Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1892-02-25
HERO OF SALTHAM PIT
BY AMELIA K. BARR.

Il.
Everyone that knows anything about
coal mines knows that the great Saltham
pit lies just on the edge of the city of
Whitehaven, and extends thence far
under the sea.
In the summer of IS two ladies came
to Whitehaven for the purpose of es-
tablishing their right to shares in this
pit-a right which they had recently dis
covered. They were mother and
her daughter, both of them beautiful and
cultured women, and as they had
brought letters of introduction to the
rector they were soon recognized as be-
longing to one of ths most desirable
"sets" of that old, aristocratic city.
Indeed, Mary Allonby was universal
favorite, and before the first winter was
over it was generally understood that
she was the promised wife of the hand
some Gerald Peel a young man Of very
good family and of great promise. He
was the head ''Viewer' of the Saltham
pit, and knew well the richness and ex-
cellence of its coal seams. Now, the
Viewer of large English coal mine is u
gentleman; man of great courage,
forethought and fine engineering skill.
he has a large salary, lives in good
style, and exercises great power, not
only over the under viewers, but also in
the entire management of the pit.
The marriage had been fixed for June,
and the preparations were all made. Mrs.
Allonby was so certain of her rights
being settled by that date, that she had
instructed her lawyer to make over a GER
tain portion of them to her daughter as a
wedding present. One evening Gerald
was taking tea with them, and from the
pleasant room happy laughter and happy
voices went floating outward into the
shady depths of the shrubbery.
Among this shrubbery man was
lurking-a man with dirty, ragged
clothing and face passions -smitten and
every way evil; and whenever Mrs. AL
lonby's voice or Mary's laugh caught his
ear, its expression was almost terrible.
81 am nothing to them now!" he NUT
tered. "But, we shall see! We shall
see!"
He fingered in the thick shrubbery un.
I'll the moon rose, and he saw Gerald
wrap Mary in her little white hood ant
cloak, and take her into the garden
Then he crept nearer the house an,
watched Mrs. Allonby lift a candle ant
go up stairs into room that fronted tw,
ways, one of them toward gable which
was thickly matted with an old ivy vine
The windows were open on that side, ant
he cautiously assembled. When h,
reached the upper floors Mrs. Allonb,
was seated before an old fashioned sec
retary, tying up some papers He pu
his hand upon her shoulder, forced he,
to sit still, and uttered but one word;
'Louisaw
She did not faint, nor scream. nor ever
attempt to rise; but gathering togethe
all her senses and energies, she locke,
the man earnestly in the face, and said
IN a voice where tenderness and ange
strove for the mastery:
Orchard Allonby!"
9es, madam. Lock your door ant
shut your windows. Ihave something +,
say to you"
mot here, Richard! Not here, fol
Mary's saker'
,Why not? Am not your husband:
see!" 'o'
God help me! No."
She rose mechanically, locked the door,
smut out the sweet evening air, pulled
down the blinds, and then, motionine
toward sofa, sat down.
"Oh, no, my lady. | won't put Won
to that degradation. You are n ladv,
you know, and then in lower voice,
"And now l want you to give me those
Saltham papers. know all about them. u
Richard, you have robbed me of m,
own fortune, and of the peace and Low,
OF my youth. You killed my father witt
the shame you brought on him. Yor
have forced me to leave the place wher,
my family have dwelt for centuries. anf
to come stranger to this strange nortl
country, DO have pity now on me anC
on your own child. For heavens SAX,
spare her the disgrace and misery OF
knowing you"
You never told her, them"
NO, no, no! She thinks you dead
and oh, Richard! she is going to be mar
ried"
Il know that, too. Give me the papers
lhave been long enough here. ;"
"Richard! Richard! kill me. if yo
like, but do Mary no further wrong"
81 don't like to kill you, Louisa.
like you well enough to wish to look n
you occasionally. Give me the papers
or | shall ring the bell and order my sup
per You know I'm master here, if sa,
go. See, I'll give you FIVE minutes +,
decide. | don't want you to say force
them from you"
In great emergencies the mind act
rapidly. Mrs. Allonby reviewed he
whole position, and made her decision
She walked back to the secretary, an
taking from drawer bundle of paper
and little gold chain holding a pea,
cross and couple of rings, came towar
her husband.
''This is 10 be our last meeting, Ricl
ard, and you must promise it upon tn,
chain and those rings; you know them
they were your mothers"
Richard Allonby put then aside ne
vously. II there was any memory thu
made his soul shiver and sob it was tn,
of the gentle .itolc mother whose heart
had broken
81 won't touch those things" he sait
"giye me the papers"
"Not unless you do what say"
Richard saw his wife's courage risin
and he knew well that when timid womt
are angered to point of resistance, sue