News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1892-06-09
UNDERGROUND.

Within a few hours distance OF
Philadelphia, where the development
of the largest anthracite coal deposit
in the world, the Mammoth Vein, y
is rapidly choking the narrow noun
tain valley with hills upon hills of
coal dirt, lies Coalville, small min
ing town.
Nature, resisting the encroaching
coal banks and insisting upon her
rights to beautily, has planted to
their edge, and even on their sloping
sides, laurel (kalinia) hododenGron,
daisies and fern; and her garden in
the June-time of the laurel's blush
ing bloom, shows like a pink snow
fall against the steely blue-black of
the high heaped coal waste
Three busy breakers, crushing and
sitting the coal, overlook the white
washed town from their lofty station
upon the mountain side, and shrub
berries and old forest trees but partly
hide the pretentious houses of the
mine superintendent and operators.
The whistle had just blown for
''quit work" among the miners of
the cozy little valley one summer af-
ternoon, when low rumble, like stiff
ling thunder, followed by a short,
quick boom, told the people of Coal
vile story of the mines which they
knew by heart. An unprotected
lamp flame, an explosion of fire
damp, a fall of earth and timber, and
weeping women and excited children
crowd close upon the mine entrance
to carry home the killed and injured.
Its not as bad, today" said the
inside boss sreassuringly, as he esprang
from the cage that had hoisted him
to the top of the shaft, "there was
only 10 a workin' in that breast,
an only three were killed an four
hurted."
'Heaven be praised tits not worse, :"
exclaimed a woman, "an' bring out
me James alive"
1t was not until the morning after
the accident that Anna and Willie
Williams realized. that their father,
an honest Welch miner, lately "come
over" had been killed in the eXplO-
sion. Long motherless, they were
orphans now, and while the wilted,
grizzled Grape still hung from the
door latch, miner neighbor called
to see what the children were going
to do in the future.
cts very little that | be knowing
of coal mining" said Willie, looking
as manly as his IA years would al
low; but mebbe that Boston compa-
ny as has lately the contract for
stripping them old workings near
WcIf's Run, might give me an inside
job as mule driver | hear they're
short O. hands.
''Mebbe so," said the neighbor,
"but | mis-doubt it, seeing as how
you've never been a breaker-boy nor
nothing like that fust. sez to your
father, sez l, acordin' to my notion,
,ye're not doing rioght by that lad O.
yourn, a sett:n' him to book-learnin,'
when by good rights he should be
pickin' slate alongside of my bes.
Sez e, 'Moichel Brinnen, my bye Will
lie is loikely lad, I've but the one;
has long has | live e shall niver work
hinside or hout, but it's "a schoolin'
e shall 'av' An now see the results
O. sich Ugh notions. What av ye
now fur thin verra hideas? Mining
is a good thrade-Pd loike to see
betterl"
"I'm right glad our Willie can read
and write," spoke up Anna, wiping
useless tears from her eyes, IAN the
blessed One who made us won't let
us starve."
"You spake the thruth ther, my
little GEL" said the neighbor, getting
up to leave, "an' sez !, if Willie can
git the mule driving, well an good,
it will give you at least three dollars