Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-10-15

to fire, who coming to a little hollow, in his
blind haste stumbled and fell; fell flat with
his hand directly on rifle with which he
rose on the instant, with his face to the gall
Looping foe, who when they saw him stand
so, wheeled sharply around and rode away.
If | were that man, all the adverse philoso-
| ply in this world could never shake my belief
in very, very special and particular Provi-
dence.
One hundred and forty one men were killed
instantly or have since died of their wounds,
every one brutally murdered, offering no re-
sistance. One man alone, so far alone, re-
sisted-a little old man of seventy, who Crap
pied the levelled revolver OF rufian, and
though he was entirely unarmed himself, in
his desperate struggle for hfe hustled the fell
low about so that he finally got way. One
hundred and eghty-two houses, including
nearly the entire Main street, is burnt to
mere cinder. Two wagons were loaded with
the poor charred remains Of the murdered
men that had been exposed to the fire, and in
wild, sweet place on limestone ridge, over
looking the town, "A long trench was dug and
on the Sunday after that fatal Friday one
hundred and iwenty-thrce bodies of slain men
were laid side by side, amid such lamenta-
tons as hope never broke over that wilder
ness before.
Now, every widow, destitute woman and
wounded man needing aid in the town of Law
renee, l visited, ministeredto with my own
hands, and cheered with such poor words as
could come out of my hegrt, heavier than it
was before at the grief of another. Then,
with that noble brother of John Brown, have
already mentioned, | went to the uitermost
house burned toward the border, seeking out
every widow, destitute woman, and wounded
i, tI,,,t Hal Il.
ed from the committee Of relief there-I be-
lieve as true and honest men as can be found
on this continent-the stores of clothing and
provisions sent in, and $1,000 in money, near
ly all that, so far, had been sent in, until ar
rived there with the $4,000 from this city.
great number Of widows have gone to their
friends in the east | could not reach them IN
any wBy, but to every widow in Lawrence, on
the road toward the border, or living with
friends anywhere III the country, that | could
hear OF; to every woman widow already, yet
more desolate in this desoation; to every
wounded man in any need, and every man
burned out, poor and struggling at
disadvantage; to old people, whose sons
have been slain; to black women ruined
as to white; with some attempt at an average
with reference to the number of their chill
dren, the weight of their cares and their
fitness to bear them in sums ranging from
twenty-five to one hundred aud twenty five
dollars, and wherever it was likely to be
squandered, putting it into the hands of such
trusty guardians as were entirely welcome to
or recommended by the committee, dstrib-
uied the good gift Of this city. and tried in
some small measure to stay whatever sore
grief, comes of utter poverty-the result of
all being that beside such donations of cloth
ing and other things as will answer for the
present, to see through tine surest need.
every woman has in money from perhaps
fifty, if she is also chIdess and able to face
the world, to nearly three hundred dollars
if she have five or six children. And | can
not close without one word about the COM
mittee and those citizens who from heng
prOspes0us tradesmeu are reduced to less than
nothing in this ruin believe them to be, as
| have said, as high-mnded men as can be
found anywhere. Their cooks are open, are
kept with all pOsSibl. exactmess, and wnatev-
er they receive or give is published in the
papers. There are ways to help them, but
not by gifts. Every penny given is and will
be given again to such as | have mentioned.
While they strike TO save what they can out
OF the wrek of their own fortunes, they give
also freely their time and labor to those still
more destitute and helpless. The desolation
of those others alone went deeper into my
heart than their nObleness. / hear that st.
Louis is to give $4,000, to he lent to these
struggling men at very low interest, which,
when repaid, as it will be, is altogether to go
to endow a college for these fatherless child
rem and orphans. Surely, Chicago ought not
to be diStanced by her great sister, but should
raise at least a like sum, including what she
has given aud pour it into the treasury tor
this great need Whatever we can do more,
am sure will be well done, for this is the
true story of Lawrence.