The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-10-14

A COAL BARONESS.
Mrs. EclsIey n. Coke of the Cross
Greek Galleries, Pa.

Mrs. EclsIey n. Coke of the Cross
Greek Galleries. Pa.
Hazleton. Pa. Oct. l2-In nearly every
well regulated mining community Will
he found at present two neat club-build-
ings. built after the fashion OF the cor
ner school house. in the center OF the
town. one Is for the use OF Catholics and
the other for the Protestan,s These are
supplied with good reading matter. games
OF all kinds. billiard tables ana room
where debates public exercises and varl-
Gus entertainments may be held. In many
cases the wives and daughters OF the
mine-operators subscribe for the best perl
odical literature and place Il at the COM
mand OF the miners. In fact everything
connected with the clubhouse Is free to
employees.
At Drifton and Jeddo mining towns 10
Gated near Hazieton the centre OF the
| present strike. the clubhouse is the scene
OF the years greatest festival. Christmas.
| AZ Ieddo the trees are furnished by Mrs.
Markle. whose husband and sons own aud
operate the Jeddo mines. At Dnion.
the Coke family. who form the Cross
Greek Coal company. provide the annual
feast. At both points. the Christmas
/ festivities represent an outlay not OF humid
reds but thousands OF dollars Nor Is the
gift sent In a psrfunctory fashion. Mem
| bers OF the families are always IN attend
ance. minRling good cheer and fellow feel
ing with the more substantial benefits.
Mrs. Markle IN intensely practical In
her work among the people OF Jeddo. She
supports three trained nurses. whose ser
vices are always free to the sick among
] her people. a. she calls the employees Of
the Jeddo mines. Sewing aud cooking
schools for the girls and women. cosy
club rooms for the men. and ready as
sis,ance. inteiHEently rendered. In all
cases OF need. are among her benefactions.
But Of all the friends % the miner In
| the Hazlet0n region. there Is none 90 noted
as Mrs. Eckley y. Coke. widow OF Sena
tor Coke OF Pennsylvania. a woman of un-
limited wealth ond broad sympathies. All
the year round she lives In beautiful
home overlooking the Cross Creek col
lieries. There Is not a man. woman or
child within the village OF Drifton that
she does not know. 10 whom she would
not 20 in their hour OF trial. and whose
life Is not by some invisible thread link
Cd 20 hers She personally mingies with
the men In their club rooms. the sowing
classes for girls are among her social
pleasures. for her women's cooking school.
she employs the best teachers that the
metropolis can oncr. ana TWO trained
nurses are on her personal payroll
No case OF genuine distress or afiiictlon
ever reaches Mrs Coke without ellcitinR
a kind and generous response. During
the rest year she has paid the house rent
for her invalid employees 20 the amount
/ OF SzsiO0. Her monthly bin NJ the Ed
wards or town store-not company
store by the way averages 500 for
groceries distributed TO miners families
| IN financial straits.
Something OF tho real sympathy exist
| ing between the women OF toll and the
woman OF luxury may be judged from
I thia incident: Summer complaint carried
OF the wee baby OF n young miners wife.
/ and the employers wife. the woman from
/ the beautiful mansion on the hill. hurrle
20 the desoiate little cottage. The prepara-
/ tons for the funeral were complete. there
seemed nothing for the employers wife
i 90 offer But she took the hand OF tho
sobbing mother in her own slim. beiewelel
Fingers. and said. Ny dear, IL there not
| some little thing ! may do2 ] vii send
| flowers from the greenhouse; but perhaps
| there IL something else. DO not hesitate. y"
| The stricken mother looked A. the sheet
| ed figure 30 pittfully small and replied
| ''Tf only had IA white dress for him
I had nothing but little prints for him,
and 1 would like"
she got no futher. Tho handicap grew
/ stronger II told her that the baby should
| be LAID 20 sleep in SIS robe % pure white
And ID was-in the christening roae Of the
baby on the hill. silly. you say. 20 robe
that child of poverty IN a gown Of lawn
and laceg Perhaps! But the sympathy
between the wife Of the employer ana the