Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-24
MILLER'S OWN STORY.

L. Il
CostisaaSed from second page.
being conveyed to the grave on an old
fashioned bier.
4 West Virginia Incident.
BY the light of torches that night the
men hewed out rough coffin and the bier
was made from poles and the next day in re-
lays of four we carried the man to his grave
Winding 10 and fro over the valley Just as
the sun was sinking behind the hill we
came out on the brow of the hill where a
grave had been dug. An old patr;archal
man who seemed TO have charge of the cere-
mony ordered the bier set down the side of
the grave and requested the friends and
neighbors of the deceased to take last
look at the corpse before it was laid away.
There was sort of helpless, appealing look
In voice and eye He said: There is no
minister present to say those words which
arc custOmarily uttered over the dead, but if
you viii all kneel with me will try and
pray for the well being of the departed"
had heard eloquent men of the nation
on the stump, in the pulpit and at the bar,
but that cid man gave utterance that after
noon to the most eloquent prayer, from its
very terseress and simplicity, tnat believe
ever fell from mortal lips.
The golden sunlight ofa dying day lighted
up the the hills and left the valleys dark.
Standing on that knoll with the glories of
the sunset all about him and his long gray
hair futtering in the wind and glistening in
the light 1t was q picture more impressive
than if he had been scarlet-clad cardinal
standing under the sheen of a thousand
lights. BIS simple prayer was:
''Father we send Thee another soul; Thou
knowest the burden he had to bear, and we
ask Thee for ChriSt's sake TO be merciful. 3"
I wasn't ashamed of the moisture that
hlleG my eyes as l turned away from the
grave on the bleak mountain side and never
in the history of that warborn State ascend
ed petition TO Gods great, white throne
as beautiful as was uttered over that humble
grave
A Hard Task, Indeed.
The general public are not always aware
how haSd il is for man 10 climb a steep
hill leading from the prison gates to the
plateau OF respectability. During one of
my trips up the Allegheny Railroad, while
selling lumber for a firm, ran across a
preacher who filed up his spare time, when
not engaged in looking after the welfare of
his aOck, in manufacturing and selling pat
ent medicines He wanted to build some
houses or some property that he owned in
a little town up the river, and desired to
purchase some lumber. l visited him,
talhed over the matter, and sold him a bill
Of stuff at satisfactory prices, agreeing TO
deliver il within a week or two. A few
dLys afterward l was aStonished to have one
of the firm inform me that he had received
q letter from the preacher canceling the
order which he had given me few days
previous.
N0nplused at the turn affairs had taken,
I took train and went up and saw the gem
tleman and inquired why he Cancelled the |
order. In a stammering, halting manner |
he informed me that he had heard of my |
past and couldn't conscientiously dc bust |
ness with me, as il was against his prin- |
clples to handle pitch, as there was ALWAYS |
a risk of being defled. l told him did |
not know his moral condition as well as he |
knew 1t himself, but L thought any man
whose moral nature was in such condition |
that buying a car load of lumber from an |
eN-conyict would necessarily damage him, |
must have a conscience on which charcoal |
would make white mark
Another Encouragement.
The winter came in and some gentlemen
who were interested in an enterprise in the |
East End desired TO obtain a mar TO act as
manager. My history was told them, and L |
was recommended to the position. An in
teryiew took place between us, and was
given the position, which l filled in a salts
factory manner until the following spring
The enterprise did not prove remunera-
tive as anticipated, and it was abandoned.
a little bit discouraged and sad hearted, L
tOnnd myself out of employment, and while !
] was promised bv NV last employers that
they would certainly secure me a position in
q short time, rather than run any risk, re- |
turned to the lumber yard and went TO work
again as a laborer. 1 had faithfully per-
formed the duties which had been assigned
10 me the previous winter, and had sue
ceedcd in creating the feeling that l was
7f-raI tn fiji soma hprtpr DOSirion than had /
Vet fallen into my lot.
Joseph D. Weeks, of the american Md1G-
IIe5'1t', was about starting a new paper at
that time and TO his astonishment his mana
ger, Mr.. ProtSman, Sr., proposed that l
should be one of the men employed as an
advertising agent and take partial charge OF
the circulation The position brought me
in contact with the prominent men of the
country and it is curious fact that the
cavilers were not found among the men in
the higher walks OF life, but among the
middle and lower classes. l won the re-
specI and esteem, ] think L can say in all
truth OF all with whom l came in contact |
aud when the paper was finally sold to
some people in New York, Mr.. Weeks
had sufficient confidence in me to
uiier NE q position as his representative in |
New York City for a term Of years While
] felt highly complimented, L was am
bitious to engage in broader field.
At Work in the South.
Not being oSle TO receive the opening l
desired, /, accompanied by another
newspaper man, wen= 10 Alabama and rep
resented Mr.. Weeks paper there for some
months IN a manner satisfactory to all con-
e~gued. On my return from Alabama Mr.. |
Weeks again desired ME TO become his rep
rescutative in the East, but 1 had formed
other views and having seen for sometime
that the changes made in the streets and
railways Of Prtsburg was sure to result in
a large increase in population, l concluded
10 60 into the real estate business. l met
with fair success.
While pursuing my calling of real estate
agent, dealt more or less in West Vir-
giuia lands Becoming acquainted with
several prominent men of that State, 1 con-
c-ived the idea of building railroad from
Charleston up the Elk river to the Monon-
gahela and connecting with the southwest
branch Of the Pennsylvania at Fairchance
This brought me in contact with ex-senator 6
Cowden, of Wheeling, who later on de- i
Ei-ed NE, in connection with himself and +
Atkinson, to form a company
in the city Of Pittsburg with the introduc-
TlOn Of General Green b. Raum's refriger-
ating system, known as the Universal Re- !
Company. q
The inventor Frank A. Smith, came here |
accompanied by colored man in his en- :
plov and setting up an exhibition box in the !
House, proceeded to show the
public the merits of his invention. / relied
entirely on his statements and simply acted
rs an organizer of the proposed company
1or this city.