The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-01-28

memDHreu against ltFt DtHiklap Htt ups
were SO wildly painted, Ike a cloYep
damask rose, and finely esTven; while
her mouth itselt was mobile and eS-
pressiye. Her 4oye vas tperfeetipn IN
It's cleanly chisellel lines and the con,
tour OF her soft cheeks, the sweep OF
her full chin, made up a face that was
as strong as it was charming.
An artist in either stone or colour
who had CHANGED TO meet Saloma Bar,
bingham as she and her friend Nell
Crompton trudged! along to their work
that morning, would have FeYelled IN
the delightful picture she presented
Surely he would have said, this is some
maid Of high degree incorporating in
the guise OF a pit brow girl.
salome's hybrid garb added to rather
than took from her attractiveness.
Around her dark bird-like head bright
kerchief Of red and yellow was tied
which permitted q black tress OF her
luxuriant hair to show itself here and
there. About her slim white throat Q
neat patterned scarf was wound and
tied in bow undar her chin.
Her garments consisted OF print
jacket which fitted her figure closely
skirt OF striped linsey, which was
looped up high in front and fell almost
to her heels behind; a pair Of trousers
OF cord, which, worn short, disclosed q
pair OF pretty ankles clad in dark blue
hose; and last OF all a pair OF clogs, pol
ished like ebony, aud fastened at the
instep by brass clasps,
She appeared pretty and sweet and
dainty enough for anything as she
tripped along the white dusty roads,
chatting with Nell on topics OF interest
to them both. When she returned from
work in the afternoon she would be less
presentable, for then the omnipreSent
coal dust would have soiled her lovely
face and covered her clothes.
Salome Birmingham had always been
noticed Tor the spruceness with which
she dressed, oven at work, and this at.
tentiveness to her personal appearance
had excited considerable comment Of
an adverse character on the part OF the
other pit brow lassies when she first
began to work at Carsland's Collieries,
But tho girl had paid no heed to the
sharp wordsand spiteful illusions OF her
work mates. Despite their laughs and
jeering remarks she never permitted
herself to become slovenly in her at
tire. She was young, strong, unafraid
OF hard work, always ready to fulfill the
task allotted TO her, and being Of sweet
temper she soon won her way to the
hearts Of all about. the place.
The slovenly ones ceased to dislike
her because OF her own smart appear
ance; the unhandsome lasses ceased to
hate her because she was so much more
lovely in appearance and refined in act,
word and thought than themselves. In
time her influence made itself felt
among the rough, untutored girls. The
sluts grew less careless in their attire,
the rude less offensive IN their language.
On first coming to the village Sslome
had dropped q hint to the effect that
some Of her people had been gipsies
long ago before she was born, and the
friend to whom she told this had re-
peated the remark. This had caused
Nan Blackledge-the biggest tlirt, the
sharpest tongued and the bonniest pitt
brow lass in tho village, prior to sa-
lome's coming-to NICKNAME the new.
conner, 1.-THE White Gypsy"
Tho sobriquet had stuck, as many Of
the names Nan Blackledge threw ut
people did, and now Salome Barring
ham was better known to her fellows
on the pit bank, to tho miners who
worked underground, and to the village
folk among whom she lived, as the
White Gypsy, than by her own lawful
designation! Ssss ~. fssS
Leaving Spencer Lane. safomO and
Nell went through stiIe, passed along
q narrow path bordered by field Of
wheat and one Of turnips. and soon
came to the wagon road leading to the
Wood Pit. A couple OF minutes later
they had mounted the flight OF steep
wooden steps leading to the pit bank,
and were not a little surprised by the
sight that awaited them. -fii4
The Wood Pit owed its name to the
fact that Gale Wood lay only a couple
OF hundreds OF yards distant. 1t was
one OF the first pits Sir Nicholas Cars
land had sunk, and now, being nearly
forty years old, its seams were almost
exhausted. It was an old fashioned
place and found employment for scarce
three score Of miners, whereas the new
pit, on the other side Of the patch OF
woodland, furnished work for over four
hundred miners all told.
When Salome and her friend gained
the top OF the mine and made their
way towards the rude cabin set apart
for them and the other females, they
saw that thlScage was standing empty
on level with tho landing plates and
that score of men and lads were scat
tered over the brow. Some OF tho col.
liers and their drawers we're sprawling
over the cool iron plates which covered
almost the whole OF the level space
about tho mouth Of the pit; others
were seated on the small wagons used
below, and upon the heaps OF "props"
and "bars" while few wero lounging
about the wooden rails which guarded
the edge Of tho brow.
Against the windowof the cabin Nan
Blackledge was leaning in graceful at
titude. She was strapping lump OF n
lass OF two or three and twenty, had a
comely ford face very much freckled,
and great quantity Of very red hair.
She had fearful temper, and could
fight like a man whenever occasion de.
manded,
AS salome and Nell walked into the
hut and placed their small baskets
and cans filled with meat and tea on
tho shelves, the latter remarked
"Has amy Q the mon gone down tho
pit yet, NanPn
mot yet, Ncll," tho red.facod and
red.haired lass replied, "an' ah dunnot
think as amy one on 'em are goin' to
20 deawn this mornin'."
"How's that" salomo asked.
"Why, there's only abeawt twenty Of
the mon turned up, an, they never work
tho pit WI less than thirty, yo' know"
nAh dersaY o lot o Thorn hasn't get.