The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1874-12-24


heart, and if you happen to be father
you'll understand what l mean.
IT was dinner time at oar works--a
great place, where the engine used to be
going TO pump water night and day, 40
that there were two Of us; and one
week Ia be on daywork, next week on
night work, and so on. Now it 30 hap
pened that yonr water in that part was
terribly herd water that would cover
the inside of boiler with thick fur in
no time. But whether ii was that or
no | can't say all / know is that one
dinner time | went ont into the yard TO
wash my hands and have cooler
when | heard n strange, wild, rushing
noise, and felt something hit me on the
back of the head and then turning
round, I stood fixed to the spot, for the
air was black with tiles, and bricks
lathes, and rofters, while the whole
place seemed to be crumbling NJ
together just like as if you'd built
up tall card house, and then tapped
it so that it fell, one card on top of an
other, till there was little heap all
lying close and snug so that ont OF a
tall building there was nothing left but
some smoking ruins.
| knew it was not my fault, for | had
looked at the gauge just before, and the
pressure of stepm wasn't heavy. [ knew
there was plenty Of water in the boiler,
and the safety valve was all right; SO
that all / could do was to be thankful
for the accident happening at dinner
time, and also for my own wonderful
escape, And then, though ! wasn't
hurt, something seemed to come over
me like a flash, and struck me to the
ground in an instant When | came to
/ felt horribly sick and deathly like
and looked about from face to face
wondering what was the matter; for
couldn't make it out why / should be
lying on my back, with people around
me in the ward one holding up my
head, and another sprinkling my face
with water.
Then it all came back at once, and I
shuddered as | turned my head and
looked at the rnined works for | knew
what it was struck me down to the
earth. / said it was like a fash and so
it vast was one quick thought which
came ACROSS my brain, for | knew that,
being dipuer time, my little golden
haired gai would have brought my
'lowauce tied mp in q basin and some
thing told me that she had poueiuto the
atoke,hole To find me when | hat gone
into the yard.
"Lot me get mp" 7 says; and / ran
toward tno ruins, aud began tearing
away at the heap OF brick rubbish,
whilo tho crowd now gathered together,
hearing that there was 9Ome one under.
meath, began tearing away the rubbish
like fury.
BY and by the police came, and some
gentlcmon, and something like order
was got at, and people worked we'll to
get down 80 whcro the stole.hoIe had
been. had said that there was some
one there, but ] couldn't shape my
mouth to say who it was; and some
said'it wac one man, and some auothcr
but whoever they named seemed :,
come directly back from his dinner o,
because he had heard the explosion
SO, by and by, people began to ioob
from one another, md ask who it was.
"Ask Wilum," says some one; "hc
was here ut the time" and some one
asked me. But ! had no occasion
to speak, for just then the little girls
mother came shrieltine ont and crying
Where's little Patty? Where's lit.
tie Patty % and then, when no
one spoke, she gave n sort OF pilifUl
moan, and sank slowly down-frai on
her knees, and then sideways on to Il
heap Of bricks; and ! remember think
ing it was best, for | could not find Il in
my heart to go to help, but kept ON
tearing away at the hot bricks and rub.
bish.
II was puzzliug 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 hnd been there, and another
there but even !, 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 curl8 torn out and hanging 70
the Jagged wood, and that underneath
there would be something horrible and
crushed.
know it wasn't manly; but what can
| say, when there was little, bright,
blue.eyed child in the cqsc--one Of
those little things whose look will make
your great rough hands fall 70 your
side when raised in anger; while the
tiny thing can lead you about and do
what she likes with you? P'r'aps /
amt manly; but, somehow, children
always seom TO get the upper-hand OF
me.
And 10 on we worked, hour after
hour men getting tired and dropping
off, 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 | said to my
self "She must bo under that " And
then again and again, in my mini, /
seemed to see the torn aud crushed
face OF my darling, and her long curls
dabblel ~ blood.
In the midst OF the piled-up black
ened ruins-bficks, mortar, tiles, lead
and ragged and torn beams, huge pieces
of wood snapped and torn latches-wo
toiled on hour after hour till the dark
night came; when the gas pipes that
had been laid bare and plugged were
and the gas lit, 30 that it
fiared and blazed and cast a strange,
wild light Oyei the ruined place. There
had been flames burst forth two or
three times from parts Of the ruins,
but few sprinklings from the fire en-
CINE in attendance had put them ont
and as we worked on the rubbish grew