The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-05-15
BY DORIS THRANE.

Franz felt d ;lrill of happiness at
| this moment. Was not tha. what his
i'fe was to be In tis new wolff Away
with gloomy thoughts. He was yOuns
and strong: though alone in the world
le would strive to gain the top or
The ladder to Sl,ccess. desrit" every
thing.
l'nfortunate.y he had bu: a little
know ielge of tn" English language,
scarcely sufficient to make himself COR
rcctly understood,
AT h,s, he was so dazed BY the many
strange and wondrous sights and so
tcwilh, red by the vastnegs Of the city
rhat he did ausl' but stare. Here
was everything Everything that The
human br.. n had ever invented. or.
as it seemed. eyer could hriuG forth.
Franz wculd PROBABLY have lived on
hike tls had not the shrinking os his
little hoard reminded him that he
would soon he staring something else
in the face, and that was hunger.
SO day after day Franz wearily
trudged tn" streets in search OF en-
pioymcnt. Whether he was mistrusted
on account of his white hands
which did not seem fit to labor. or
his appearance, which at first
sight stamped him as II "greenhorn."
or whether he failed to make himself
properly derstood-enough, he
sought in vain. AT last he found a.
German employment bureau, and it
was there that he appealed for work.
The littel old man in the office cues
toned him kindly. and after listening
to his story. told him that it was
impossible to give him any employ
ment. except place in n mine which
was recently opened in the little town
Of A. in the northeastern part Of
PENNSYLVANIA. and about one hundred
and thirty miles from New York.
Franz eagerly accepting, was once
more filled with new hopes and re-
turned to his lodgings to make pre-
narations for departure.
After paying the landlady for his
board. in order to leave early the
next day, without interruption, he
flung himself upon his bed and was
soon wrapt in slumber.
This night strange dream came
to hinr He was at home again with
his parents in the dear old room, joy
Gus and happy. The day being very
warm. the door was left aiar. when
suddenly everything was clothed in in
tense darkness.
He could distinguish the faces Of his
beloved ones once more, but some
irresistible power drew his glance to-
ward the door. from whence issued a
stream of light. in which stood Il beau
tiful young woman. whose gaze held
him spcllbound. He tried to rise, but
seeing her advance he again sank into
his seat. for her face. though beau
tiful. was terrible To behold.
Her eyes were of Il deep. flashing
black. her hair hung about her white
shoulders like a funeral pail. AS she
fixed her Glittering eyes upon him.
Franz shvered. Nearer she came. and
bending over him with her terrible
face close to his, she hissed in his
ear: You shall not escape Black
Maria"' At these words. Franz
awoke with Il shudder He was not
superslitious. Yet. do what he might.
he could not Danish the uncanny dream
from his memory.
At mightfall the next day he reached
his destination and soon found lodg-
in"s in IL German family whose male
members We're all miners. They were
very kind to him and Franz became
deeply interested in them. The even
ing was spent in relating: thrilling
tales of the mine, its dangers, to which
the miner is at all times exposed yet
no life seems 10 him 50 desirable ana
in nine cases out of ten, miner, hav-
ing tried other work. eventually drifts
back again to his former occupation.
The following day, Franz arose ear
lN and. arriving at the mine. he re-
CeiVed his instructions To work with
several men in ii gangway.