Year: 1873

|
Let me see, that's nigh on forty years ago
but it's never stopped working me up
whenever | think of it; but never mind, it's
over now, and it won't move me in little
while, for I'm getting on in years, and we
can't live always, you know. When l own
and occupy my six foot by three out in the
! churchyard there, things like this won't
| trouble me- [ guess


Well, well, | am wandering off again.
| can't tell a story as | used to, and my
brains go wool gathering, | think.
| stopped telling you where the big lump
| fell down on us, didn't {? That's what
made the noise When | came to my
senses there was a lot Of faces around me
which looked frightful; then | heard a
voice say, John don't you know me:
it's Sallie;" then slowly, everything came
| back to me.


Oh, how my head ached I tried to
| raise my hand up to it, but my arm was
| caught and held, and Salle said again,
You are hurt, John, dear, don't move in
that l could not object if had wanted to
just laid still and looked from one to an.
other, and one by one the faces became
clear to me and | saw they were my fel
| lOw-workmen. | knew what had happen
| ed, and was wondering what had become
of the two men who were with me, when
| was lifted into the basket {tOr we were
at the bottom of the shaft had seen that
and don't remember any mole until
| found myself one day in our little bed
room and everything quiet and still.
lay there listening for one sound, when
the door opened and Sallie's mother came
| up to the bedside


so you're awake said she. 'Why
lad, | thought you wouldn't get through
all this"


where's Sallie?" said I.
'Hush, don't talk and wOrrit yourself
Sallie is not over well just now. Lie
quiet, there's a good lad, and you shall see
her soon"


This was not exactly what I liked, but
was tired and fell asleep. | don't know
how long | slept, but when / awoke there
was no one in the room thought I'd &C
and find Sallie, so | rose up in bed anC
tried TO put my legs out of bed, when
found had none; they were cut ot right
here, just below the knee. Well, l fell
pretty bad, that's a fact.


They soon told me the whole story
The mass of coal had struck me and
pinned me down by the legs. | had los
my senses, and laid there until early next





did she do it? She saw | did not come
home at the usual time, and after waiting
for me until very late, she threw shaw
over her head, and lighting the lantern,
she started for the only store in the place
There at that late hour she only found two
men, and when she told them she had not
seen me since morning, they offered tC
search for me among the neighbOrs
houses. Sallie started for home, but some
thing seemed to draw her to the pit. She
soon reached it, and stood looking down
the shaft, when she said she felt she must
go down there. There was only one way
to get down, and that was such danger
Gus one that few men would dare to try it.


The basket was worked by hand wind
lass, and she soon saw that if she stepped
in the basket and let it 90 down her brains
would be dashed out in second. The
only thing she could do was to let the
basket down, and then slide down the
rope by her hands. She tied the lantern
around her waist, then caught the rope
and let herself free She reached the bot
tom, but that rope was smeared with blood
the whole length-her poor hands were
cut awfully.


love to tell this How my brave little
wife went through all the danger for me,
never thinking of her own pain-only
hoping to find me, risking her life for
mine.


She searched one passage after another
until she found me. No use telling you
how she tried to get me free from the
dreadful weight upon me, or how she
worked and slaved to get me free: twas
all wasted strength. Seeing at last that
she could not move M" she went to the
shaft where the basket lay. She could not
go up the rope, so she called for help un-
til she was hoarse, and no good came of
it.


The men came to work rs usual in the
morning, and were startled when they saw
her there and heard her tale. They set to
W ork and got me free. After they moved
me home the doctor cut my legs off, but |
knew nothing Of it for two months.


"What about the two men?' you ask.
Poor fellows, they were both killed. They
were not missed until found. You see
they were single men, and had no wives
like mine to search for them. They were
buried in the graveyard there, and when
ever [ see that cross over their graves |
send up a prayer for their souls, and
thanks to God for my life-for | have
been very happy since then, although 50
crippled


All! you're right; not many women
would have done what Sallie did.


We've had three bright bonny boys
given TO Us since then. They are good
children-children still to us, though
middle-aged men to you.