Year: 1875

boiler and the safety-valve was all right
so all that l could do was be thankful fol
the accident happening at dinner-time
and also for my own wonderful escape
And then, though l wasn't hurt, some.
thing seemed to come over me like a
flash, and struck me to the ground in an
instant.


When l came to, felt horribly sick
ened and deathly- like, and looked about
from face to face, wondering what was
the matter for l couldn't make it out
why should be lying on my back with
people all around me in the yard, one
holding up my head and another sprink-
ling my face with water.


Then all came back at once, and !
shuddered as / turned my head and look
ed at the ruined works. For l knew what
it was that had struck me down to the
earth. l said before it was like a fash,
and it was-it was one quick thought
which came across my brain, for l knew,
that being dinner-time, my little golden
haired girl would have brought my al
lowance, tied up in a basin and some
thing told me she had gone into the
stoke-hole to find me when l had gone
into the yard.


" Let me get up" says, and l ran
towards the ruins, and began tearing
away at the pile of brick and rubbish,
while the crowd now gathered together,
hearing that there was some one under
meath, began tearing away at the rubbish
like fury.


By and by the police came, and some
gentlemen, and something like order was
got at, and people worked well to gel
down to where the stoke-hole had been
had said there was some one there, but
l couldn't shape my mouth to say who
it was {; and some said it was one mar
and some another, but whoever they
named seemed to como directly from hi
dinner or because he had heard the ex
plosion. So, by and by, people began tc
look from one to another, and ask who il
was.


ASK Wilum," says some one, "hC
was there at the time !" and some one
asked me. But l had no occasion tc
to speak, for just then, alarmed at the
child's not coming back as usual oul
little gals mother came shreking out
and crying


"Where is little Patty? where's little
Patty ?" and then when no one spoke
she gave sort of pitiful moan, and
sank slowly down, first on her knees and
then sideways on to heap OF bricks
and remember thinking it was best,
for l could not find it in my heart to go
to help her, but kept on tearing away at
the hot bricks and rubbish.


1t was puzzling and worrying, for one
could not seem to be sure of where any
thing had stood, in the horrible confusion
before us. One said the stoke hole had
been here, and another there but even
who had worked there two years, could
not be sure amidst the confusion.


Hour after hour went by, and still we
worked on, while, as every big rafter OF
beam was dragged away, l was obliged
to turn my head, for was sick, and the
place seemed to swim, for l expected to
see Patty's little bright curls torn out
and hanging to the jagged wood, and
that underneath there would be some
thing horrible and crushed.


And SO on we worked, hour after hour,
men getting tired and dropping off, and
always plenty TO fill their places again,
while-I never thought of it, but kept on
tearing away till my hands were raw
and the sweat poured down my face, but
| turned away every time there was any
thing large lifted, for | said to myself,
"She must be under that - And then
again and again in my mind, l seemed
to see the crushed face of my darling and
her long curls dabbed in blood.


Some said that the child could not
have been there, but the sight of the
mother tea.ing out was sufficient, when
once she got away from the people in
the house--a house whore but part OF the
windows had been broken by the explos-
ion-and came running to where | was
at work, snatching the bricks and wood
till got two or three to take her back,
for l couldn't have left where | was to
have saved my life. But | remember
so well asking myself why it was that
women will let down their back hair
when they're in state of excitement,
and make themselves look wild like.


By-and-by some one came to say how
bad my wife was, and that she wanted
to see me ; but l felt that / couldn't 90,
and kept on in fevered way, work,
work /; and I've thought since if she had
been dying it would have been the same.
However, heard soon after that she was
a little better, and found out afterwards
that doctor there had given the poor
thing something that seemed to calm her
and she went to sleep.


1t would have been strong dose, tho,
hat would have sent me off TO sleep,
rs still on, hour after hour, l worked
here, never tiring, but lifting beams
hat two or three men would have gone
It, and tossing the rubbish away like so
many straws.


The owners were kind enough, and did
III they could to encourage the men,
ending out beer and other refreshments
'ut the heap Of stuff to move was some
hing frightful, and more than once l
elt in despair and ready to sit down and
ry weakly. But was at it again the
'ext moment, and working with the best
4 them.


III L I