The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1860-08-23


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 were Awful, sir, and never want
to see a sight like it again.
we all felt bad-for poor Jesse hadn't
never said a harsh word to one of us,
and he'd borne many an insult.
we couldn't see through it when he
were living, but used to call him weak
headed, and tame covey ; and as he
lay there in his coffin, there came diff
erent feeling over me, sir, you may de-
pend upon it. Oh if I'd a heard then
to the lesson that vas telling of me, if
! I'd only listened then to the voice OF
God, speaking as it were from the lips
Of that crushed body, I'd saved my>
self many a day Of suffering, many an
hour of torment. But didn't.
'We all walked to the grave. and | tell
We it touched even hard fellows Ike us,
to see that young widder with her little
child in her arms, foller close to the cof-
tin-never crying, only holding her head
down as if it were heavy bowed with
with her sorrow to keep tup.
well, we had a talk at the grave by
the same parson as we'd treated so bad
! ly. l don't know what his words wo'd
a done in after days, if | hadn't been a
leader in wickedness, a hater Of pious
people, and everything that had to do
with religion-a wicked swearing, worth
less sinner ! | say it to my shame, l
don't boast sir,-God forbid it. | wish
| could shut out my thoughts ali the
years ofmy life that amt spent piously.
But God l hope'll be mercitul TO me.
We'll, sir,-his wiie-the poor young
thing, took the death sadly to heart
They SAID the shock had been so sudden
dried all her tears like. She never cried
onc't-.-only langulshed and pinned, grew
thinner and winter, and died just three
months after poor Jesse. That was
how the little boy -Jesse's little boy
came to be an orphan, SIT.
Wen, we all determined to take care
of the little one, so we cast lots every
month to see which should have the
maintenance Of him. 1t used to come
to me pretty often. But done it viii,
lingly, sir, because I considered I'd been
hard to the man-hard to poor dead
Jesse.
TThe boy was pretty, but sir, he did
not grow much. You see he hadn't
much molherly love to thrive on. The
women they thought they did we'll by
him, but they sort o hustled him, and
he wanted something different, some
ching OF delicate stock. | don't s'pose
nothing, sir, can give a child that feel
ing that having somebody to love and
call mother, does,-no, not all the cosset-
in in the world by strangers.
well, the year passed, and the little
fellow began to be handy in the mine.
1t seemed pity to see him beginning
that hard sort O life, but then we are
not able to take care of one more help
less hand, and there was plenty young
as he was 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 a gentle
mans child, sir. His skin was like the
/ shells you sometimes see with little
red tinge on 'em, and he had his moth
er's large brown eyes, and his fathers
curly hair, and then he was 50 sllmlike
and girlish. But he had a spirit beyond
his strength, and gloried in has work.
Things was going IN about as usual,
except that was harder down on relig-
ion than ever. The soft feeling wore
off my heart, and l think hated what
was pious worse nor before. Our Sun
days was training dAys-nothing> good
everything evil, just as evil as evil cod
I be.
'Well, sir, one day that little fellow
was on my beat, and he had done up
his work quickly and airily, SO he stood
some time beside me talking. He was
queer at taIking,-I never heard such
strange things as he'd say. So says he
as | was 6xIn my tools, says he, 'Keene'
that's my name, sir" where'd all this
coal come from ?"
"Come from the earth," / said.
les, but who made it ?"
l pride myself on my little learning,
so says l, Wy, natur made it, Pinky;'
we used to call him Pink and Pinky.
"We ell, what made natur Keene,' y
he still kept asking.
"Why-why natur made itself"
ooh, no p he cried and with a sol
emn look as ever l see on any face, and
his voice Of warnin'-I don't know why,
but | never heard anything like it; says
he, 'God made everything; Gcd is
down here in the dark 70
II declare, it was as nigh az if q man
had struck me as could be. Says |.
"Pmky, where did you get that trom?'
SAY he, ''Iue good man told me. y
CIV hat good man ?" / asked, and an
ugly feeling came over me.
What preached at mammy's funeral
said he.
"And where did you get him ?" sort
o growled like.
"Out in the road, yesterday. seed
MIN on horse, and he took me up and
aud rIded me ever SO far and back. and
he told me all Of the good things"
| was SILENT tell We. l didn't kno
what to say but l was mad. just
then, in moving up quick, my lamp went
out. Now that's thing that don't hap.
pen but a few times in great many
years [ knew Id have to wait and
houer till somebody come-for the pit
was tull Of holes-and SO l said, "don't
be afraid Pinky, they'll be here soon >
but was shaky for he was in danger
Gus part Of the pit.
Says he, Il don't feel afraid, Keene
, don't you s'pose Gods close to us ?"
declare [ felt my blood trickle colo
and every wind that come down tn,
shaftway | thought was his breath
the breath OF God
Well, the hours passed away, and no
! body come. Presently says little Pink,
, ''Fll go for you. God will show m,
, the way" and heard his little feet pat