Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-03-30
IA RON AND rOBAccOg (
a TRUE TEMPERANCE TALE.


house round the next corner" That was
Ne direction I received from a coal be-
oximed, strong-buih man, as turned
down one Of the lanes in the coal. work
section Of the Black Country"
KnOcking at the door, voice bid me
sOome In" At first could see no one
whsa I entered the house; looking around
aw what looked like a large straw bee
hive. but nothing living could be seen.
Or my tapping with my stick on table, q
hive" and said "What do you want p
Stepping forward, saw that the straw
odifice was snug arm chair, made of
plated straw, and inside (for' it covered
lie person in full, like sentry box) was
iftle cheerful old body, who quickly
told me she was Widow Wilson After
telling her who the friend was who had
commissioned me to call upon her, she
became at once communicative. "Sit
down, sit down." she said; Eyes, yes, you
may say Friend though they are few to
poor bodies, yet Ae is truly friend I'm
eighty four" she said, and the Lord will
soon call me, know that, and l hope it
will be soon, for I've waited a long time now
"A long time. Yet time was when didn't
feel weary O. waitin', when the world went
- glibly as could be with me-with
health, and money, and BARNS, and good
nan to cheer one. but that's long, long
ego.
Watty was-Walter Wilson was my hus.
bands name, but everybody called him
Watty-and, when we were married and
had got into our own little home, there
was no woman in England prouder than
YES. He had never been what you would
cali wicked man, but he had health and
apirits, and sometimes he would 60 to a
racs or football play, just for the excite
ment like. Before we were married he
lid left all that of, for one night in com
ing home from the pit he stopped to hear
gentleman preach on the green. Though
some laughed at him, and one or two
wanted to pull him off the chair, yet Watty
stood firm. VIZ &b
"No, no. he said, the mans doing nc
harm, and listen to him or leave him, lads
fust as you like but hands off is fair play.
They all knew that what he said in that
iwm, solemn way he meant, and they
knew, too, that if any had interfered with
the preacher, though Watty did not like
Sighting, yet he could not only take his
own part, but anybody else's he wished
especially when any unfairness was going
On.
"In the long winter nights, when the
Gre was burning bright, and all the world
was shut out, and only Watty and me
we're there-him to read and me to listen
with my hand resting on his shoulder
md, sometimes, the regular drip, drip oi
the falling rain on our roof-hOw thank.
ful to God used to feel for such home
and such husband. When he left home
for his work was anxious, for there are
always accidents happening both in going
down the pit and in coming up, but more
especially when down in the underground
workings But knew how careful he al
ways was, and that Gained my anxiety
Years rolled on, and our two children were
growing big girls-comforts to us-every-
thing prospered, because we were careful,
and thankful to sod, who gave health
and work and every good thing
"Watty went to work at six in the
morning, but he arose about five, as he
never liked to be behind time In ANYTHING
but one Monday morning he felt, as he
said, very half hearted about going. |
persuaded him to stop at home for that
-onoe, for YOU see we were able TO stand a
few days holiday, being careful. oh, no,
he said, why should he stop away it was
only a whim, only whime
at was November, and the rain was
coming down in a fine mist, but it was
very warm for the time O. year, quite
muggy,' as we say about here. / don't
know how it was, but felt very anxious
and from time TO time went up the garden
and looked toward the pit 1t was about
nine o'clock, l had just come back to the
house, when there was shouting among
my neigbbors, and one after another ran
toward the pit bank. 8 8
81 listened a minute, and then ran too
Cor knew that something dreadful had
happened. There was crowd Assem-
bled when l got there, but no one
dared go near the pit, for volumes
Of smoke were pouring up, and
come said that another explosion would
take place. There we stood-strong men,
with faces white as ashes, eager to do any
thing, and. as yet, nothing could be done
-wumen crying and wringing their hands
while little children ran from one to
snother, and, with streaming eyes, asked
news of their daddy"
It was a few hours before any one could
20 down To see after the dead and dying.
Is was no use to be inpatient vet the
minutes seemei hours; at last two men
desh shr'vesed from the bones. shut
my eyes, for | expected that one was my
Watty No, | was spared but they were
husbands and fat hers, and had left families
TO deplore TIN ir loss. 1t was hours before
all were brought up, and then there were
thirteen killed and four badly burnt, and
80 tb.. TOM