The Cairo bulletin., 1906-06-05
A Dying Miners Prayer.
BY N. j. MII.LSON.

: moroCs scene in which one type 0
American humor is exhibited in III
perfection.
The boys looked sorrowful. II gold
dust could have bought prayers, Bill,
would have mad tlrst-class assert
meni in an instant.
n here's Deacon Adams over to Pat
tens" suggested bystander; ian
they do say he's a reglar riproarer al
prayln But twauld take four hours
to 40 and fetch him"
TOO long, said the doctor DOVE
in Mexico they pray for a feller after
he's dead, an t.ey say it's jist the
thing sure pop. III give yer my
! word, Billy, an no go back, that I'll
see the job done up in style fur yer, ei
| that's any comfort"
/ Il want 10 hear it myself" groaned
/ the sufferer Il don't feel right Cant
nobody pray-nohody in the erowd?"
Finally matters were brought to a
| crisis by Mose-no one knew his other
| name. Nose uncovered sandy mead
with the back Of his hand rubbed hi2
I bron2ed face, then strolled his sandy
beard, and Immediately remarked:
= don't want to put on airs in this
here crowd, but eff nobody else can say
a word to the Lord about Billy Bent
I'm a-goin 20 do it myself It's a biz.
ness I've never been in, but there's
nothin' like tryin'. This meetin' mus.
70, ny
Hats off In church, gentlemen! y
commanded Penteeost
OF came every hat and some of the
boys knelt down al Nose knelt beside
the cot, and said
"Oh, Lord, here's Billy Bent needs
'tendin' to- He's PANIED ont his last
dust. an he seems TO have a purity
clear idea that this is his last chance
He wants You to give him a lift, LORD
an it's the opinion Of this house that
what he's done. and eff 1t wuz you'd
know more about it than We cud tell
yer But it's mighty sartin that al
cuss that's been in the diggin's fur
years needs a sight Of mendin before
he kicks the bucket"
That's so, responded two or three,
very emphaticaIly.
"Rily's down, Lord, resumed Nose
"an no decent man believes that the
Lord nd hit a man when he's down
So there's one Of two things got to be
done-eiJher he's got to be let alone
or he's got to be helped. Lettin' him
alsne won't so him or enybody else
emmy good, SO helpin's the holt. An
as emmy of us tough fellers would help
eff we knew how TO, it's only fair 10
suppose that the Lord'll do it a mighty
sight quicker.
Now, what Billy needs is to see the |
thing in that light, an You ken make |
him do it a good deal better than we
ken. It's mighty little fur the Lord to |
do, but it's meat and drink, an clothes |
TO Billy jest now When we wuz boys. !
some of us read some promise % |
your'n in that Book tibet WIZ writ a |
good spell ago by chaps in the old |
country. an though Sunday school |
teachers and preachers mixed the mat, |
ter up in our minds, and got MS all |
we know them promises |
are thar, an you'n know what We
mean.
Now. Lord, Billy's jest the boy He's |
a hard case, So you can't find no better |
stuff to work on-he's in bad fix, an |
we can't do nothn' fur him. SO it's Jest
yer chance He amt exactly the chap |
to make a No. / angel Of but he amt |
the man to forget a friend, so he'll be
a handy Teller TO have around
Feel any better. Billy" said Nose
stopping the prayer for a moment.
"A little, said Billy feebly. but you |
want 10 tell the whole yarn. I'm sorry |
for all the wrong I've done"
Hes sorry for all his deviltry, |
Lord"
An I amt got nothin' agin' the |
Judge continued the sufferer.
An he don't bear no malice agin'
The Judge. which he shouldn't. seem |
he generally give as good as he took.
An the long and short Of il. Lord. is |
Jest this, he's a-dyin'. an he wants
chance TO die with his mind easy: an /
nobody else ken rake il So 50 we /
cave the whole Job in your hands. only !
putin in fur Billy's comfort tibet we
-ecollect hearing how yer wunst for
rive a dyin' thief an tibet it amt like
" yer a-goin 10 Ue harder on a chap
hats always paid fur what he got.
That's the whole story Amen"
Billy's hand. rapidly growing cold.
reached for that OF Nose and he said.
With considerable effort:
"Mose. yer came in as handy as a
nugget In gone-up claim God bless
rer. Nose, feel better inside. Ell
,et through the clouds. an hev a Twin
nance 10 say a word 20 them as Is the
hiefs up thar thet word1l be fur Won.
Nose God bless yer. Nose, an. If nv
,ltssins no account. II can't cuss yer
.nyhow. This claims washed ont. fel-
ers. an here goes the last shoveIful 10
ee Fl there's emmy gold in it or mott
And Billy departed this life. and the
,oys drank 10 the tepose of his soul
\. Y. World