The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-11-27
MET DEATH UNAFRAID.
HerOism That Makes Us Think Bet
ter OF Human Nature.

ter Of Human Nature.
When men look death in the face
it brings out the brave, undaunteG
spirit in them, the spirit that death
cannot conquer. In the blacklist dark
ness the spark of manhood burns the
brightest.
The thrilling rescue of some of the
miners at Cherry, ILL.,, after they had
been imprisoned for a week in the
caverns hundreds of feet below day
light has brought out stories of ter
rible suffering, but it has also brought
to light instances of sublime heroism.
1t is inspiring to read how William
Cleland, the sturdy Scotchman, twice
day conducted religious services
and delivered a little sermon to the
men around him. bidding them to be
of good cheer, whether life or death
was to result. 1.-The LORD is with us
even here, and great is his mercy!"
he would exclaim. "Keep up your
hearts. lads! God is with us; don't
despair Others have been shut off
from the light of day as we are, and
in Gods good time have come out
alive" He was better prophet than
he knew.
In what seemed to be the last ex-
tremity when their strength was fail
ing, and they had almost lost hope
Of ever escaping alive, George Eddy
wrote this. letter on a page in his
notebook:
November IA.
Dear Wife and Children: I write
these few lines to you and I think it
will be for the last time. have tried
to get out twice, but was drove back.
There seems to be no hope for us. I
came down this shaft yesterday to
help to save the mems lives. I hope
the men I got out was saved. Well,
Lizzie. If I am found dead, take me
to bury me in Streator and move back
Keep Ester and Clarence and Jimmie
together as much as you can. I hope
they will not forget their father. so I
will bid YOU all good-by and God
bless YOU all. George Eddy.
Hardly a thought Of himself or of
his own fate. he grieved most for the
wife and children that he thought he
had left behind. His thoughts were
all for them and for the men he has
rished his own life to save.
On the other side Of this leaf
Walter Waite wrote this note, hoping
that some day it would be found:
November IA.
We the undersigned, do not blame
anyone for the accident that hap
pened to pen us in here, and We be-
lieve that everybody has done all in
their power to relieve us. With best
wishes to all concerned
The nineteen men penned together
in this groupe all signed this notice
to the world that they were dying
without blaming anyone for their
fate and with no hard or bitter feel
ings against anyone in the world.
All who appreciate bravery will re-
joice to know that these men who
knew how to die were saved to live.
They are the kind of men the world
needs. and they will make ashamed
those who worry over petty troubles,
who fret at the failure to secure ev-
erything they desire and who are
plunged into despair when troubles
descend upon them.
Out of the darkness of that mine,
where these simple miners were face
to face with death, streams the
light of a heroism that reveals to us
the grandeur Of human nature at
its best, and which, in it's triking con-
trast to the sordidness and selfshness
Of every day life serves to strength
on our faith in man God. Such TRACE
dies as this mine disaster are pathet-
ic and terrible beyond expression, but
when accompanied by the courage
and self. abnegation recorded I'm this
case, the tragedy is converted into a
moral triumph and an inspiration to
all Observation-Disclosures Sun.