Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1906-07-24
4 Dying Miners Prayer.
By n. J. kILLsoG.

per lection.
The boys looked sorrowful. II gold
dust could have bought prayers. Billy
would have nad hrst-elass assort-
ment In an instAn,
There's Deacon Adams over TO Pat
tens. suggested a bystander. an
they DO say hes a reg.ar riproarer at
prayin But twJuld take four hours
10 90 and fetch him"
Too long, said the doctor Down
in Mexico they pray for feller after
he's dead, an they say It's jist the
thing-sure pop. III give yer my
word, Billy, an no 20 back. that III
see the Job done up in style fur yer. ei
that's any comfort"
Il want TO hear II myself" groanet
the sufferer I don't feel right Cant
nobody pray-nobody in ;he crowd?"
Finally matters we're brought TO q
crisis by Mose-no one knew his other
name. Nose unoo 'ersd a sandy mead.
with the back OF Lis hand rubbed his
bronzed face, theg stroked his sandy
beard, and Immediately remarked:
Il don't want 10 put on airs in this
here crowd, but ef nobody else can say
a word to the Lord about Billy Bent.
I'm s-goin 70 do It myself It's biz
ness I've never been in. but there's
nothin like tryin' This meetin' mus.
now come to order at wunst"
Hats on In church, gentlemen,
commanded PeniecOst
on came every hat and some Of the
boys knelt down as Nose knelt beside
the COT, and said
oh, Lord, here's Billy Bent need:
'tendin' TO. He's panned out his las,
dust, an" he seem. 10 have a purity
clear idea that this is his last chance.
He wants you to give him lift, Lord
an its the opinion Of this house that
he needs,it Talnt none Of our bizness
what he's done, and ef It wuz you'd
know more about it than We cud tell
yer But it's mighty sartin that
crss that's been in the diggin's fur
wars needs sirht Of mendin before
he kicks the bucket"
That's 50" responded two or three
very emphatically.
'Bnly's down, Lord" resumed Nose
ian no decent man believes that the
Lord I'D hit a man when he's down.
So there's one Of TWO things got 10 be
ne-either he's got to be let alone,
or he's got to be helped. Lettin' him
alone won't do him or enybody else
emmy good. so helpin's the holt. An
as emmy Of us tough fellers would help
4 we knew how 10, it's only fair to
'rppose that the Lord'll do 1t mighty
psht quicker.
Now, what Billy needs is to see the
' ing In that light, an you ken make
h'n do 1t good deal better than we
ken, It's mighty little fur the Lord TO
DO 1ut it's meat and drink, an clothes
to Billy jest now. When we wuz boys.
some Of us read some promise OF
your'n in that Book thet wuz writ a
good spell ago by chaps in the old
country. an though Sunday school
teachers and preachers mixed the mat
ter up in oW minds, and got us all
tanglefooted. we know them promises
are thar an you'll know what va
mean.
Now Lord. Billy's jest the boy. He.
q hard case, 81 you can't find no better
stun TO work on-he's In a bad fx, an
We can't do rothin fur him, so it's lest
yer chance. He amt exactly the chap
n make No angel Of. brt he aln't
the man to forget friend. so he'll be
a handy feller to have around"
Feel any better, Billy" said Nose
stopping the prayer for a moment
"A little. said Billy feebly, Int yor
want to tell the whole yarn. Tn so,ry
'or all the wrong I've done"
Hes sorry for all his deviltry.
Lord"
~ eAh EpA hbNhln u6lH lDt D
Judge" continued the sufferer.
An he don't bear no malice agin
be Judge, which he shouldn't, seein' .
he generally give as good as he took
An the long and short Of It. Lord. is
est this. he's a-dvin an he wants
hanre to die with his mind easy: an
,obody else en- rake It so: so we
cave the whole Job in your hands. ony
,nt'in' in fur Billy's comfort thet we
'erollect hearing how yer wrnst for
'"e dyin' thief. an thet II amt like
Y yer a-ecin to ne harder on a chap
hat's alwavs raid frr WHIT he rot.
That's the whole story Amen!"
Bi!lv's hand, raridly growing cold
cached for that OF Nose. and he said.
With considerable EFFORT:
Nose. yer came IN as handy ss A
nugget in a Gone-rr claim God blrSs
'er Nose, | 'ec' liter inside. Ell
,et through the clouds. an hev a livir
'hance to say word To them as is tn,
hiefs up thar. thet wordll be fur You.
fose God bless yer. Nose, an. ef my
,lessins no account. II can't cuss yer
INFLOW This claims washed out, fel-
ers. an here goes the last shovelful to
ec ef there's emmy gold In II or not"
And Billy departed this life. and the
,oys drank 10 the repose OF his SOUL
Y. Y World.