206 FIRESIDE SCIENCE. 



are found. This is a sequestered, romantic place, 

 apparently as far out of the world as any one would 

 ever desire to visit. The great coal breakers are 

 upon the right hand and the left ; and dark, yawn- 

 ing pits, the entrances to the subterranean passages 

 traversed by the coal diggers, are seen in every 

 direction. Mountains of coal dust, the refuse of 

 the breakers, project into the valley, and give a 

 sombre hue to everything. Even the leaves upon 

 the trees become darkened by the coal dust ; and 

 black, turbid streams wind around among the rocks, 

 seeming anxious to escape from the dingy caverns 

 in which they originate. From the " slopes " or 

 entrances to the mines, mule teams attached to 

 trains of cars, loaded with coal, are constantly 

 emerging ; and the drivers in charge, with oil 

 lamps affixed to their caps, and begrimed with the 

 sooty powder, seem like mountain imps who have 

 no business with daylight or the outside world. 



Before proceeding to speak further of mines and 

 coal mining, let us return to the road by which we 

 came into this region. Shortly after leaving the 

 valley, another mountain opens before us with its 

 smoking chimneys at the apex, and up this we are 

 drawn at a rapid rate. From this high point our 

 return route commences, and we run over the 

 track at a fearful speed until we reach the town of 

 Summit, the home of the miners, which has a 



