The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-05-27
A Nevada Funcr,I--One Of Mark
Twntn's Best Stories.

There was grand time over Buck
Fanshaw when he died. He was II repre-
sentative citizen. He had "killed his man y;
not in his own quarrel, it is true, but in de-
fence of stranger beset by numbers. lie
had kept slimptloils saloon. He had been
the proprietor of dashing helpmeet, whom
he could have discarded without the for
nmlity Of Il divorce He had held high
position in the fire department, and been
very Warwick in politics. When he died
there was Il great lamentatiOn throughout the
town, but especially in the vast bottom
stratum OF society.
On the inquest ii was shown that Buck
Fanshaw, in the delirium of a wasting ty-
phoid fever, hid taken arsenic, shot himself
through the body, cut his throat, and jumped
out of tOur-story window and broken his
neck and after due deliberation the jury,
sad and fearful, but with intelligence TN
blinded by its sorrow, brought in a verdict Of
death "by the visitation of God" What
could the world do without juries?
ReSretful resolutions were passed and va
rio,s committees were appointed; among
Others, u committee of one was appointed to
call on minister--a fragile, gentle, spiritual
new tedgling from an eastern theological
seminary, and as yet unacquuinted with the
ways Of the mines. The committeeman,
"Scotty" Briggs, made his visit.
Being admitted to his presence he sat
down before the clergyman, placed his fire
hat OH al unfinished manuscript sermon un-
der the minister's nose, took from it q red
silk handkerchief, wiped his brow, and
heaved u sigh Of dismal mpressiveness eX-
planatory OF his business. He choked, and
said in lugubriOus tones
care you the duck that runs the gospel
mill next door!''
al am the shepherd in charge of The flock
whose fold Is next door"
Scotty scratched his head, reelected mo-
ment, and then said:
"iou rather hold me over, pard. reckon
can't call that hand. Ante and pass the
buck"
"How: / beg pardon. What did un-
derstand you to say 7"
Wei, you've rather got the bulge on me.
You don't smoke me and don't smoke you.
You see one of the boys has passed IN his
checks and we want to give him good send
of, and so the thing I'm ON now is to rout
out somebody to jerk out little chin music
tor us and waltz him through handsome"
The clergyman sank back into his chair
perplexed. Scotty leaned his head on his
hand and gave himself up to reflection. Pre-
sently his face came up, sorrowful but conf
dent.
"Ive got it now, so you can savvy," said
he. "What We want IL gospel-sharp.
Seep" '..
"A WHAT" .-.E..
"dospehsharp, parson."
"Ohl why did you not say so before:
ann u clergyman-u parson." .
Now you talk! You see my blind, and
stnddle it like man. Put il there !"--ex.
tending briwny paw. which closed over the
minister's small hand, and gave il Il shake in
dlcative OF fraternity, sympathy, aud fervent
qualification.
snow we're all right, pard. don't know
no better friend than Buck Fanshaw. I
know'd him by the back and when know
man like him | freeze to him-you hear
me. Take him all around, pard, there never
Was butler man in the mines. But it's all
up, you know; it's all up. 1t amt no use.
They've scooped him."
"Scooped himi"
rnstler. You ought to see him pa, Sts'sod
once. He was bully boy with n olssS ave
Just spit in his face and give him room ne.
cortling TO his strength, and it was lust 6e,u.
tifhl to see him peel and 60 in. He was the
worst son Of a thief that ever draw'd breath.
Pard, he was Oh it. He was on 1t bigger than
an Ipbln."
"On it! On WHAT"
"On the shoot. On the shoulder. On the
fight. UNDERESTIMATE He didn't give 4 CONT
nental-tor anybody. Now, if we can get
you to help plant him."
Preach the funeral DISCOURSE? Assist at
the obsequiess" ~
eyes. That's it that's our little game.
We are going to get up the thing regardless,
you know. He was always nifty himself. and
80 you bet his funeral amt going TO be no
slouch; solid silver door-plate on his coffin,
six piumes on the hearse, and nigger 0nthe
box With billed shirt and plug hat. And
we'Il take care Of you, pard. Wen fix you
all right. There Will he 8 kelridge for you,
and whatever you want, You just 'scape out
and we'll tend 70 1t. We've got shebang
dxed up for you to stand behind in No. 1's
house, and don't yon be afraid. just go In
and loot your horn II you don't sell q clam.
Put Buck through as bully az you can, pasd,