The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1873-01-10
SANS WEAKNESS
Practice versus Prsespt.
one-of the best known ci.arac,

Q Practice versus Preeept.
One OF the best known cisarac
tiers in this Western country i!
: Bob Bent, half breed son of Viii
Il liam Bent. who came to this coun
|. try many years ago, and establish
led trading post on the Arkan
cas-, twenty-five miles above Fort
Lyon, known as Bent's Ford
By association with numer.
Gus Arappahoe squaws and
1 dusky Mexican senoritas, he left
behind him numerous progeny,
who are scattered in all portions
.i'of the Territory, and engaged in
( different persuits. One of his
sons, and full brother of Bob, is
chief over a band of Cheyennes,
while one of his sisters still resides
! at the fort, and devotes her
.fspare moments to Strengthening the
buffalo. She is a bold and skilIfuf
1 rider, and, armed with Colts re.
4tHolver, does not hesitate to place
herself alongside the most stubs
barn and malicious bison.
~ Bob, though passionately deyot-
ed to the pleasures of the chase,
does not scorn more peaGeahle
lIErsuits, and with an eye to =
Independence and comfort -
Gated claim upon q fine tract OF
land set apart by the General Gov
eminent on the north side of the
river as a reservation for the half
breeds, which is preserved invio-
late from the encroachments of
the white settler. Bob has con-
structed a comfortable cabin, and
here, surrounded by his herds and
broad acres, and attended by a
throng of dependents and hang
ers-on of all tastes, dispositions,
and shades Of color, he remains
and allows the busy world to jog
on about as it pleases. He over
flows with hospitality, and the
humblest way-farer is accommo-
dated with a seat at his frugal
board and broad chimney fire. No
charge is ever made, aud nothing
is required or expected of the
guests but to partake without q
m~rmur of the accommodations
set before him.
Among the camp followers who
loaf about Bob's ranch, is a tail,
ungainly, loose shanked fellow.
who once drove stage to the Paci-
fic coast, an occupation which he
followed Tor sixteen years, who has
been in various Indian fights and
scrapes innumerable, and whose
capacity for spinning tall yarns or
gulping down whisky straights,
falls but little short of the mirac-
ulous. Among the numerous
peculiarities possessed by this tall
rancher is fondness for spiritual
things, which leads him to make
an open profession of religion
about eight times a year. When
the spirit moves, or, as he express
cs it, when the power is on" he
retires from all regular pursuits,
lays away his tobacco pipe and
gun, and betakes himself to cx-
orting, travelling around from one
circuit to another, warning the
people to fGrsake their sins and
seek the broad and narrow path
that leads to salvation. Sam, as
we shall call him, has powerful
voice, and when fully warmed up to
his work can be easily heard a
mile. Upon q certain occasion
| not many months ago, he was
called to attend an interesting
revival in progress at the ungodly
town of Las Animas, and here
Sam met with an adventure which
we believe has never been recorded
in the books, but which fully
serves to illustrate the nature of
the man. The meetings were held
in an old log school-house with
out doors or windows; but not
outstanding these discomforts
aud the absence of suitable seats,
it was always packed with crowd
of attending listeners, particularly
when Sam was preaching.
One evening the latter was more
eloquent and impressive than
usual, and he painted the glories
of heaven and torments of hell in
such vivid colors, that at the close
of his discourse about half of the
congregation rushed forward to
the anxious seat and implored for
mercy. Some sturdy ranchmen
and chums of Sam still remained
in the background, however, and
as the preacher was very anxious
to secure these, he arose and
gravely stated that he possessed
in his own person all the virtues,
meekness, and humility of the
Savior, and if any one doubted
this, he was willing that his as
sertion should be put to the test,
then and there, closing with an
invitation for any one in the con
gregation to kick, strike, abuse,
and buffet him as they saw fit, and
he would endure it as patiently
and docile as the Son of Mary.
At this q tall. lathy ranchman
arose, and walking up to Sam,
gave him sounding slap on the
cheek, when the preacher, obedlent
to the scriptural injunctions, turn
ed to him the othe~ also. Then
another man walked up and de-
libel ately pulled Sans nose, an
other wrenched his cars and thrust
tobacco in his eyes, and still an
other, more cruel than the rest,
rubbed his back up and down with
q cactus burr. Sam stood it all
without a murmur, and evinced a
heroism worthy of the old saints
| in Fox's Book of Martyrs.
Finally, there ambled forward
from a dark corner near the door,
dirty, clay colored, unhealthy
looking Georgian, alfred in
complete suit Of butternut, with
moccasins upon his feet, and q
corn cob pipe thrust in his waist
coat pocket. This nondescript
production paused directly in front
of the preacher, and lisping,
"Well, if We be ath good natured
! as Jesus Kist, We can take it'll,
raising4hIs arm and landing a rot
ten egg full In Sans mouth. A
tremor ran through the congrega-
ton, and all waited for develop
ments. Sam was taken like a
thief in the night, unawares of
any, and it was some moments be-
Il fore he could remove the vile com
pound from his eyes; mouth and
nostrils. At. last, however, he
made tbs rifle, and springing mp
: on q bench, drew his watch and
!: biubbered and spurted. out in
thunder tones:
Ladies' and gentlemen, you've