The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-12-05
AN UNCONSCIOUS HERO


I felt himself passively to blame. HI
could not lay the odium on the should
ers of his agent, for he had never asked
a single question concerning the mine
or the moral or physical welfare of thu
men. He had taken the revenue from
It as part of his patrimony, indifferen
as to methods. He had been helpini
to grind women and children into th'
dust, that he might loll in luxury. Hi
! conscience stung him with reproachei
which were inadequate to make hin
suffer as he deserved.
Your hand, friend" he had said t
the foreman, and noted the ugly scowl
and determined air of refusal viii
which the man drew back.
'Taint as white as yours; and how
do know that you are my friend" was
the surly reply.
81 am here to see what you need, ant
will help you If you will let me-" an
swered Morris gently.
"a spy of an overseer, like enough
The sooner you get out of these quarters
the better for your health. If one o
the bloomin' mine owners sent yor
here, go back an tell him 'taint safe tc
come spyin' roun'. Tell him, too, that
well give him a warmer welcome
hounds that they all arep
The miners, dirty, black, and com.
planning, had gathered around the
foreman, and although they hated him
they were bound to him by a common
grudge.
"Tell them to come and get filled
with warm lead-we'd heat 1t fur the
'casion," said a burly miner known as
"Ole Geordie."
"They dassn't come nigh their own
property" said another, they're white.
livered towards, and not worth the
powder to blow 'em to thunderv'
GO gack to your master, and tell him
what his lovin' workmen says" said the
foreman contemptuously, "an' get q
photygraff of some of the hungry chill
dren and dyin' mothers, for the family
album. My missus will give you hers. u
Men," said the stranger, unbutton-
ing his heavy ulster, and throwing il
open, have you ever heard Of Morris
Holmes?"
A groan and a series of yells saluted
him.
AYE, an Of his father afore him
It's that he might lie soft and eat fine
food, that we gets lost In the choke an
damp. If he sent you, 60 back and tell
him to come out here himself. We hev
a long account to settle, an the figgers
is waitin'." 1t was "Old Geordie" who
spoke.
"I am Morris Holmes! am here
to right your wrongs, but demand pro-
lection at your hands. l demand your
confidence, and that of your wives and
children. l have the right to ask this,
For the present that is all I have to
say"
A few cheered him, others remained
sullen and discontented, good news be-
ing received with caution and sus-
picion.
Eleanor Landsberg had no word from
Morris for six months. Then she re-
ceived paper marked in red ink, which
had a paragraph that interested her.
It gave a plain statement Of the great
Improvement that had taken place in
the Little Summit" mine, and went on
to describe the comfortable homes OF
the miners, the new machinery which
had been put into the mines to take
the place of child labor, the comfort
able stables above ground that had been
built for the mules, the improved social
condition of the mems families, and
ended with a glowing tribute to the
noble energy of the young and ath-
letic mine owner. Morris Holmes"
In a few months she received second
newspaper, published like the first, in
a town adjoining the mines, and giving
the news Of that section Of the country.
1t also contained marked paragraph
but the marking was irregular black
lines, of jagged pencil, and on the bor-
der was drawn rude hand, pointing to
the notice, and the badly written but
legible name, "Old Geordie."
Eleanor read in few intense words
the news that had been sent to her.
There had been an accident In the
mine. The roof of Gn entire chamber
had fallen and buried twenty miners
beneath it. The men were rescued
with great difficalty, and some of them
we're badly injured. When all were sup
nosed to have been saved. there was
wailing cry. and the wife Of "Old Geor-
die" struggled from the hands of friends
and trieg to throw herself into the
mine. Norris Holmes, pale and out OF
breath. called for men to go down with
him 20 rescue Geordie. No one re-
spoaded. The men owed their lives to
their families, and they knew the dan
ger of a falling roof. So Morris, with
one look at the blue sky above him,
swung into the cage and was lowered
alone amid an awe-stricken silence
into the bosom of death. There was not
much more to tell. When the signal
was given there were willing hands
TO belp deliver the two men from the
wreckage, but only one came up alive.
The other had succumbed to the fatal
damp. A long panegyric followed, but
it meant little to Eleanor. Her eyes
rested on four oft-quoted, hackneyed
lines, that closed the story; they would
never leave her:
"For whether on the scaffold high,
Or in the battles van,
The fittest place for man to die,
Il. l. mn N "