AMBITIOUS TO WORK IN A COAL MINE—DAY SPENT IN MINE AS A SPECTATOR—FATAL ACCIDENT—HIS NARROW ESCAPE FROM BEING A VICTIM.

Many things have occurred in Brother Parkin's life to indicate that there has been a special providence over him—that his life has been preserved almost miraculously—leaving the impression upon his mind that the Lord has a work for him yet to perform in mortality.

A most striking instance of this kind occurred when he was a boy only eight years of age. He had a companion about his own age by the name of Walker, who was employed in a coal mine, driving a donkey which conveyed cars of coal from distant parts of the mine to the main shaft, where they were hoisted to the surface.

Possibly because he was so employed, his young companion conceived the idea that he also would like to work in a coal mine, and accordingly applied for a position. He was promised a job at opening and shutting a door by which the mine was divided into sections for protection against fire damp. Gratified at securing the job, he was on hand early the next morning prepared to commence work, but to his surprise he learned that another boy had also been promised the job and he too was on hand prepared to take it.

Investigation proved that the other boy had the first promise, and he was accordingly given the preference. Instead of young Parkin going home, however, he yielded to the persuasion of his young friend George Walker to spend the day with him. He made several trips with the donkey, and enjoyed the novelty of it, and at the suggestion of another boy, who had the care of another donkey, also hauling cars of coal, started to make a trip with him, young Walker remarking when he heard the proposition, that it would be all right, if he wanted to go, as he would get back in time for dinner.

They had not proceeded far when a noise was heard and the lights suddenly went out, leaving that part of the mine in total darkness. The boys made their way to the main shaft to learn the cause of the trouble, when to their horror they saw George Walker and two others lying there dead and somewhat mutilated.

They soon learned that young Walker and his companions had been in the cage ascending the main shaft when the rope by which the cage was being drawn to the surface had broken, precipitating the cage to the bottom of the shaft, with the result stated.

Young Parkin owed his escape from death to the circumstance of his quitting the company of the Walker boy and going for a single trip with the other boy; for if he had remained he also would have been in the cage when it fell.

When, sometime after the accident occurred, young Parkin was hoisted to the pit brow, he found his parents there almost frantic with anxiety, for the rumor had reached them at their home that their boy was one of those who had been killed, and they were unable to learn that such was not the case until their boy was brought to the surface, when they wept for joy at finding him alive, and declared that he should never go into a coal mine again. However, he did return to work in the mine on his own volition when he grew older, and worked there many years.