<TITLE>30. Par 111-112</TITLE>L-111  But what it was, she told me, said, "Honey, I didn't want to tell you." She was too much a lady then. Said, "I had to give them to your mother. It was for an older person." Said, "I'm sorry I kept it back from you, but I just couldn't tell you."
I said, "Bless your heart, sweetheart."
"There's one more thing I want you to promise me: you won't live single."
I said, "Oh, Hope, I can't promise that."
She said, "Don't live single, and have my children pulled about from post to post." She said, "I--I'm--I'm going, Bill." She said, "Will you promise me?"
I said, "Honey, I can't promise that."
Said, "Promise me, won't you?" the poor old feeble hands reaching up to me. Said, "Get a good girl that's got the Holy Spirit. She'll take care of the children." She said, "Bill, I'll meet you there."
I said, "All right, honey." I said, "Are you really going?"
She said, "Yes, I'm going."
I said, "Sweetheart, someday, so help me God..." I said, "I'll take you out here to Walnut Ridge and I'll bury you, and I leave a place there for myself and the kiddies."
She said, "Do one thing. Promise me too, that you'll never let loose, but you'll preach this Gospel that you heard up there at Mishawaka."
I said, "I promise."
She said, "It's glorious to die by, Bill." And said, "I hate to leave you and the babies, but it's so good to go back."
And I said, "Honey, on that day the sun will be as black as sackcloth, bloody. The skies will be waving and gray too." I said, "If I'm alive, I'll be on the battlefield, but if I'm not, I'll be sleeping by your side. And if you go before I do, if I'm alive, and you go before I do, when you see the city coming lowering down from God out of heaven," I said, "go over to the east side of the gate; stand there under the big pillar. When you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and them coming by," I said, "scream my name as loud as you can: Bill, Bill." I said, "I'll gather the children together, and I'll meet you there at the gate."
She said, "I'll meet you, honey." And I kissed her. That was my last date with my wife." And brother, sister, if sometimes I get weary and tired, but I'm going to keep that appointment. One day I'm going to meet her.

L-112  I walked out of the building, went home, oh, my, my heart breaking. I couldn't stand it. Mother told me, "Come to her house." I couldn't do it. I went over that night. I was going around the house. I went in the room, laid down. I shut the door. When I shoved the... I was laying on the cot and I shoved my foot, shoved it together; and when I did, there was her coat hanging on the back of the door. I--I... It was all over again.
Just then, somebody knocked on the door, said, "Billy?"
And I said, "Yes."
Said, "I got some bad news to tell you."
I said, "Well, I was right there when she died."
"That's not all of it. Your baby's dying too."
I said, "No."
"Yes." Said, "Dr. Adair just left and said not let you come to the hospital; it's dying now with tubercular meningitis."
I couldn't stand it no longer. Then got--I got up. Two men setting in an old truck, we went out there to the hospital, and I went in. Doc said, "You can't go in there."
I said, "Yes, I can."
"No, you can't," said, "Billy, you got to think about Billy Paul." Said, "See, she's got meningitis. She's contracted that from her mother," And he said, "if you go in there, you might take it to your boy."
I said, "Doc, I must go."
He said, "You can't." So he set me down in a room. As soon as he got away, I slipped in anyhow.


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