Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-03-16
IN THE MABERLY MINE.

"John Wallace !" called the mine
superintendent through the speaking
pipe, "some visitors are comins down
in the cage. You will be kind enough
to show them through the tunnels"
"Visitors !" repeated to myself. II
must be lackey, too, as we'll as drudge
Well, so be it. It is only another straw
to the load am carrying. II it breaks
my back, 50 much the better. shall
be done with it"
The world has little respect for those
whose code OF honor leads them aside
from the broad highway OF common
place.
When, at my fathers death, finding
his estate heavily iucumbered, I had
deemed it my duty to place it at the
disposal of his creditors, found my
self, socially speaking, in ice water.
Those who had known me in my hap
pier days knew me no longer, and
houses where I had once been a vel.
come guest we're now as impenetrable
as their owners ignorance of my exist,
ence.
1 could have borne all this we'll
enough had only one home remained
open to me-the home Of Eve Onion.
In the days when her wealthy father
looked with favor upon the intercourse
of his daughter with tho landowners
son, l had some wild hopes about
her.
She was a beautiful girl-young, and
as had believed, sympathetic. had
believed, too, that had seen glimpses
Of something in her face that proved
my hopes not TO be so wild as they
seemed.
But that, too, was over. A polite
note from her father informed me that
his daughter could henceforth dispense
Rith my attentions; and. as I received
no intimation to the contrary from Eve
herself, l concluded she. too, had de.
clared my ostracism. After this I lost
hope, and made no attempt to better
my worldly condition.
left the village, and after two years
OF wandering, often in destitution,
stranded myself on the Maberly coal
mine as gang-master in the pits.
Our mine had doubtful reputation,
having been the scene o. several dis
tressing accidents. Consequently, we
were rarely troubled by visitors from
theupper earth.
This was q godsend to me. 1 could
manage 10 endure the life I was lead
ing only on condition OF not being too
frequently reminded OF the life from
which had been exiled. The idea OF
encountering persons whom 1 had
known in better times was a constant
terror to me.
II may be imagined, therefore, With
what feelings awaited the descent OF
the visitors who had been signaled from
above.
As the cage stopped upon the level
where / stood with my lamp in my
hand and the passengers alighted, |
recognized them with feelings OF down
right misery. ! saw before me the two
persons whom of all humanity had
least wished to meet-Eve Guion and
her father.
Had they heard OF my whereabouts
aud come TO witness my degradation
No. As cold and worldly as | believed
Eve to be, l could not imagine her ca.
pabIe Of such mean malice.
VINO could identify the name of gang.
master John Wallace with Wallace
Grover. ci-devant gentleman Be
sides, remembered that Mr. Ouiou
was q shareholder In the Maberly mine
1t was merely q simple Sightseeing
tour, after al.
Two years of hardship and che
growth OF heavy beard had changed
my appearance SO that / was sure
neither father nor daughter could pos
aibly recognize me.
with strict control over myself,
could show them through the mine and
dismiss them none the wiser. Nov
that they had come, too, | was glad ol