Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-03-10
HERO OF SALTHAM PIT
BY AMELIA e. BARR.


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 49, 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 q 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 tn, 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, q young man of very
good family and of great promise. He
was the head "Viewer' of the Saltham
pit, and know we'll the richness and ex-
cellcnce of its coal seams. Now, tho
Viewer of large English co mine is Il
gentleman; man of great courage,
forethought and fine engineering skill.
He'has q 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 maj rage 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 q GER
tain portion of them to her daughter as n
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 a face passion smitton 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-
til the moon rose, and he saw Gerald
wrap Mary in her little white hood and
cloak, and take her into the garden.
Then no crept nearer the house and
watched Mrs. Allonby lift candle and
90 up stairs into room that fronted two
ways, one of them toward gable which
was thickly matted with an old ivy vine
The windows were open on that side, and
he cautiously assembled. When he
reached the upper floors Mrs. Allonby
was seated before IN old-fashioned sec.
rotary, tying up some papers. He put
his hand upon her shoulder, forced hel
TO sit still, and uttered but one word:
Louisa"
She did not faint, nor scream, nor ever
attempt to rise; but gathering together
all her senses and energies, she looked
the man earnestly in the face, and said
in voice where tenderness and ange
strove for the mastery:
Richard Allonby!,
Eyes, madam. Lock your door ant
shut your windows. Ihave something t,
say to you"
"Not here, Richard! Not here, 70
Mary's sakew
"Why not? Am not your husband
All, ah! You can't get over that, yo
seew
"God help mo! No."
She rose mechanically, locked the door
shut out the sweet evening Dir, pulle
down the blinds, and then, motionin
toward sofa, sat down.
"Oh, no, my lady. won't put yo
to that degradation. You are lady
= you know, and then in q lower voice
"And now | want you to give me thos
: Saltham papers. know oil about them.
Orchard, you have robbed me of m
own fortune, and of the peace and Low
of my youth. You killed my father wit
the shame you brought on him. 70
have forced me to leave the place whel
my family have dwelt for centuries, IN
to come stranger to this strange mort
4 country. Do have pity now on me III
. on your own child. For heavens sal
spare her the disgrace and misery ,
= knowing you"
"You never told her, thcnY"
"No, no, no! She thinks you dead
and oh, Richard! she is going to be ma
RED"
"Iknow that, too. Give me the paper
q Ihave boen long enough here.
''Richard! Richard kill me, If "
like, but do Mary no further wrong"
:, al don't like TO kill you, Louisa.
- like you well enough to wish to look
you occasionally. Give me the paper
or shall ring the bell and order my su
per. You know I'm master here, if | 81
so. Sec, I'll give you FIVE minutes
" decide. don't want you to sGy ! fore
them from you"
In great emergencies the mind az
rapidly. Mrs. Allonby reviewed
,,x whole position, and made her decisio
She walked back to the secretary, a
~ taking from drawer bundle of pap'
and little gold chain holding pc
~ cross and couple of rings, came tow'
I" her husband.
: "This is 10 be our last meeting, III.
) ard, and you must promise It upon u
chain and those rings; you know them
they wero your mothers"
g., Richard Allonby put then aside n
81 vously. If there was any memory q
made his soul SILVER ond sob, 1t was Il
3 Of the gentle little mother whose heart
had broken.
9 81 won't touch those things" he so
D "give me the papers"
2 mot unless you do what 1 say"
q Richard saw his wifes courage risi
q and he knew we'll that when timidw
ara an0aro1 A.. !, ,,oint of resistance, 81