Daily Republican., 1885-07-15
The Coal Miners Love,
BY JAMES KIRKER BAGLEy.
d" But at least, Nellie. Won will, Let

-" Nothing that you could say would
alter my decision. All Ii over bet ween
US, and with an unnatural pallor on
her face and dimness In her eyes that
blurred her sight, pretty Nellie Lane
dropped little ruby ring into the un-
consciously outstretched hand of her
lover. Then with a firmness she was
far from feeling she entered the humble
cottage she called home.
Dick Noble stared at the tiny bauble
tha, lay In his palm, and a tremor
shook his stal~art form. The intrinsi
value OF the glittering circlet was email
but, oh, what happiness had filled his
heart when FIRST lie slipped it on her
slender finger three brief months before,
and what shattered and blasted hopes
1t represented now.
Ihero are romances among the poor
romances as thrilling and as sweet to
them as are those of their wealthy breth-
rem.
His dream hal been a blissful one
while it lasted. but all was past now.
With a sigh he turned from the little
well.kept garden and slowly turned his
footsteps homeward, while upstairs
uponher dainty couch poor Nellie sob.
bed and cried as II her heart would
break.
Dick was foreman of the night shift
in the Spencer Nine" around which
clustered the group Of dwellings tha,
made up the little Pennsylvania town.
He had met Nellie and fell in love with
her pretty face, golden hair and gentle
ways, so different from those of the
other girls of the village. They became
engaged, and though 1t was, and would
be, bitter struggle for n mere exist
ence, they looked forward to their union
with joy. Both had always been accus-
toned 10 hard labor with a scanty
return, and what to others would have
proved hardship was to them the
natural outcome of their toiling lives.
They knew nothing of that other life
whereof luxury and pleasure from the
larger parts. and an a consequence
were contented with their Iot-happy
In each other and in themselves.
Thus things drifted on until rumor
made free with Dick Mobiles name.
Busy bodies took a complacent delight
in relating to Nellie stories of his incon-
stancy and unfaithfulness. For time
abe turned deaf ear to all these tales,
hut constant dripping wears away the
largest stones, and from calmly express
ing her soorn of the gossipers she came
to believe in all she was told. We all
have our faults and Nellie had hers.
A false ser se Of pride was the rock upon
which she split. Instead of frankly
telling her betrothed the scandals she
had heard, she wrapped herself up in a
mantle OF icy disdaiD, and sent him q
curt little note OF dismissal. When he
came 10 her, rendering an explanation,
or rather denial, she stopped him as we
have seen, and doomed two ford hearts
TO misery and despair.
After that the days passed sadly and
slowly enough to our little heroine.
Life had lost its charm for her, and a
Iistless apathy had taken the place of
her usual gayety and blitheness. Never
did the smoky little village look so
dreary In its grimm ass, and he yearned
with an unu:terable longing to hide
herself in the wide world where bust.
ling throngs and the oeasele-s throbs OF
life would give nepenthe to her sorrow.
This dreary hum drum was killing her,
she knew, and unless she found q
respite, she felt that she would die. Yet
the proud little heart never for an
instant suggested repentance for unjust
S:roUg IN her besetting sin, |
In isdeed. Only n great calamity, al
rending Of the most sensitive chords |
can subdne a spirit like this, aud before
she was much older thai shock was 10 |
come. Ned, too, was unlike his former
self, and went about his tasks with a
s'ern set face that told more plainly
than he could have wished the inward
pangs that rent his soul.
Summer passed, aud whatever littlel
beauty the mining town possessed faded
away with the leaves and flowers, and
now November, with its dismal gloom
and searching winds, was here. Work
had been very brisk in .he "Spencer
Mine" all season, and the men were
themselves that winter
would this time have for them none ofl
it's usual ierIors of starvation and want.
The output was large and constant, and
promised we'll. Promptly
Al Blk o'clock each night Dick went
do VII in the bucket at the head of his
gang" What had his trouble to do
with his duty? Besides, the superin-
'endent had made vague hints OF pro-
motion, and seemed we'll pleased with
he sturdy foreman.
Soon, however, there came an end to
this dull routine and sameness. Onel
1ight, when all in the little hamlet
we're wrapped in that heavy slumb Der
hat prece0es the dawn, and the trem.
bling throb Of the engines or theI
hoot of a night.owl alonel
broke the solemn stiffness tn at prevail
vi, there burst upon the ear q sound
v hose dismal meaning every body but
too well knew. Deep down in the
bowels of the earth was heard q low,
loarse rumble, like the discharge of a
Instant park Of artillery the little cot
iges reeled on their insecure founda-
ions; light flashed here and there
strained voices shouted out indistin.
guishable ords of inquiry, and, mingled
with all, but rising high above the
general camor, the sbrill shrieks of
women and terrified chii-I
iren. Like wild.fre ran the words,
= There's been an explosion in the
Spencer" and in an inconceivably
'hort space of time the gaping shaft
\ as surrounded by a crowd OF weeping
women and pale'faced, horror stricken
nen. II
All was confusion. Mothers wrungI
heir hands and piteously called aloud
or sons who would greet them never.
more wives for their husbands, chill
rem for their fathers. now rigid in death.
troDg men trembled in agony and j.
lrned away their faces from the yawn
ng mouth of what they knew was al
lazing hell below.
At last one firm voice rang out with q |
all for volunteers. Instantly hun
red men stepped forward. Four were 9
hoseu, and with pallid faces, like men
rho knew they were going to their 5
eaths, stepped into the bucket and In a | /
ioment were swallowed up in the dark.
ess of the pit.
Ono minute passed, three, five. Hearts,
ould be heard beating as the apxiou, !