The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-05-22

this brief but tragic notice:
"Gwendolin Davis, come
~ Welsh lass, aged Is years.
q months and II days, and
only child of Mrs. John Da-
Wis. widow, was found dead yesterday
morning in disbanded shaft at the
White Oak mine. Archibald. The body
was terribly crushed. and no explana-
tion as to how she met death can he
given. The supposition is &c oneral that
she committed suicide. Mother heart
broken and her condition is serious
Thus. in this brief notice, was passed
by a story unparalleled in the volumes
of legendary lore and history which
the great anthracite coal field abounds
in. for simple love and tenacious de-
votion. and as I CLEANED the facts in
this remarkable case. an admiration
touched with sadness possessed me.
for the simple and crude, yet rock
ribbed devotion displayed. through a
portion of the events herewith re-
corded.
Archibald. i'm the late COS. was not
the bustling business town it is now.
There We're fewer houses. and those
scattered here and there in groups
Only one or two stores the town then
hoasted. and the staple industry then,
as now was mining: the White oak
mine being probably the largest. but
while yet compare lively in its infancy
this mine has thrust its long black
tentacleS in every dircction-down aud
out in search Of it's prey-spasmodical-
ly breaking through Natures cloak
revealing dark, gaping wounds. glad
to be kissed by the rising sun, bathed
by the gentle rains and cooled by the
north wind, but also furnishing an eX-
cellent stamping ground for trampa,
yagabonds and highway robbers. In
the primal stages of it's development.
the town was composed of a more or
less rough element. which, added to the
fact that the Rebellion had taken
away many of it's stalwart citizens.
and that law and order could not very
well be enforced. led that element to
do pretty much as they pleased.
one spring evening in April. 1867,
the whistle of the White Oak an
nounced in clarion tones that rever-
berated among the hills that 1T was
o'clock and Iu ing time. Through
The doorways If the roughly hewI
houses bustling housewives We're see.
busily engaged in preparing the even
tide meal for the stalwartss who We're
already descending the hill, preceded,
as usual. by the rollicking, n,ischicv-
Gus and omnipresent breaker boy. net
quite 50 small as he is now. indulging
in his wild and uncomfortable antics.
Directly at the foot of the path by
h,
breaker above from the main thorough
fare. or commonly known then as the
Providence Plank. meaning plank road,
and short distance away from any
other habitation. stood the small gro
Gerry store and residence of the "Wid-
der Davis" as she was affectonately
known, whose husband had been killed
at Gettysburg in SO. and vino, although
in poor health. opened Il small grocery
store and managed to live nicely with
her only child.
Outside the town she would never
have been known, had it not been for
The fact that this child had grown to
be Il young lady of IS. whom it was
good to look upon. and it was even
whispered, with many a nod and shake
of the head by Mrs. Murphy to Brig
had "callcrs o nights from Scranton -
for whom, however. he it said. that
Gwen" popularity called, did not care
tillip. She was a brunette of the
variety that set men wild. Not Il de-
cidcd brunette. however. While her
hair was as the night. her eyes We're
of the softest brown: her forehead
high and arched; Il rosy-tinted skin:
rather above medium height. and
moulded perfectly.
This was Gwen. Joyous, piQuant
dashinG. hot-tempered. but withal
,ender-h hearted and loving. Admirers
she had by the score but so far she
had no preference, not even for Rob-
ert Campbell. the leading merchants
son. who held an opinion that he was
the first violin. Thus it was that the
Widow Davis store became widely
known, aided by the rejuvenating eff
fects of goodly store of tobacco
known as the Red Clover.
AS the miners reached the foot ol
the path, some entered the store, nc
doubt for the Red Glover, as there
We're borrowers in those days as
now, only they We're not so numerous
Shufi1ing noiselessly in. big "Jim" Con.
molly, who held an enviable reputation
as the best scrapper in town, rough.
and-tlmble.
''EVenin', Gwen. Howdy, Widdel
Davis?"
"Ho, Jim" exclaimed Gwen, ten ol
fifteen cent pack?'
Eight pounds sugar" solemnly sale
Jim.