UP THE SCHUYLKILL. Why, you do not know what a real 'buff' bath is.' "Oh, yes, I do. I have dipped in old ocean's briny waters at sunrise many a time," I replied. "Order the clerk to have us called at four o'clock in the morning, and we will pay it an early visit," was his reply. Early next morning Joe and I wended our way TUMBLING RUN. "Yes, but you have never been out to Tumbling Run yet at five o'clock in the morning, have you?" said Joe. "No," I answered. Run?" to the run, about a mile from the town, I should judge. Arrived there, I stood in perfect awe for some moments in admiration of nature's wild and "Where is Tumbling broken aspect. And such water!-pure and clear as crystal, with unruffled surface and smoothly flowing over its hard, rocky bed. Rock-bound Band deeply-shaded it lay as a mirror before us. I thought we had certainly invaded the realms of the fairies. If we had, it was, however, at an hour when the little creatures were still drowned in slumber. In fact, all the world was hushed. Not a sound broke the stillness of the air, save the tiny ripplings of suggested to our host the propriety of raising his rates for the time being. B and I should not have felt averse to such a proceeding on the part of our host, especially inasmuch as the experiences of Mrs. B and Mrs. F, in connection with the pure and bracing mountain air and the wholesome exercise afforded in climbing the rugged mountain sides, were such as to put new life and vigor into them, and to destroy every vestige of either mental or physical dyspepsia. Their appetites had become almost ravenous, and our sympathies were therefore fully enlisted in behalf of our worthy host. "It's only pot calling kettle black,'" exclaimed Mrs. F, as she renewed her order for more trout. "How many cups is that for the colonel?" asked Mrs. B, as the waiter brought in another cup of coffee. "Don't know, missus, shuah," replied Cuffy, grinning. "And I really wish you wouldn't renew that plate the water of griddles again," said Mrs. F, addressing along the the waiter. "It is simply a waste of batter on them," pointing at Joe and me. was truly a scene to impress one most forcibly with the grandeur and sublimity of nature in a state of utter rest. A MINE ENTRANCE. "Well, colonel, how is this for a 'buff' ?" asked Joe, as we prepared for our return to the town. "I am something wiser, Joe," I replied. "Don't you think this goes ahead of any surf bathing you have ever enjoyed?" he continued. It unquestionably did, as I assured him; and it is not impolitic, I trust, to add further, that a more appetizing bath was never enjoyed. In fact, "And of syrup, too," added Mrs. B. It appeared that our sympathies in the host's behalf were wasted; at any rate, he good-humoredly remarked that he could stand the strain upon his larder; that the gratification he experienced over the marked improvement in our appearance more than compensated him for the extra onslaught upon his bill of fare. On the third day of our stay at Pottsville we had the good fortune of meeting an old friend of some years, who happens to be the superintendent of a colliery in the Mahanoy Valley. He gave us a very pressing invitation to visit him. Our party, after consultation, concluded to accept the invitation, and, after visiting that valley, to wind up our tour by taking a direct run homeward. was informed, 2270 car loads have been weighed in a single day, the value of which amounted to over $50,000. and the creek dashes down successive rock steps. Here the road, heretofore straight, winds right and left alternately as we climb and pass the rocky gorge. Upon the opposite bank a good road, apparently built to endure for ages, shows where Stephen Girard expended fortunes in an effort to get coal to tide-water at a price which would pay. He was many years ahead of his day in this undertaking, however, and paid the penalty in his failure to accomplish the desired result. Reaching the summit, we halt at Frackville, a therein. Huge breakers stand about here and neat little highland town. there, with no apparent uniformity of shape or Here are located the Our party here stepped out upon the verge of the mountain, where the great engines of the plane are placed. The view revealed, far up and down the valley, and away into the dim vistas of the swelling heights faintly traced upon the horizon, caused us to realize most fully the immensity of these coal-fields and the operations carried on size. There are scores of them. Everything is black; save a little rill sparkling in the sunlight, and the curling wreathlets of steam from the many engines, there is nothing to break the sombre hue of the scene. Far down the plane a little dark spot grows as it mounts, while the cable leading downward and its upward mate keep all the circular blocks whirling and rattling in their boxes. The spot gradually assumes a cube shape, and in time develops into a car. In a few moments it mounts the level with its tons of coal. Our friend, the superintendent, next escorts us to the colliery with which he s connected. Here, though scarcely a dozen persons are visible, we are informed some four hundred are employed. Away down in the dark chambers leading from the shaft more than half of them may be found. We peered down the shaft and listened. The dull boom of a blast strikes our ear. 66 The invitation was promptly though courteously declined by both of them. "Pay yer footin', Joe !" I exclaimed. "Nary a footin'," replied Joe, as he passed out of the door. We were here shown some splendid samples of coal, many of them of huge proportions, which, judging from their size, I should think would seriously trouble the crushing powers of a breaker. After soberly scanning one, a very leviathan in size, for a few moments, Joe, turning to me, remarked : "This would hardly drop through your grate under a month, would it ?" "Hardly," I replied, and added, "Wouldn't it be a nice thing to have in the cellar to exercise one's muscle on, in sledging it into pieces of a suitable size for the stove." Joe did not seem to take very kindly to this idea, however, and rather thought that breakers were a very great blessing, take them as we would. A rapid run along the Mahanoy Valley, from Ladies, wouldn't you like to visit the mine?" this point, brought us to the foot of the Gordon asked our friend, the superintendent. planes, located on the Mine Hill Railroad. These planes are nearly two miles long. Near their base, Ashland, a large and well-built town, the largest of the towns in the valley, is located. streets and principal business houses, handsome and substantial structures, are some of the leading features which give it prominence. I thought I detected an expressive "Ugh!" escape Mrs. Fas she sidled toward the door. We next visit the breaker. Little boys, grimed and wild, are seated by the dozen below the jaws of the breaker which crunch the coal, picking out the slate as the fragments come tumbling toward them. A particularly grim-looking old fellow with a stick keeps guard over each detachment. He cannot prevent, however, the cry of the young imps as we pass along the rickety stairs, Pay yer footin'. Pay yer footin'." Having scaled the planes, we descend again by curving lines down a ninety-foot grade for some ten miles, until we strike a grand horseshoe around the valley-head. Leaving this curve, we enter on a straight track to Mine Hill Gap; thence, passing down through Cressona, to Schuylkill Haven, we connect with the main line, and by the evening express reach home again. KITH AND KIN. CHAPTER VII. KITH AND KIN. BY THE AUTHOR OF "THE FIRST VIOLIN." -THE SISTERS. "Now, Del, I'll go up-stairs, and remove the stains of travel," remarked Judith, putting aside Rhoda's renewed demands for news. "Yes, do, and I'll come with you," answered Delphine, as they passed out of the parlor together. Outside, in the hall, they stood still, and looked each at the other, their hands locked together. Then both bent forward, and exchanged a grave kiss. "Now I feel as if I really were at home again," "I'll come said Judith, in a tone of satisfaction. to your room, Del, since my things have not walked up stairs, and according to Rhoda's account, there is no one to bring them at present." "All right," said Delphine, flying up the shallow oaken stairs with a rapid motion, and then arrived at the top, standing still and looking down upon her more slowly-moving sister. "You are more like some 'strange bright bird' than ever, child," said Judith, her eyes dwelling upon her with deep pleasure. "Don't add, with plumage gay,' I pray you," laughed Delphine, "for my plumage is very old and shabby, and is likely to continue so." "It shows off your beauty the better, then," replied the other, as they went arm in arm down a long, light, broad corridor. There was abundance of room in Yoresett House. If the girls had not many other luxuries, they could each indulge in that of a separate bedroom, and one or two sitting-rooms apiece as well. The only difficulty about it being, as Rhoda had more than once observed, that there was no furniture in any of them. Delphine flitted about the room, pouring out water for Judith to wash her hands in, placing a brush and comb for her, and so forth, all her movements being instinct with a grace on which the eyes of the elder girl continually dwelt. Delphine was more like a ray of sunshine than anything else, but not the sunshine that is broad and busy and glaring; rather like those rays of it which came quietly stealing through trees on a summer afternoon, as the sun goes westering. Her hair was of the real golden hue, and she wore it braided low down behind, and falling in loose and natural waves about a delicate and sweet oval face. She possessed, too, the great beauty which does not always accompany such hair and such a complexion, a pair of limpid, golden-brown eyes, which might be light in their actual color, but which, as Judith had often said, "always behaved as if they were dark." Seen alone, it could not be denied that Judith Conisbrough possessed grace, as well as dignity of carriage. Seen beside Delphine, the dignity remained, but one wondered where the grace had gone. The girls were aged respectively twenty and twenty-two; and their friendship was as closely knit a bond as could well exist. "How did Mr. Danesdale get here, Delphine, and where does he come from?" asked Judith. And have I been away four days? "How long is it since he established himself here in this fashion? or am I laboring under a delusion, and been absent four months?" you "Your questions are numerous, my dear, for I will answer the last one first. You left you. here last Thursday, so that as to-day is Monday, have been away just four days. Mr. Danesdale got here by the prosaic method of pulling the bell, and asking Louisa if Mrs. Conisbrough was at home. He performed this prodigious deed at home. last Thursday afternoon-not many hours after you and Uncle Aglionby had started on your travels." "But what brought him here? The Danesdales and we have not had much to do with each Surely, he did not other for a long time, now. deliberately come to call upon us.” "He came very deliberately, as he does everything," replied Delphine, with a sudden infectious laugh, which began in her eyes, and ended with "He came, as I tell you, and was her voice. admitted. He introduced himself, and said he had been shooting, and that in returning, coming through Yoresett, he had been prowling round our back premises, of course not knowing whose they were, and that his dog, in a moment of temporary mental aberration, having perceived our cat, had rushed into the garden after her, and was then |