The Republican journal., 1885-08-27


Jove! | believe | have it with me now,
as The other night | took it to show to a
friend and afterwards stuck it carelessly
in my pocket. | hope | haven't lost it.
No here it is and from the inside pock-
ct of his coat Norton drew forth tiny
paper bundle, which upon beng opened
displayed to the curious gaze Of the
newspaper boys that mysterious article
of feminine apparel The ribbon was
faded, but the silver clasps were bright
as new. After it had passed the round
of inspection, Norton tenderly folded it
up and placed it back in his pocket.
Boys, said he, my story is ended If
any of you can find the match to that
trinket it may lead you to the best
special you ever struck.
Frank, | believe you're in love with a
garter, said Kennedy. Boys, let's have
a good night toast to Sir Francis Norton,
the gallant knight of the garter,
The toast was drank with gusto, and
in short time the little company of
newspaper correspondents were slowed
away under blankets and dreaming of
Specials and genuine sensations.'
When our friends were awakened at
seven o'clock the next morning-a most
untimely hour for a worker on morning
newspaper to rise-they found a regular
mountain blizzard raging. 1t was not
quite light yet, but the shaking of the
windows by the furious gusts of wind
and the rattle Of the hail on the glass
panes told the story of the clash of ele-
mentS without.
Bah what beastly place to be in
this kind of weather. grOWled one of the
party.
And just to think, put in Kennedy,
as he drew on his long boots. that we've
got to wade around on these mountains
in the snow and slush all day looking iOr
news, and precious little We'll tind-that's
my opinion
They were soon dressed and down in
the big dining room, eating hot corn
cakes and sausage, while the rough
| looking men at the other tables eyed
them curiously and half suspiciouslv,
especially the friends of the striking
miners, who appeared to think that the
well-dressed city chaps with boiled shirts
could be none other than cohorts of the
hated capitalists and mine operators.
Breakfast over, the correspondent
started out to learn the situation. Sew
eral of them went off singly, each taking
! his own course, while the rest went to-
gether. Frank Norton and Will Kennedy
were of the latter They first visited the
office Of the coal company, and from one
OF the 0VeFseers OF The mines learned that
all was quiet some new imported labor
| had gone in to work, and more We're eX-
pected from New York in few DAYS.
'Of course, those fellows picture every
thing calm and peaceful to the news
! paper men, said Kennedy, but if they
think reporters are going to be gulled
into telegraphlng to their papers that
| perfect harmony exists at the mines in
the Corning district, they very much
mistake this crowd
Right You are, laughed Norton. Two
sides of a story are always better than
one, We'll go up to the old Fort as
they call it, place where vile liquor is
deaed out to the dusky diggcrs, and
where the strikers form their plans.
The Old Fort was certainly a rickety-
looking establishment. The boys enter
ed, and found some eight or ten miners
sitting on the benches ranged against the
wall. The floor was covered with d COM
binaton Of sand and tobacco juice. The
bar-keeper, or rather proprietor, Of the
place. without asking the new -comers
what they would have or whether they
wanted to drink, instinctively placed a
black bottle on the bar and tumblers or
Whiskey glasses, the bottoms of which
were about two inches thick and afford
ed very little space for the fiery 1t
was evident that Mr. Muhaney, the own
er of the old Fort had an eye to bus-
ness; and did not want to deal out his
lightning in too large bolts. His economy,
while it did not save the miners dimes,
no doubt prolonged their lives. Norton
and bis friends stepped up to the bar,
told Mr. Mulhaney who they were, and
he, calling the miners up, said
Boys, here's some reporters who have
come all the way up from Philadelphia
and Baltimore to learn about your
| troubles
one of the miners, apparently leader
among bis class, extended his hand to
| Norton, who shook it warmly, and then
invited them all to take a drink The
miners soon became sOciable. ScoWs
| gave way to smiles on the faces Of several
of the natives, who at first had not greet
ed our friends visit with any pleasure,
and the miners were soon explaining
how they had been cut down 10y the
operators, and when they struck for their
old rates, foreign labor was put in their
place in the mines.
The strike had thus far been of short
duration, but they did not know how
long it would last. They declared that
they had been misrepresented in some of
the reports sent out, as they had no in
tention of using violence with the new
miners, unless the latter should, after
having the matter fully explained to
! them, continue to work at the reduced
wages, and, aS one OF the miners remark
ed, take the bread out of our mouths.
If they do this, thea they have got to
| leave the district, or there will be trouble.
We can stand the strike some time; we
are supplied with enough funds by the
Knights OF Labor to hold out, and we are
going to hold ont till we win
AS to their future plans or meetings
the miners would say nothing, but would
only talk Of the situation in general
way
While the miners were talking, the
door OF the tavern opened, and a young
| girl entered. She was a saucy-looking,
black eyed lass, of an age ranging from
sixteen to twenty, and was clad in a
faded calico dress and a dark gray shawl
protected her head and shoulders from
the cold and sleet.
Before the reporters had time to furth
er inspect this rough diamond Of the
coal regions she exclaimed: Say, dad
mothers been waiting for you to come
home for some time. There's miner as
comes from Pittsburg who wants to see
you-something about the strike, sup
pose How're you, Bill 2 she said, as,
concluding the message to her father,
she addressed one of the other younger
miners.
How dye do, Jennie, returned the
miner, as he grasped her hand and gave
it a rough but kindly shake. Getting
ready for Christmas baking cake and
boiling taffy
NO, indeed, Bill. Now, what's the
use Of you talking that way You know
dad amt got no extra money. Not
much Christmas for US, Bill and sad
expression came over the girls face.
Come, my gall said the miner she
had addressed as her father, and whom
his companions called jim Clarkins, and