Transcript

“I wore out my shoes on the way,” said Tom Dobson, “and had to make a good many miles of it on foot. My feet froze and it was no small task hobbling over the rough roads wheeling a handcart. Brother Eph[raim] Hanks promised me the first pair of shoes that came to camp. But my feet had swollen so that nothing would fit them. “Tommy,” says Eph, “its too bad; but there’s no shoes for you; and the best I can do is to wrap you up in this piece of cotton. Now, I tell you what you do. Stand up and sing the handcart song and I promise you in the name of Israel’s God your feet shall be made whole.”

That night I was wakened by a sound of fiddling. A couple in our company got married and the camp was celebrating with a dance. I hobbled out to the fire and stood there listening to the music. “Tommy” said one of the brethren in a joke, why don’t you get up there and give us a jig.” Now, I come from Lancashire, and maybe you know what that place is for dancing. I’d known how to clog dance ever since I could remember and when that man told me to dance I got out there and danced as I never had before. That was the last of my lame feet.”