The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1874-12-31


pressure of steam wasn't heavy I knew
there was plenty of water in the boiler,
and the safety valve was all right so
that all l could do was to be thankful
for the accident happening at dinner
time, and also for my own wonderful
escape. And then, though L wasn't
hurt, something seemed to come over
me like a flash, and struck me to the
ground in an instant. When I came to
felt horribly sick and deathly ike,
and looked about from face to face,
wondering what was the matter; for
couldn't make it out why I should be
lying on my back, with people around
me IN the ward one holding up my
head, and another sprinkling my face
with wsber.
Then It all came back at once, and I
shuddered as I turned my head and
looked at the ruined works for 1 knew
what il was struck me down to the
earth. I said il was like a fash and so
it vast was one quick thought which
came across my brain, for knew that,
being dinner time, my little golden
haired gal would have brought my
Iowance tied up IN a basin and some
thing told me that she had goDeinso the
stoke-hole to find me when I had gone
into the yard.
Let me get up,'' I says and L ran
toward the ruins, and began tearing
away aS the heap OF brick rubbish,
while the crowd now gathered together,
hearing that there was some one under
meath, began tearing away the rubbish
like fury.
By and by tue police came, and some
gentlemen, and something like order
was got at, and people worked well TO
get down to where the stoke hole had
been. had said that there was some
one there, but I couldn't shape my
mouth to say who it was and some
said it waG one man, and some another
but whoever they named seemed to
come directly back from his dinner or
because he had heard the explosion.
So, by and by, people began to look
from one another, and ask who it was.
Ask Wilum, says some one he
was here at the time, and some one
asked me. But I had no occasion
TO speak, for inst then the little girls
mother came shrieking ont and crying:
Where's little Patty? Where's lit.
tie Patty ?" and then, when no
one spoke, she gave a sort of pitiful
moan, and sank slowly dOwn-frst on
her knees, and then sideways on to a
heap of bricks and remember think.
ing it was best, for I could not find it in
my heart to go to help, but kept on
tearing away at the hot bricks and rub
bish.
It was puzzling and worriting for
one could not seem to be sure of where
anything had once stood, in the hor-
rible confusion before US. One said the
stoke-hole had been there, and another
there but even 1, who had worked
there two years, could not be sure
amidst the confusion.
Hour after hour went by, and still
we worked on while, as every big raf-
ter or beam was lifted and dragged
away, was obliged to turn my head,
for felt sick, and the place seemed to
swim; for [ expected to see Patty's lit
tie bright curls torn out and hanging to
the Jagged wood, and that underneath
there would be something horrible and
crushed.
know it wasn't manly but what can
I say, when there was little, bright,
blue-eyed child in the case one of
those little things whose look VIII make
your great rough hands fall to your
side when raised IN anger while the
tiny thing can lead you about and DO
what she likes with you? Pr'aps I
amt manly; but, somehow, children
always seem to get the upper-hand of
mel
And so on we worked, hour after
hour men getting tired and dropping
of, but always plenty ready to fill their
places while II never thought of it,
but kept on tearing away till my hands
bled and the sweat ran down my face
but turned away every time there was
something large lifted, for 1 said to my
self, 'sShe must be under that And
then again and again, in my mini,
seemed to see the torn and crushed
face of my darling, and her long curls
dabbled in blood.
In the midst of the piled-up black
ened ruins-bricks, mortar, tiles, lead
and ragged and torn beams, huge pieces
of wood snapped and torn latches-we
toiled on hour after hour till the dark
night came; when the gas pipes that
had been laid bare and plugged we're
unstopped and the gas lit, so that it
hared and blazed and cast a strange,
wild light over the ruined place. There
had been flames burst forth two or
three times from parts of tho ruins,
but few sprinklings from the fire en-
gine in attendants had put them out
and as we worked on the rubbish grew
cooler and cooler.
Some said that the child could not
have been there, but the sight of her
mother tearing out was sufficient, when
once she got away from the people who
had her in their house--a house where
but part of the windows had been
broken by the explOsion-and came
running to where was at work, snatch
ing at the bricks and wood TIL 1 got
two or three to take her back, for I
ceuldn have left where I was to have
saved my life. Bat remember so we'll
asking myself why it was that women
viii let down their back hair when
they're in a state of excitement, and
make 'enselves look so wild.
By and by sOme one came TO say how
bad my wife was. and that she wanted
to see me /; but I felt that couldn't go,
and kept on in fevered sort of way,
work, work and I've thought since
that if she had been dying it would
have been the same. However, I heard
soon after that she seemed a little bet
ter and I found out afterwards that q
doctor there had given the poor thing
something that seemed to calm her, and
she went TO sleep.
1t would have been n strong dose,
though, that would have sent me off to
sleep, as still on, hour after hour, 1
worked there, never firing, but lifting
beams that two or three men would
have gone at, and tossing the rubbish
away like so much straw.
Tho others we're kind enough, and
did all they could to encourage the
men, sending out beer aud other re-
freshments but the heap of stuff to
move was something frightfui, and more
than once I felt quite in despair, and
ready to sit down and cry weakly. But
I was at it again the next moment, and
wOrkingwith the best of them.
Hand You better leave now ?"
said one of my masters So I'll see that
everything is done.
gave him one look, and he laid his
hand kindly on my shoulder, and said
no more to me about going and heard
him say Poor fellOWl" to some one by
him, as he turned away.
We came upon the biler quite half q
dozen yards cut of it's place, ripped
right scross where the Eivets were
while as for the engine it was one cu.
rioas bit of iron tangled-rods, and bars,
and pieces of iron and brass, twisted
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