New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-06-14
PEG.LEGGED BOB.

PE G'AE6SEO BOB.
Yes, sir, I'm what you call a sub-a sub.
contractor under Mr.. Tracey. Ne and my
wife. Sal, and Bob, the curly-haired dog,
are pretty well known UP and down when.
ever there's bit of eXcavating going on.
But as for sending me q letter, l don't
hardly know where TO tell yOp 70 direct IL.
You might hear Of me at Three Pigeons,
Stonycross, Brummegem, 1t l happened to
be out of work, which amt often. Last
time was wrote to was Providence Ter
rance, Bsnftop Cutting, Killarney, Ireland,
and the pOstman broke his leg trying to
get it to me. So perhaps you'd better not
write; but if you should want to send NE
any money just you hand it over to Dir.
1racey's Office in Great Parliament street.
and tell em it's for Peg-legged Bob.
shall get it all right some time or other.
As to how l got the name, why that's
pretty obvious, should think, looking at
these timber toes OF mine. 1t wasn't gave
me by my godfathers and godmother, but
you may say was christened by 400 tons
of rock and rubbidge as tumbied right atop
of me.
This was how it happened. Me and a
mate of mine was working in butty gang
on one of Mr.. Tracey's lines. 1t was in the
old mans time. Yes, he was very decent
fellow, old Tracey There was kind Of a
y
him, even if SO be as you didn't make much
out of it. And he was precious near. Not
himself, you know, so much as the men that
was under him; but bless you, he picked
'em out Just for that. else he was free
handed sort, if you took him on the right
side, and he'd never see you ruinated
through any of his Jobs if you stuck to 'em
plucky. Not but what perhaps there was
bit OF policy about that too, for you see
you'd cut things bit closer, knowing as if
they turned out unkimmon cross, old Ira
cey 'ud ease you Off some trifie.
was q able-bOdied young chap when it
happened, and could do days work with
anybody. l was butty of the gang, and
we'd took about a thousand yards OF rock
and rubbidge to drive cutting through.
and was getting on very we'll with it, too.
We was making three pound week, every
man in the gang, for it had turned out
very plummy piece; only, perhaps, he was
in too much OF hurry, and used our pow
der little too free. 1t was in Stafford shire
county, sort of red sand and rock, we had
to cut through, a soft kind of stone as come
away in-great chunks, like slices of pudding.
We'd cut away at both ends of our piece
and had left a big lump sticking up in the
middle, and we'd made up our minds to give
him q jolly good shhaing, with twenty
pounds of powder droved twenty feet into
the rock. Me and my chum, Carrotty Sam
we called him then, had agreed to stamp the
hole and fire the shot. We'd just rammed
in the charge, and Sam had got lump of
clay in his hand TO slap into the hole, when
of . sudden heard a sort of izzling noise
under nay feet, and 10 and behold. I'd struck
out spark with my hob-nailed boots, and
the powder as we'd scattered here and there
had took the spark; and the flame was rum
ming along all about like wildfire. Run,
SAM" says l; and we started off for our
lives. There was a chance, you see, that
the charge wouldn't catch, or that if il
catched it would elbow" without bringing
the rock down upon US. But there was no
behind me, the ground wobbled about un-
der my feet, and down l went, tumbling
over my mate, all in darkness like. There
was just u minute when l felt as if l was
fireworks, and turning INTO all kinds of
lights, and then felt one twist of dreadful
pain. After that l don't remember aught
till l come to myself in sort of a dream,
as IL might be the nightmare. Not that
could make out where / was or nothing,
only l was feeling Bladder than I've got
words to tell you.
When did come to myself sufficient to
know where were didn't feel any better.
was buried alive, sure enough, and felt
bad all over, can tell you. Then l moved
bit with my arm, and felt something soft
alongside me, that groaned as l touched it,
Sam" says ], in a grTtf kind Of way;
says l. "Goodby, Bob says he. And
after that we lay quite still without speak
ing. How time passed don't know, but
felt getting colder and colder, and the feel
ing went out of me, so didn't feel no more
pain, and my head was clear; and thought, |
aye, l thought a deal O. things. Then l
spoke to Sam again, and he never answered;
and l spoke again, but not a sound from
him. So, thinks l. he's dead. and I'll have
wouldn't have thought there was strength |
enOu' in me to have sung out as did.
And when I'd had my cry out, now,
thinks /, it's all over, and l may give up |
the ghost. Then l heard another cry, ss |
seemed as If it came out of the bowels OF |
the earth, and after that there was sound |
of picks and spade. Next thing hears a |
voice, "BobT quite faint like, Halo"
saysI, "what, Sam, are ye alive yeti" AYE"
now!" "Aye,' says l, a little bit nettled as
Sam should have heard. But keep up,
mate" says /, "here's help coming" And
there came a shine of light. and |
sings ont. Here they are.'
All, but we'd a precious bad time of it,
too, after they found us. A great stone had
tumbled on our legs and smashed em
dreadful, one OF mine anu one VI oalA :,
MS left leg and my right. The stones mad
collapsed together, like, so as we warn't |
killed outright; but they'd been digging for
Is the wrong way, and would never have
yot us ont alive if it hadn't been for that
,hout give, as l thought was my last.
The doctors whipped our legs of fast
enough after they got Us out. and then lay
N my back, in bit of bOthie alongside
he cutting, for months and months. And
here it was made acquaintance with Sal,
Who was Sans sister, and come to nurse
lin, and she looked after me, too, frst-rate.
only l never though of getting welded
hen. being, as was, very down in the
mouth, wondering what was to become OF
ne through having lost my leg.
Howsoever, Mr.. Tracey, he came down
me day to see how Ills chaps was getting
N, and he coined into the hut to have
ook at me and Sam. well, lads" he says,
how are you by this time :" "All right.
.overnOr," says, what there's left u.s."
avs /; ''the doctors took 90 much of us
way, they'd ought to have Joined me and
am together. as might make a man be.