Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1860-03-08

working Shaft where y cSSe was, and there
didn't happen to be a scul in the place ex-
cept him, poor fellow They'd all gone
into another shaft, where he didn't Ike to
follow EN-, cause they was such wicked
set; and US they were eating their dinners,
and he his, this accident happened.
We dug him out, sir He was awful
crushed-all but his face-that looked smil-
ling and peaceful-like, and we couldn't bear
the sight; it made us think how we'd
a-treated him So we carried him home to
Bessy. She didn't cry and take on, as
most the mems wives do when an accident
happens, but it were awful to see how still
and white she werel Awful, sir and |
never want to see a sight like it agin.
I'VE all felt bad-for poor Jesse hadn't
never said a harsh word to one of us. and
he'd borne many an insult
I'VE couldn't see through it when he
were living, but used to call him weak
helded, and tame covey;' but as he lay
there in his coffin, there came a different
feeling over me, sir, you may depend upon
it. Oh! if I'd heard then to the lesson
that was telling Of me, if I'd only listened
then to the voice of God, speaking as it
were from the lips of that crushed dead
body, Id saved myself many day Of suf-
ferin'-many an hour Of torment. But l
didn't
'We all walked to the grave, and I tell
ye it touched even hard fellows like US, to
see the vidder with her little child in her
arms, foller close to the cofin-ncver cry
ing, only holding hcrhead down as if it were
too heavy bowed with her sorrow to keep it
up.
'Well, we had talk at the grave by
the same parson as we'd treated so badly.
don't know what his good words would
a-done in after days, if | handent been a
leader in wickednoss, hater Of pious peo-
pie, and everything that had to do with re-
Iigion,-a wi3kad Swearing worthless sim
ncr | say it to my shame, | don't boast
sir,-God forbid. / wish l could shut out
Of my thought all the years Of my life that
| amt spent piously. But God, hope, ii
be merciful to he.
We'll, sir-his wife-the poor young
thing took his death sadly to heart They
said the shock had been too sudden, dried
up all her tears, like. She never cried one
only languished and pinad, grew thinner
and whittier, and died just three months af-
ter poor Jesse. That was how the little
boy-Jesse's little boy-came to be an or
phan, sir.
well, We were all determined to take
of the little one, so we cast lots every
month to see which should have the main
tainin' of him. II used to come to me
pretty often, but | done it willingly, sir,
because | considered ID been hard to the
man-very hard to poor dead Jesse.
The boy was pretty, sir, but he didn't
grow much. You see he hadn't no MOTH
er-logc to thrive on. The women they
thought did well by hira, but they sort o
hustled him, and he wanted something diff
ferent, coming Of a delicate stock don t
spose nothing, sir, can give child that
feel, that having somebody to love and call
mother, does-nO, not all the cossattin'
in the world by strangers.
Well the years passed, and the little
fellow began to be handy in the mine. Il
seemed a pity to gee him beginning that sort
o life, but then we're not even able to take
care of one more helpless hand, and there
was plenty young as he down there. But
ne we're so different from all the rest of the
children. He looked for all the world be-
fore he got the grim in his face, like gen,
tlemans child, sir. His skin was like the
shells you sometimes sec with leetc red
tinge on EN-, and he had his mothers large
brown eyes, and his fathers curly hair, and
then he was so slim-like and girlish. But
he had spirit beyond strength, and gloried
in work.
Things was going on about as usual, ex
cept that I was harder down on religion
than ever. The soft feeling wore off my
heart, and think | hated what was piou'
worse nor before Our Sundays was train
ing days-nothing good--everything evil
Just as evil as could be.
well, sir-one day the little felIer wa:
on my beat, and he had done up his work
quick and airly,-so he stood some time be
side me talking never heard such strange
things as he'd say. So says he, as | wa'
fixing my tools-says he,
Keen, that's my name, sir,-'where't
all this coal come FROM
Come from the earth,' | said.
Yes, but what made it Z?
/ prided myself on my little larning, s.
says |,
Why, mater made it, Pinky We uset
to call him Pink, and Pinky.
'Well, what made mater Keen ? he still
kept askin'.
Why-why mater made itself1 said
Oh, no he cried and with solemn
look as ever ] see on any face-and hi
voice somehow seemed strange, and deep
like voice of warmth don't know why
but | never heered anything like it say
he God made every thing; God is dowr
here in the dark