Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1914-04-24

IN AcrIons
woulo go Gown Inree umes, ana rpaI
when you went down the third time you
would die. I came up once then went
down for the second time. Again I came
up gasping and choking, then I went
down for the third time.
ut happened that there was a man
lying Non the bank just about asleep. l
didn't know he was there. When he
heard them shouting out 'Willie's drown
mgr he jumped up just in time to see
me GO down for the last time. He went
In after me and CROPPED around on the
bottom and found me. I was uncon-
scious when they took me out. They
stood me on my head n let some of the
water run out of me, then they laid me
down and worked my arms to start me
to breathing again. They started to car
ry me home, and / came to myself and
said, I want to go to my mamma Oil
I'm so sick at my stomach! E-yah-ahl
and up came a lot of water. Mother had
missed me-, and she was out calling VIII
liei Wil-liei' They took me in and put
me to bed. and mother put a plaster on
me. She ought to have put a plaster on
me somewhere else. Dc you know that
incident made such an impression on me
hat I was a good boy for-for I reckon
as much as two weeks
Another familiar incident of these
early days In which his grandfather
figures which he frequently tells In
another sermon indicates the activities
of the farm. He describes 1t as
follows:
'swhen I was a little boy my grand
father said to me: Willie, come on and
he took a ladder. and beeswax, a big
jackknife. a saw and some cloth, and we
went into the valley. He Leaned the lad
der to a sour crabapple tree, climbed up
and sawed off some of the limbs, split
them and showed in them some little pear
sprouts as big as my finger and twice as
long, and around them he tied a string
and put in some beeswax. / said, Grand
pa, what are you doing?' He said. I'm
grating pear sprouts into the sour crab
I said: What will grow ~crabapples or
pears?' He said Pears, I dom know
that I'll ever live to eat the pearl hope
I may-but I know you will I lived to
see those sprouts which were no longer
than my finger grow as large as my limb
and I climbed the tree and picked and
ate the pears. He introduced a graft OF
another variety and that changed the ma
ture of he tree"
Shortly after he left the asylum
young Sunday came to Nevada, Iowa,
where he was given a home with
Colonel John Scott, a veteran of the
Union army, who at one time served
his state as lieutenant governor.
Colonel Scott was a breeder of Shet-
land ponies, and the boy helped to
care for thel board
and clothes.
Charles H. Of Nevada,
and one of the h = loyal supporters
of the evangelist In that town, Is
always glad to talk of the man who
has brought fame to their little place.
In a letter he says:
'sBill Sunday In boyhood days was no
angel, but was a good, average, ener-
getic boy. He was fond of all kinds OF
sports. He had a record Of running 100
yards in 10 seconds. A fine swimmer,
and could out jump any Of the Other boys.
Many people here insist that the world
has never produced as good a ball play
err His position was center field. He
was a sure batter and a good base r n
ner. What was a one base hit for OH
ers, was a two Dagger for him.. In a
game at Marshalltown, Iowa, Captain
Arson from Chicago saw him work and
him back with him to Chicago,
he played on the Chicago team.
BILLY liked the girls and was a favor
lite among them. He was popular also
with his boy associates. He was fair
and never stirred up strife. He
was never looking for trouble. but would
fight at the drop of the hat II imposed
upon. He displayed no traits In youth OF
becoming the preacher he now is"
Finally there is the Judgment OF his
mother. After more than 30 years
acquaintance with the man who is q
mystery to so many thousands, Mrs
w. J.. Stowe gives a vivid word pic
ture Of the boyhood days Of the evan
gelist, coupled invariably with the
comments Of a fond mother.
Whenever one speaks Of her evan
gelist o her face lights up with .
smile and she invariably remarks: