The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1895-07-11
Sans Prayer Meeting.
by HARRIET CARYL cox.

IT had been u pretty bad wreck, to b.
sure, and the morning edition of th'
Eastern papers would tell Of the fear
ful collision that had occurred Just u
the train entered Lead Valley.
But now the excitement, in the place
of the disaster, had begun to quie
down; for the rough miners of tn,
little settlement were too used to peril
Of all kinds to be long stirred by thi,
1t was oil over now, they reasoned
and they had helped cheerfully as long
as help was needed; but now the
wrecking crew was at work, and only
An occasional straggler Sauntered ur
to look at the deraiIed cars and pile oil
debris on either side of the track.
The rest ol the settlement were in
the office Of the one hotel the place
afforded and the room was blue with
smoke as they sat about the sputtering
lire and related anecdotes, or We'd with
each other in tales of danger and
herOism.
Some OF the stories were old ones,
as knowing glances between the men
showed but the crowd was good
natured, and new and old alike were
received with appreciation.
ED LaEes, the funny man of the
place, had Just finished telling new
and very taking story. I'd had just
returned from neighboring settle
ment, and had, doubtless, brought the
story with him.
AS the shouts of laughter that had
greeted him died away, one OF the
men shouted: Swearing Sans goin'
ter sleep. Wake him up, and make
him tell us q good one. Come, Sam :"
and they gave him Il hearty slap.
:" could tell yer story" he said,
slowly, after moments hesitation
"but yer wouldn't believe it, and |
dunno as want ter tell it :" and he
replaced his pipe and relapsed into ST.
lence.
ooh, come off !" they cried. eyer
don't sneak out er it that way. Guess
yer can STAN it If we don't swaller 1t
whole it can't be no worse than some
what's been told ter-night; SO GO
ahead, old feller."
They looked inquiringly at him.
He drew his pipe out, rubbed its
in thought; then, tucking it into his
boot leg, he glanced about the dingy
room.
ut aiR't exactly like any of yer stor-
ies," he Began: :" but the smash ter
night made ME think of it same's twas
yesterday.
"'Twas fifteen years back, when
was a-logging up in Michigan, and
things was so dull and hard we was
mighty glad when anything interest
ing came up. So when one of the
loggers brought news up from town
that there had been terrible smash
up, we was rather glad than other
wise. Course we was sorry for them
who had folks killed, but it didn't
matter much to the folks what got
killed.
$50 whole crowd of us quit camp
and went inter town. There was
fifteen folks dead, and some pretty
bad shook up. There was one woman
she landed on 'er head. And she had
u little girl, so Ben who kept the house
told us, and he was dreadfully upset
bout that child. Cause, you see,
there want any wOmen folks in town
ter look after It, Ben's wife had took
~ sudden notion ter go East q week
before, and she was the only one
except the station agents wife, who
had died @ month ago.
" 1T does seem kind er tough that
there aint no woman ter kind OF
mother her Ben said, as he set about
the stove a-talking same's we be now
And she's most cried herself sick, too
Wish the train hadn't seen fit tel
smash up here'; and he scowled NJ
awful scowl.
oyer wouldn't have sold so much
beer, 80 yer needn't be blaming youl
good luck, one OF the mon told him
but he seemed bit troubled all even
ing and kept a-going up ter lister
stopped crying. Bime by, he came
back considerably relieved.
"'She sounds quiet he said 'an(
now guess we can rest easy
$50 we we're having q rOusing gOO(
tinc, when all O. O sudden the fellol
next tor mo gave me an awful star
and said kind cr low: Sam, I see
ghost.
"'Ghost, nothing replied but
looked where he pointed, and sure
enough there was something white q
coming down the dark hallway.
'By this time some O. tho other!
saw we was o. lookin' ut something, unt
they looked too. And fore we begar
tor realize what 1t was q little bit 0
voice piped up:
"'Why don't Susan come up to hea
me say my prayers "
off it had been real live ghost |
couldn't have struck us so sudden.
"'Better go back ter bed,' Ben said
trying to speak soft like. Susan
busy nov, and can't come: so IN
along"
=" But she knew he was n-foolin' hel
and she was q spunky little thing,
"'I will have SUSAN she cried,
stamping her little bare foot. "Te
her to come right now and she locke
real proud like.
"'Susan amt here; she's gone,' BE
said, kinder shamed. Guess you ca
say your prayers ter yerself this once
cant YER ~ he asked.
"'COurse not she said, her eye
big. There wouldn't be anyone
say "God bless you, darling, and kee
you ;"'n and that little undcr lip O hel
began ter tremble.
~ tell yer, boys there come q lum
In my throat 80 big, II 1t had bee
gold I'd "a been rich man; and all I