Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-08-19


camp; for when he was sober he
was generous, dare. devil sort of a
FELLOW who would divide the last
dollar he had with you, and whom
you couldn't help but like in spite of
his tough ways. No one could do q
thing with him at such times or dare
attempt to try. | said nobody, gen
tlemen; but there was one, this lit
tie girl Of six, of whom have lust
referred, who would do anything
with him, whether he was drunk or
sober. She was Tins little daugh.
ter, and his wonderful love for her
was the redeeming virtue Of his
rough character. No mother was
ever more gentle than was this rough
gambler with his little golden haired,
blue-eyed child. The story ran in
camp that four years before Tim
Burt had been a very different man
from what he was in Uba. He was.
so the rumor ran, sober, industri-
Gus mechanic in San Francisco.
where he lived with his young wife
and their only baby, little Maize,
then two years old. One night, upon
his roturn home after the days
work, he found his wife gone and q
brief note left on the table saving
she loved another man and had gone
with him. From that hour his life
was changed and he continued to go
to the bad. Taking his baby girl
with him he went from camp to
camp, always seeking excitement of
the toughest kind. But she was his
darling. Every hope of his life
seemed to cling around her. He
never Swore an oath in her presence
and L believe he would have shot
down any man who did. / have
seen her come up to him when he
was In his worst mood, half drunk
and boisterous, and terrorizing every
man around him. In second he
was as gentle and as tender as wo-
man, and would caressingly stroke
her beautiful though tangled and un-
kempt curls. Then she would saw
In her sweet, childish way: Come
on, dad; let's 60 home.' And as
meekly as you please, and without q
aissentlng murmur, he would let her
Lead him away. There was the
lamb leading the lion for you.
One afternoon in spring a crowd
OF about fifteen Of us standing out
In front of the Red Light saloon,
which was nearly at the foot of the
one straight, narrow street that ran
down the gulch. Tim was in the
crowd. Suddenly some one gave a
yell, and, looking up the street,
which was quite steep, we saw com
ing at furious speed four runaway
horses attached to one of the heavy
wagons used for hauling ore down
from the mines Il mile or two up the
gulch. They were crazy with fright,
and were coming as | never saw
horses run before. Then we saw a
sight that almost froZe the blood i'm
our hearts. There stood little Maize
right in the middle of the street and
in direct line with the oncoming
runaway team. Her back was turned
to them and and she was unconscious
of their approach. 1t seemed that
no power on earth could save her
from the horrible death that was al
most upon her. And none could,
gentlemen but there was a higher
Power guarding the life of that
sweet little wild flower of the noun.
tains. Tim was standing just in
front of me and little to the left,
and l could see his face plainly. 1t
makes me shudder even now as |
think of his look. 1t was simpIy
awful. His face was CHASTITY white
and his eyes wild and stony set. He
seemed unable to utter word or
move muscle. Just as the team
was not more than fifteen feet child
from the off leader stumped his toe
and fell, and in an instant the other
horses and the wagon were i'm heap
upon him. For a second there was
thick cloud of dust, the cracking
and breaking of the timbers of the
wagon, and then a sudden, death
like stiffness. We all gave shout
of JOY and ran up to the scene.-
When the pile of wagon and horse
flesh came to dead halt it was not
three feet from little Maize. Tim
grabbed her in his arms and kissed
her again and again, while the tears
poured down his cheeks - cheeks
that had never known tear before.
unless it was when he went home
with a light heart from his days
toll and found that the wife he loved
had gone away and left him alone
with his baby girl. Then suddenly
and gently he set her down, and, re.
moving his large hat, knelt down
right there in the middle or the
street before Us all, and here is his
prayer:
God you know | don't know nuthin'
erbout prayin, but YOU knOwcd She wuZ
all he'd left, an jcs' want ter thank YOU
fer trippin that off leader. Thank YOU,
Lord thank YOU =
Gentlemen" continued the Colo
mel, "it was the most affecting scene
ever witnessed. Think Of ii: that
rough miner, gambler, outlaw, kneeI.
ing there and talking to God just
like he was right there before him
and near to him, and thanking Him
for saving the only thing his rough
heart loved. can give you his
words, but | cannot convey to you
the manner in which that prayer was
uttered. 1t came straight from his
heart. The sweet simplicity and
confidence of his tone carried with
1T no lingering doubt as to whether
there was a God or not, or whether
he had been instrumental in saving
his darling. To him there was no
doubt whatever about it. God was
right there with him. In his heart
ii was a moral certainty that nobody
but God could have tripped that
leader and in his rough way he
wanted to thank him for it. If