Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1896-09-11
SANS PRAYER MEETING.
BY HARRIET CARYL cox.

II had been a pretty bad wreck, to be
sure, and the morning edition Of the
eastern papers would tell Of the fearful
collision that had occurred just as the
train entered Lead Valley.
But now the excitement, in the place
of the disaster, had begun TO quiet
down; for the rough miners Of the lit
tie settlement were too used TO perils
of all kinds to be long stirred by this
wreck, with its half-dozen lives lost.
1t was all 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 up
to look at the derailed cars and pile of
debris on either side of the track.
The rest of the settlement were in
the Office of the one hotel the place af
forded; and the room was blue with
smoke as they sat about the sputtering
fire and related anecdotes, or wed with
each other in tales of danger and hero
ism.
Some of the stories were old ones, as
knowing chances between the men
showed; but the crowd was good
natured, and new and old alike were
received with appreciation.
Ed LADIES, the funny man Of the
place, had just finished telling new
and very taking story. Ed had just re-
turned from a neighboring settlement,
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 a good one. Come, SAM and
they gave him hearty slap.
Il could tell yer a story" he said,
slowly, after moments hesitation;
but yer wouldn't believe it, and l
dunno as l want ter tell it," and he
replaced his pipe and relapsed into ST..
lence.
"Oh, come off, they cried. "Yer
don't sneak out er it that way. Guess
yer can stan it if we don't swaller ii
whole; it can't be no worse than some
what's been told ter-night; SO go
ahead, old Teller"
They looked inquiringly at him.
lie drew his pipe out, rubbed its
smooth stem against his high boots as
if in thought; then, tucking it into his
boot leg, he glanced about the dingy
room.
1T amt exactly like any of yer
stories," he began; but the smash-up
ter-night made me think of it same's
twas yesterday.
Twas fifteen years back, when l
was a-logying up in Michigan. and
things was so dull and hard we was
mighty glad when anything interest
ing came up. So when one or the log
gers brought news up from town that
there'd been terrible smash-up, we
was rather glad than otherwise.
Course we was sorry for them who had
folks killed, but it didn't matter much
ter the folks what got killed.
80 a whole crowd on us quit camp
and went inter town. There was if
teen folks dead, and some pretty bad
shook up. There was one woman who
hadn't known a thing ever since she
landed on 'er head. And she had lit
tie 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 a
sudden notion ter go east week be-
fore, and she was the only one, except
the station agents wife, who had died
a month ago.
1T does seem kind err tough that
there amt no woman ter kind er
mother her Ben said, as we set about
the stove attacking same's we be now
And she's most cried herself sick, too.
Wish the train hadn't seen fit ter smash
up here; and he scowled an awful
scowl
Yer wouldn't have sold so much
beer, so yer needn't be blaming your
good luck one of the men told him;
but he seemed bit troubled all even.
ing and kept a-going up ter listen
close ter her door TO see il she'd stopped
crying. Bir1e-by, he came back con-
sidera bic relieved.
'She sounds quiet he said; and
now | guess we can rest easy
80 we was having a rousing good
time, when all o a sudden the Teller
next ter me give an awful start and
said kind or low: Sam, | see ghost.
"Ghost, nothing l replied; but l
looked where he pointed, and sure
enough there was something white a.
coming down the dark hallway.
"By this time some o the others saw
we was a-lookin' at something, and
they looked too. And fore we began
ter realize what it was a little bit of
voice piped up:
why don't Susan come up to hear
me say my prayers?"
"If IL had been real live ghost ii
couldn't have struck US so sudden.