Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-08-12

BILL NYE
s.,ovts an Interview with the Al.
sssrt,es at Balssm Lake In Regard
20 Otsiciai Relation,
In in Polk county, Wisconsion, not
,ano auo. a man who had lost eight chill
ayan by diphtheria, while the ninth how
s,sd between life and death with the
same disease, went to the heelth ofiicer
Of the town and asked aid to prevent
the spread Of the terrible scourge. The
health officer WAS cool and collected.
He did not get excited over the anguish
of the father whose last child was at
that moment lowering upon the ont
skirss of Immortality. He calmly inves-
tioated the matter, and never for mo-
ment lost sight of the fact that he was
town officer and a professed Christian.
"You ask aid, / understand" aaid he,
ito prevent the spread of the disease,
and also that the town shall assist you
in urocurjnp new and necessary clothing
10 replace that wLich you have been
oompslled TO burn in order to stop the
further inro.ds of diphtheria. Am
riehtT
The poor man answered afirma-
tsvely. ~,
MAY ask if your boys who died
we're good Christian boys, and whether
thew improved their gospel opportuni-
ties and attended the Sabbath school,
or whether they were profane ana given
over to Sabbath. breaking"
The bereft father said that his boys
had never made profession OF Christi
anity; that they were hardly old enough
10 do so; and that they might have
missed some gospel opportunities, owing
70 the fact that they were poor and
hadn't clothes At TO wear to Sabbath
school. Possibly, too, they had met
with wicked companions and had been
taught 10 swear; he could not say that
the, have sworn, although he thought
they would have turned out good boys
had they lived.
II am sorry that the case is 30 bad"
esid the health officer. II am led to be-
lieye that God has seen ht to visit You
With affliotion in order To express His
divine disapproval, and | cannot help
ven. II i'll becomes US poor, Weak
worms of the dust to meddle with the
inst judgments of God. Whether as an
indiyidaal or as u quasi corporation, It
d we'll 10 allow the Almighty to work
out His great plan Of salvation. and to
avoid ali carnal interference with the
works of God"
The old man went back 10 his desc
late home and to tho bedside OF his only
living child.
met him yesterday and he told about
Il ell. =,
said he, "but tell YOU. Mr.. Nye, | cant
believe that this board OF health has
used me right. Somehow amt worried
about the little fellers that's gone. They
was little fellers anyway. and they was
not posted on the plan Of salvation,
but they was always kind and always
minded me and their mother. II God ts
using diphtheria agin perfanity this
season they didn't know IL. They was
too young to know about IL and was
too poor TO take the papers. 90 didn't
know Il nuther. l Just thought that
Christ was partial 10 little kids like
mine, lost as he used to be two thousand
ysa1 ago, when the country was new. !
admit that my little shavsrs never went
70 Sabbath school much, and wasn't
aoholar enough to throw much light on
0oa's system Of retribution, but told
'em 20 behave themselves. and they did,
and We had q good deal Of fun together.
ne and the boys, and they WAS % square
and cute that didn't zee how they could
tsll under divine wrath, and ! don't be-
hsss they did. 49,
trieks that they used to do 70 Mr.. Nye,
but they wa'nt mean or cunsed. They
vas Just frolicky and gay somettmes be-
eause they felt good. ! don't believe
that God had Il In for 'em bekux they
wa like other boys, do your For II !
thought 90 Il would kind Of harden the
old lady and mo and make a. sour on all
creation.
aMind you, don't kick because am
lsft alone here In the woods, and the
sun don't seem to shine, ana tne oieus
oeem Q little backward about sin9inR
this spring, and the house n 20 quiet,
and abe 10 still all the time and cries In
the nicht when she thinks I am asleep.
All this il tough, Mr.. Nye-tough ~ the
"a Harry. too-but itss 90, and ! aiu't
uSrmurin', but when tho board OF
ssAlth says to me that the ruler OF tne
Universe is maxim tour OF Northern
Wisconsin. mowin down little boys with
sose throats because they say gosh,
can't believe il.
II know that people Who Amt familiar
vteo tuc IActo Wtta nuAeS each oors<ss
md say I'm child of wrath, but can't
help il. All can do is TO 60 up there
under the trees where them little graves
" and think how all-fired pleasant to
NE them little short lives was, aud how
every one Of them little fellers was wei.
coOe when he come, poor a. was, and
Aou rastled with poor crops and pine
dumps 10 bay cloze fer 'em. and didn't
ears cent FOR style a. long as they
vefs we'll. That's the kind of hereto
am, and il God 10 like a father that
esetles il. He wouldn't vine out my
family 70 eastablish discipline, don't
osaieve. The plan Of creation must be
% bigger scale than that, IL seems to
ue. or else ita more or les fxxle.
The board Of health u better read
Wan am. II takes the papers and can
I'D up fioeers, and do lots Of things
nat can't do. bus when them fsllers
- mo that they represent the town
g Balsam Lake and the Kingdom Of
aeayen, my morbid curiosity 10 aroased
- !! want to see their stiffykits Of cleo