS walking In chestnut Street, In
the great mining camp on the carbon
ates. had been crowded by the dense
throng from the sidewalk into the street.
A galloping horse was jerked back on
his launches by my side. An active
figure sprang from the saddle, and be-
fore me stood Henry Watson, with out
stretched hand. Clasping palms, we
gazed at each other for an instant.
Then he said, am very glad to see you.
This is not place to greet each other
at the Occidental Hotel. will wait for
you there this evening" The pressure
of our hands frightened for an instant.
He leaped ON his horse. saw the spurs
stuck into the animals side, and, with
great leap, the horse bounded up the
hill on gallop.
That evening we dined together. At
ter supper, drawing his chair nearer to
mine as though in need of aid or sympa-
thy, he, in a low voice told me of his life.
you remember that left the Sandy
Run coal mines, where we worked to-
gether, because I saw the specters of the
Welsh miners who were killed in
the gangway by the explosion of gas,
and went into the anthracite regions. l
was refused work at the first mine I
stopped at, and decided to walk over
the mountains to another mine. start
ed on my journey through the woods
early in the morning. Walking briskly
I was at the summit of the divide by
noon. l saw a column of smoke rising
from the valley, several miles to the
south of where I was standing, and l
knew it marked the location of the mine.
Resuming my walk, I descended the
rugged timber-clad mountain TANKS
obliquely. After walking few hours 1
came to an irregular cottage, made by
standing oak slabs, with the rough bark
on them, upright in the lean, rocky soil,
in a small enclosure. The cottage and
surrounding fence were covered with
vines, bright with many flowers. A
well-beaten path led from the house to
huge moss-grown rock short distance
to one side. Directly beneath, in tie
valley, stood the plant of a great mine.
Clustered around the mine-buildings
were irregular rows of shabby houses,
that I well knew we're foul with smoke
and coal dust. A railroad terminated
at the breaker in a couple of tracks and
huge Y. / heard the voice of a woman
singing an old English ballad. I turned
to the quarter the voice came from and
saw graceful girl walking from the
house down the path. She had a water
bucket in her hand. A desire to board
at the house made of slabs took posses
sion of me. I grew thirsty, also. Ris-
ing, I shouldered my sack of tools and
walked rapidly to the rock. The woman
did not see me until l was within ten
feet of her. To my surprise, saw a
young and handsome woman who had
lon
thirsty. I spoke respectfully to her,
asking the name of the mine below US.
There was quick look of alarm in her
blue ewes as she looked at the canvas
sack that laid carefully on the rock.
She raised her eyes to my face when
she heard my question, and answered
me pleasantly. I asked her name.
sAnna Carter she replied. Then I
asked if I could get board at her
fathers house. Quickly she looked
at nae. Her eyes filled with tears as she
replied: 'I have no father. He is dead"
She would ask her mother if might
board with them, adding frankly that
they were very poor, and the money I
paid them for my board would be q
great help TO them. We went to the
house. Her mother was a thin, wan
woman of about forty-fve, evidently
greatly shaken. She sat in low arm
Chair by an open window. Her thin
hands were crossed in her lap. Her
hair was gray. There was an absent,
PARKWAY expression in her eyes and on
her face. She impressed me as one
patiently waiting for the coming of
death. She listened to my request, and
turning to her daughter said, He can
live with us if you desire it, Anna
With a pleased look the girl said she
thought it best, and showed me little
room that she said was to be mine.
Not doubling that I could get work, 1
paid Anna two months board in advance,
and promising to be back by dark, went
down to the superintendent Office in
the VILLAGE. To nv great astOnishment,