Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1873-07-17
BUCK FANsHAW's FUNERAL
Or Life and Death in Nevada.

Or Life and Death in Nevada.
There was great time over Buck
Fanshaw when lie died. He was a
representative citizen. He had ''killed
his man''-not in his own q uarrel, but
in the defense of a stranger beset by
numbers. He had kept a sumptuOus
saloon. He had been the proprietor
of a dashing and beautiful help
meet, whom he could have dis
carded without the fOrmality of a
divorce. He had held high position
in the fire department, and been a
very Warwick in politics. When he
| died there was a great lamentation
| throughout the town, but especially
in the vast bottom stratum of society
On the inquest it was shown that
Buck Fanshaw, in the delirium of a
wasting typhoid fever, had taken arse
mic, shot himself through the body,
cut his throat, and jumped out of a
| four story window and broken his
neck, and after due deliberation, the
jury, sad and fearful, but with intel
| ligence unblinded by its sorrow,
brought in a verdict of death ''by the
visitation Of God" What could tue
world do without juries
Prodigious preparations were made
for the funeral. All the vehicles in
the town where hired, all the munich
pal and fire company flags were hung
at half mast, and all the fremen or
dered to muster in uniform and bring
the machines draped in black.
Regretful resolutions were passed
and various committees appointed ;
among others, committee of one was
appointed to call on a minister-a frag
lie, gentle, spiritual new fedgling from
an eastern theological seminary, and
yet unacquainted with the ways OF the
mines. The committee man, ''Scotty'
Briggs, made his visit.
Be ing admitted to his presence, he
sat down before the clergyman, placed
his fire hat on an unfinished manu
script, took from it red handkerchief,
Wiped his brew, and heaved a sigh OF
dismal impressiveness, explanatory OF
his business. He choked and even
shed tears, but with an effort he mas
tered Lis voice, aud said, in lugubrious
tones;
"Are you the duck that runs the
gospel mill next door?"
Il am the-pardon me, l believe
do not understand p
With another sigh and half sob
Scotty rejoined;
"Why, you see, we are in q bit O.
trouble, and the boys thought maybe
you'd give US lift, if we'd tackle you
that is, if I've got the right of it, anC
you are the head clerk OF the doxolo
gy works next door,"
Il am the shepherd in charge of the
flock whose fold is next door"
The which p
The spiritual adviser of the little
company of believers whose sanctua
ry adjoins these premises
Scotty scratched his head, reflected
a moment, and then said:
"You rather hold over me, pard.
reckon l can't call that hand. Ante
and pass the buck"
How? 1 beg your pardon. Wha
did understand you to say p
well, you've rather got the bulg'
on me. Or maybe we've both got th
bulge, somehow. You don't smOk
me and l don't sm0ke you. You see
one Of the boys has passed in hi
checks, and we want to give him
good send-off, and so the thing In
now on is to rout out somebody t.
/, jerk little chin music for us, ant
waltz him through handsome"
My friend, l seem to grow more
bewildered. Your observations are
! wholly incomprehensibIe to me. Cal
not you simplify them some way? A
first thought perhaps I understood
you, but now grope. Would it no
expedite matters if you restricted
! yourself to categorical statements Q
i fact, unincumbered with obstructin
accommodations of metaphor and ale
CORY ?"
8 Another pause and more reflection.
2 Then Scotty said:
IN have to pass, l judge"
"How?"
you've raised me out, pard."'
% 81 still fail to catch your meaning.
why, that last lead Of yourn is to
many for me-thats the idea. l can
neither trump nor follow suit
The clergyman sank back in hi
chair perplexed. Scotty leaned hi
. head on his hand and gave himself u
i, to reflection. Presently his face cam
;. up, sorrowfuI but confident.
:. 1--we got it SOS you cavvy," sal
he. Nv hat we want is a gospe
ss sharp. See?
: ga what?"
s "Gospal sharp, parson."
"Oh! Why didn't you say SO b.
10 fore? l am clergyman-a parson.
Now you talk! You see N
blind, and straddle it like man. p
it there !'-extending a brawny pay
which closed over the minister's S sma
hand and gave it shake indicative
=, fraternal sympathy and fervent graf
=, fication.
u u Now we're all right, pard. Let
,' start fresh. Don't you mind me snn
:, fling a little, kecuz we're in power
~ trouble. You see one Of the boys HI
=, gone up the flume-"
- "Gone where ?"
=: up the f1ume-throw'd up Il
a sponge; you"
- Thrown up the spongeY'
"Yes, kicked the bucket"
. "Ah he has departed to that my
q tcrious country from whence no ira
r. eler returns"
~ Return? Well, 1 recken not.
: Why, pard. he's dead"
= Yes, I understand"
81 "Oh, you do? Well, l thong
ne maybe you might be getting tangl
oo m once more. Yes, you see he's dc
!; again"
ch ~ Again! Why, has he ever be
Ch 6ao6 hafOro S,l