Perhaps a tragic end for Thomas Percy. Given the mention of coal, it could be related to the hardships of the coal - mining era, like poverty or danger.
It's likely that we'll see a detailed account of Thomas Percy's life leading up to his end. Since coal is mentioned, it might play a role in his demise, whether it's due to a coal - related accident, or the changing economic landscape of the coal industry affecting his livelihood. The other stories could be there to add depth and variety, maybe they are stories of other characters who are also affected by the same circumstances as Thomas Percy, or they could be stories from different times or places that somehow relate back to the main story of Thomas Percy and the coal.