The Gavelyte, September 1910

111' 1' 111 , ,; \ \ l•' I, IL. , ·ith tlw \'111\'1• nf (~nrl RJll'Hking 1'10111 "'°"')' ·hpr1• lh:it thi town •n tlrl I • 1w:1n•f11l and q11it•t. hut hq11nr, nwn and w,11rn•n l,l ,r"''n"d d1•rnnt1R of rl, tr1wt1on nnd dispnir hnd to11nd tlw1r wny lrnck to thi , tllu .,." :ind hurl.. d h lppy h11m1• , rhil d11•11 and p 1n•11t.. into llw g,q11ng JaW of thP i11f1•rnal n•gionll ,,nrl un olrl 11goni1• . llaslin .,.~ h •an! ot' this no 01w knn\\ . wh(•r,• h11l lw lw:irrl h1•:inl th1• rry 111 d11ldr•11 the Wl'<'ping of, om ·n 1111 1 1 th1• c11r1-11ng of mPn and lik" m11ny :111oth •r hri:tiun mnn hL• mad' thL· l·mc-rifiC'P ;1nd answ1•rPrl th" t•;dl , So 011, hrighl morning Goel anrl thl' d1•vil stoocl hdore lhP villagP s1d<> hy sirh· for th1• first t11n' and from that lim on thl're has h •n a conOd H ha le wnginJ,!; ti •r ·e and cru •I belw' n th, hosts of h av •n and th<' s( qwnts of H II Two y ars have past. Hastings was up 1•arly and r<.'Mtlc>Rli, al ho tn t)('tL•r spirit than h 1 ever b for had b en. }fr was gving ba·k into Gorl's country lo bring back a companion a wife. Th y hav lov rl for y ar:::1 and only th ang I of h av n knew the pure, n bl thots that w r coursing thru the v im1 of this God fearing man. He was pacing up and down th platform in front of th depot waiting for the train wh n Katie came rushing to him. She wa the youngest daught r of Williams the foreman. When Ha tings mad out between her sobs that Billy was killed his heart sank. But being a man true to his conscience he sent a telegram and turn d his back upon the coming train. Taking Katie by the hand he told her to 1 ad. Th y wound their way thru the village until they were up among the rocks where Katie and Billy had their play house. The first thing Hastings saw was Billy lying flat on his back motionless. Sitting by his side was a man-mutter– ing threats. eeing Katie he sprang at her with clutched fists but Hastings truck him a blow which laid him on the ground and there side by side lay father and son. Billy an innocent harmless boy. The father a brute-a drunken brute and a criminal. They tenderly carried Billy back to town and in his small body was found remaining a little life. A special train was ordered and Hastings took the last chance to save the young life. The same train took father and son to Richmood -the one to the penitentiary where he died- the other to the hospitat to be cut to pieces by the surgeon's knife- yet he lived and in time Billy was once more whole .and well. Hastings returned one winter day with his bride. The men were spending the long evening in the saloons and gambling houses. Ha tings was doing his best. He would go into these houses-hold meetings and talk to these men. The more he would try to bring the Gospel before these people the greater would be the attractive display of the devil. About this time three men who were not doing their duty were discharged by the company and this act brought about a strike. The miners living up to their income were left without money and soon the whole village was in a stage of starvation and want. The company owning all stores in the village and re– alizing their vantage point they quietly waited for the need of food to bring the