The Mercur miner. [volume] (Mercur, Utah) 1895-1913, 1906-10-03
THE LADY N The
COAL Mine

Mr. GrOnOwayY she cmrrupeu,
extending a gloved hand to the sooty
one of the mine boss reluctantly held
out
THE same, ma'am." said Dan, with
the air OF man TO whom time is
money.
My name is Ethel Hunter" she
said. in a friendly way. II am trav-
cling representative for the Ladies
Delight, a beautiful publication. and
when | sell so many copies | get a
teachers course free in the uni.
versity."
"Yes'm," was the foreman's brief
response, as he began edging on.
IL want to go down In the mine"
THE del mean, yes'm." said Dan,
recovering himself.
when can | go?'
"Ye can't go at ALL"
But | have a written order fro:s
MIR. Thurston, the manager
Then let Mr.. Thurston come and
show ye around"
The young woman looked witt.
troubled eyes into the stern face OF
the foreman.
Il heard you wore such a nice man"
she said.
They be telling lies on me-" re.
turned Dan. though not unkindly.
but, look here, Mlss-er-"
Hunter"
Miss Hunter--it's as dark as
stack of black cats down there, and
there be mule trains whizzing by
every blessed minute. and the cross
entries has got water in 'em and there
be rats as big as cats"
The young woman burst into tears.
Several men had gathered around
during the colloquy and looked sym.
pCthizingly at tho fair petitioner.
And | wanted to be a teacher, so
as to support my poor old mother and
little brothers and sisters!" she
sob Jed.
A slight framed wiry man touched
the foreman on the arm.
I'm go with her, DAN" he whis-
pered
Tho good samaritan was Jack Rich
ards, a shot firer The young womas
with Zig family responsibility wipeS
her eyes and looked gratefully at tn,
slight framed knight. BY con
temptuous shrug of his shoulders Dan
indicated the washing OF his hands
in connection with the whole fool
business. and returned to his wire
cable.
AS the seven o'clock whistle vas
splitting the air above the engine
room of No. s the next morning the
lady with a mission appeared at the
tipple and sought her cavalier. She
was attired In a coarse black gar
ment and wore heavy shawl over
her head. but it did NOT hide seduc-
tive little curls which peepet out over
the white forehead.
At the bottom Jack filed and hand
ed her a pit lamp, which she toSS
gingerly and transported at arlHs
length. The shot firer loaded her
with advice, which she took with mSr-
murs of gratitude.
When they got out on the far on
tries. where the miners were at work
the lady proceeded TO business.
In most of the rooms 1t was not
necessary to go into details about the
widowed mother and little children
before the dollar came for the Ladies'
Delight Where they didn't have the
money, she took IN order on the treas
urer. Not a man baked. 1t would
look mean, they thought. to turn down
a handsome lady who had deiied the
horrors OF the underground world to
visit them.
The woman solicitor had way Of
talking which made each man think
she had gone down on purpose to see
him. They had never heard OF the
Ladies' Delight, and wouldn't have
known II from an almanac of the
vintage of '76. but they did know this
young woman knew how TO talk, and
that she was brave and pretty.
At the end of the second day. wher
a complet haul had been made in the
mine, Miss Hunter turned to her es.
cort.
Il guess you think II funny, Mr..
Richards" she said, that | go down
in the mine after men 10 sell them a
womans paper rather than see their
wives, who are IN on earth"
1t did look little odd at first" re-
piled the sho..firer, but believe
know the reason now
The lady smiled
Il began in the mines of Wyoming
she said. and then through Kansas
I've been In every mine In this dis.
trict. Out there at 81. whore they
employ Italians and negroes who can't
read. over half of them subscribed. II
I'd work J them ON top | wouldn't
have taken six subscriptions. Now
you've been good TO me. my friend
and -
Don't mention II" said Jack. back
ing of.
She was reaching into her handbag
where she kept her money.
Yes. sir. she said. firmly, Il viii
You've been with me two whole DAYS
now, and | know the time OF a gen
tleman of ability Is worth some
thing. Here-teke this"
She handed him small. square
package. neatly tied up. The shot
q -. l..