Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-02-08

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is always you. After that only one
old man came to visit me. had seen
him in the streets often. He always
wore very dirty black clothes and hat
with Grape round it, and he had one
eye, so l noticed him. One day he
came to my room with subscription
list for minister's salary. When 1
said had nothing to give, he looked
at me with his one eye.
Young man, he said, how is 1t
never see you in the house of the
LordT 1 thought be was trying to do
good, so felt sorry for him, and told
him never went to chapel Young
man. he said, 1T grieves me to hear
such goddess words from the lips of
one so young, so far gone in the paths
of destruction. Young man, if you for
get God God will forget you. There is
seat on the right hand side as you go
at the bottom door that you may get.
If you are given over to the enjoy
ments and frivolities of this world,
what will become of your never dying
soul?
"He would not go till gave him half
crown for the minister's salary. Aft
erward l heard he was the man who
collected the pew rents and got per-
centage. didn't get to know any one
else.
When my time in that shop was
done. | hired myself to drive one OF
| transport riders wagons.
THAT first morning when l sat in
the front and called to my oxen and
saw nothing about me but the hills
with the blue coming down to them
and the 'karroo' bushes was drunk.
| laughed. My heart was beating till It
hurt me. shut my eyes tight that
when opened them might see there
We're no shelves about me. There must
be beauty in buying and selling if
| there is beauty in everything. but it is
! very ugly to me-. Ny life as transport
/; rider would have been the best life in
| the world If had had only one wagon
| to drive. My master told me he would
drive one. the other. and he would
] hire another person to drive the third.
! ~ tHS I'itASSss w tlStS Nt-
/ there We're sometimes rare plants and
i flowers. the festoons hanging from the
bush trees. and nuts and insects. such
/ as we never see here but after a4little
while never looked at them. | was
! too tired ate az much as could
and then lay down on my face under
the wagon till the boy came to wake
| n sin.npn' yl,u I,..,,. N,,
again all night So IL went. so ii went
Z think sometimes when We walked by
my oxen | called to them IN my sleep
! for know thought of nothing.
was Ike an animal My. body. was
/. strong and Web TO work. but i my
i brn;n was dead: If You have not felt it,
] Lyndall. YOU tanno, understand it. You
may work aud work and work till you
are only body. not a soul Now. when
+, see one .,f those evil looking men that
! come from Europe-navyies. with the
btaStlike. sunken face. different from
any katlir's-I know what brought that
look into their eyes, and Ii have only
one inch OF tobacco give them half
1t is work. grinding, mechanical work.
that has made them into beasts. You
may work mans body so that his
scUl dies. Work is good. Lave work
ed at the old farm from the suns rs-
ing till its setting. but have had time
to think and time to feel You may
work a mau so TINT all but the animal
In him is gone. and that grows stronger
with physical labor. You may work a
man till he is devil. know it. be-
cause | have felt it. You will never
/ understand the change that came over
me. No one but | will ever know how
great it was. But was never misera-
bic When ! could keep my oxen from
sticking fast and when | could find a
place to lie down in. | had all | want
ed. After had driven eight months a
rainy season cane. For is hours out
of the "A we worked In the wet. The
mud went up to the axles sometimes.
and we had to dig the wheels out, and
we never went far in day. My mas
ter swore at me more than ever. but
when he had done he always offered
me his brandy flask. When l first
came. he had offered it me, and had
always refused. but now drank IS
my oxen did when gave them water
without thinking. AT last bought
brandy for myself whenever we passed
hotel.
Zone Sunday we 'outspanned' on the
banks of Il swollen river to wait for Its
going down. 1t was drizzling still, SO
l lay under the wagon on the mud
There was no dry place anywhere. and
all the dung was wet. SO there was nc
fire to cook food. My little flask was
filed with brandy, and l drank some
and went to sleep. When woke, IL
was driZzling still. so drank some
more. was stiff and cold. and my
master, who lay by me, offered me his
flask. because mine was empty. drank
some, and then | thought | would &c
and see If the river was going down
remember that 4 walked to the road
and it seemed to be going away from
: me. When woke up, was lying by g
little bush on the bank Of the river. Il
was afternoon. All the clouds haG