In the year, 1867, I worked at Beechwood Colliery, Mt. Laffee, loading coal with my step-father.  On one occasion, by only a few minutes, I missed a trip of cars being hoisted up a very steep slope and killing all that was riding on it.  My step-father and I arrived just as the crash occurred.  After the coal dust settled, I noticed one body lying near by.  His name was COX, a one-legged man.  Only a wide leather belt was around his body.  He worked near me.  As he passed me he called out, "Come on home, it's quitting time." Some of his relatives were killed with him.

I have been in this mine when several explosions occurred.  Certain parts of the mine were worked with safety lamps.  Explosions would often take place and burn miners.  I have been tossed around several times with its force.  I would lied down close to the bottom, as I could keep timbers or other loose materials from hitting me.  then all that could would rush to the bottom of the slope, anxious to get outside of the mine and know who was burned or injured.

In the year 1868, an incident happened which made a change in my life and caused me to leave Wadesville one autumn evening.  Several of my boyhood friends were whistling and calling me to come out with them.  As I stepped out of the doorway, my stepfather placed a water bucket at my feet without saying a word to me.  I understood that it meant for me to go to the spring, some distance away for a bucket of drinking water.  This would prevent me from going out with the boys.  I knew also that there was sufficient water in the bucket for the next day's use.  His only purpose was to prevent me from going out.  Up to this time I had always obeyed him, but this time I could not, regardless of the consequences.  My temper got the best of me.  I gave the bucket a kick on my way out.  Suddenly I felt a hard kick which came from him.  As he wore heavy boots, it lifted me off my feet.  I turned and looked at him for a moment.  I felt no pain only that I was being humiliated before my companions.  No tears came to give me any relief.

It was several hours afterward before my boy friends came.  They gathered around me.  I told them to keep away from me as I wanted to be alone.  As the shades of night were coming on, I went up the side of the hill to find a place to be alone and to think what to do.  One thing was sure.  I would not stay in that home nor would I stay in Wadesville.  I looked for a place to sleep under some bushes.  While waiting for sleep to come over me I heard my stepmother's voice calling me.  It was some time before I would answer her.  I did not want anyone to know where I was going to stay that night.  As we met she wanted me to come into the house, but I answered her, "No", every time she asked me.  She then left me.  From where I stayed I could see the house.  I had made up my mind I would watch the house for a chance to get in for some clothes that I wanted.  I had also a little over two dollars in change there.  I had earned this by picking up loose pieces of iron, bone and rags and selling them to the rag man who came around once a month.  In those days this was a common way to get a few pennies.

As I looked toward the house the next morning, I saw my stepfather leaving.  Then shortly after that my stepmother went out.  I came from my hiding place and went into the house.  I gathered up my clothes, tied them into a bundle, then walked over the hill, then to St. Clair, then up another hill called Mt. Hope, then I came onto a road that would take me to Mahanoy City, a mining town.

It was a strange way to leave Wadesville and my boy companions whom I thought so much of.  I was now on a strange mountain, on a strange road, and going to a strange town and not knowing how far it was away.  And when I got there where I would sleep tonight? These thoughts troubled me.  But I had slight information that I had an aunt there whom I had never seen; also that I had cousins living there.