The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1860-07-05

tniuS! eooA Tic ueath Souiy I'D nearI 1ney
said the shock had been too sudden, dried
up all her tears, like. She never cried
onc't only languished and pined, grew thin
ner and whittier, and died just three months
after poor jesse. That was how the little
boy-Jesse's little boy-came to be an or
phan, sir.
"Well, we were all determining to take
care of the little one, so we cast lots every
month to see which should have the main
tainin' of him. 1t used to come to me rret-
ty often, but done it willingly, sir, because
l considered I'd been hard to the man-
hard to poor dead jesse
"The boy was pretty, sir, but he didn't
grow much You sec he hadn't no mother
tooe to thrive on. The women, they thought
they did well by him, hut they sort O. hus-
tied him, and he wanted something differ
ent, coming of a delicate stock. l don't
spose nothing. sir, can gire child that
feel, that having somebody to love and call
mother does-no, not all the cossetin' in the
world by strangers.
"Well, the years passed, and the little
fellow begar to be handy in tie mine 1t
seemed pity to see him beginning that
hard sort o life, but then we re not able to
take car" of one more helpless hand, and
there was plenty young as he down there
But he was SO different from all the rest of
the children. He looked for all the world,
before he got the grim in his face, like
lentleman's child, sir. His skin was like
the shells you sometimes see with lcetlc
red tinge on en-, and he had his mothers
large brown eyes, and his fathers curly
Iatr md han l, 81. IL, 4 -
ish. But he had spirit beyond his strength,
and gloricd in work
"Things was going on about rs usual, ex-
cept that l was harder down on religion
than ever. The soit feeling wore off nv
heart, and | think | hated what was pous
worse nor before. Our Sundays was train
ing days--no hing good-every thug evil,
just as evil could be
"Well, sir-one day that little fellow was
on my beat; and he had done up his work
quick and airly-so he stood some time be
side me talking. He was queer at talking
Il never heard such strange things as he'd
say. So says he, as | was fixing my tools
says he, 'keene'-that's my name, sir
'whr'd all this coal come froni?'
"'Comc from the earth,' said.
'Ycs, but what made itt'
al prided myself on my little lcarnu' so
says |, wy, mater made 1t, Pinky;' we used
to call him Pink, and Pinky.
"Weil, what made mater, kecne?' he
still kept askin'.
."'Why-why! nator made itselfY /
said
"'Oh, no. he cried: and with solemn
look as ever see on any flce-a:d his
voice Of warmth don't know WHY, but |
never hcered anything like it; says he,
God made everything; God is down here
in the dark!
81 declare it was as nigh rs if a man had
struck me rs could be. Says /, .puky;
where did you get that irom?'
"Says he, The good man told me
"'What good man? asked, aud an ugly
feeling came over me.
"'What preached at mammy's funeral,
said he
"'And where'd you get himY i sort of
growled, like
? "'Out in the road yesterday. seed him
on horse, and he took me up and rided
me ever SO far back, and he told ME all
the good things
"l was silent-[ tell yc / didn't know
what To say; but was mad Just then. in
moving up quick, my lamp went out. Now
that's u thing that don't happen hut few
times in good many years; | knew i'd
have To wait aud hol'er tll somebody come
for the pit was iuli of h,lcs-and SO
said, Don be afraid, P'nky they II be here
soon; but was shaky, for he was in dan
gerous part o! the rit.
ssSavs ho Il lnn't fnol ,Gr,;l L...
don't you s'posc Gods close TO u.s.
81 declare felt my blood trickle cold,
and every wind that come down the shat
way | thought was his brcath-the breath
of God
"Well, the hours passed away, and no
boby come Presently says little Pinky,
Il go for you---God will show me the way.'
and | heard his little feet patting along
them dangerous places. 1t vas awful The
sweat started ont on me thick, and t seem
ed like couldn't breathe. But when |
called him back he shouted with his little
voice, God II show me the way
'it almost makes me tremble when |
think on: sir-the boy went over the worst
road in the pit, tuil of sunk shafts and dan
gerous places without no lamp. Oh. sir,
"HNh e's SaH'c ioi illC WlJ1 llHnt
Il couldn't believe it, sir, couldn't;
and though they kept telling me that Pinky
was s.fe, | tell you, sir, thought it was a
lie till see him and heard him cry out, II
am safe, kecne-God showed me the
way!
"Well, sir, you mayn't think this looks
true; but 'tis OH It's as true as wonder
full, sir; and | tell you, was a different
man after that Not that | grew GOOD at
oncc-no, didn't know tie scay then, sir.
| didn't feel like little Pinky; | didn't feel
sure that God'd Shoc me, but he did
Gone day, after Pinky bad been working
hard, he said he was dry and his hoad-aoE.
cd. Well, we always expected somethiugd
be ailing him-so that night | carried him
home in my arms and laid him on his bed
an! he never, SIR the miner choked for
moment, drew one rough band acrosss his