The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-11-27

region and it was on his first journey
to keep an appointment there that he
met with the adventure we are about to
relate.
After a wearisome days travel, Old
Job and the parson sought and found
rest one night at settlers cabin. At
| later hour another wayfarer arrived
and, after hearty supper, and a socia-
BILE chat, the two guests, who were to
take an early start in the morning, re-
tired to rest, both being assigned to
one apartment.
Mr.. Pohick, his devotions ended,
would gladly have conversed little
with his feIlow-guest, but the latter was
disinclined to talk; and the parson,
from falling into revery on his forth
coming sermon, in due time fell sound
asleep.
He awoke at daybreak, but found his
companion had already gone.
Having a long road yet before him,
the parson rose at once, and having
made his toilet, and performed his
morning duties with all proper dispatch,
he left the house without disturbing the
family-having paid his scot the night
beforehand finding his way to the
stable. he saddled his horse and rode
off, intending to breakfast further on.
It was q fresh, bright morning and,
as the parson rode along, he sought to
improve the time by more fully working
up the details of the discourse where
with he was preparing to enlighten a
people hitherto cropping in darkness.
"Get along, job" said the parson,
at the end of a mental paragraph !; ''I
never knew you lag so before.
But the horse seemed absorbed in his
own reflections, and paid no heed.
Inattention to his masters words was
an unusual thing in Old Job, and might
have attracted the parsons notice but
just then he began subdividing his
Ni,letee1thky, and the horse might
have stopped stock still for all his rider
would have known.
The gathering of hoofs, and the cry
of g Stop thief :" behind him, at length
broke the parsons chain of thought.
"Stop, you old villain, or we'll blow
you through !" yelled several voices, ac-
companying the command with divers
expletives which greatly shocked the
parsons ears.
Parson Pohick had no suspicion that
such words could possibly be addressed
to him !; but the reproof of profanity
was duty he never neglected. So,
turning about, he quoted several texts
on the subject, and would have enlarged
upon them edifyingly but for the deri-
sive shouts of the company in whose
midst he quickly found himself
"Ha ha p laughed one ''jest hear
the old rascal -
'Satan reprovin' sin p added an
other.
Whose hoss is that ?" queried a
third.
"Whose horse ?" echeed the parson-
whose is a0hot horse ?''
Why, that ERE you're mounted on. %
tt1hiss Why, this is my horse-Old
Job," answered the parson, more and
more surprised.
"YoNr horse I" exclaimed burly fell
low. "You say that agin, an I'll mash
your mug. That's my hoss as was stole,
an you stole i'm, an his names not
Job; it's Pete
The horse whinnied at the name, as
if turning States evidence against his
rider.
''Git down, you old reprobate r. the
burly man continued. Why, I've
owned that hoss ever sence he was
foalded, an there's plenty here ken
prove it,
That's SO r' chimed in several.
6 Git down ! git down | you tarnal old
thief p
A dozen revolvers were 1eveled at
him, and the parson felt constrained to
dismount.
''I assure you, gentlemen, the horse
! is mine, he protested earnestly, "and
being minister of the gospel, my word
should have some weight. -
Minister of the-haw haw! !"
The man who tried to repeat the
words broke down with laughter.
GA pretty minister goa are r. jeered
another, who, searching the parsons
person, drew pack of cards from one
pocket and an empty whisky bottle from
another.
Mr.. Pohick was dumbfounded.
"There is some terrible mistake
here p was all he could utter.
What say you, gentlemen ?-is the
pris'ner guilty or not guilty ?" sang out
the leader of the crowd.
Guilty !'' they all said.
With equal unanimity it was voted tc
hang him on the spot
MY friends, before taking a fellow
; creatures life," pleaded the parson
"you should have clear and certain
proof"
g Proof what proof would yo1
have ?" replied the leader. WASH
; the hoss found on you-or you on thu
hoss-which is the same thing in law
Come, string i'm up, boys ~
And the poor parson would surel,
, have ended his worldly career then an(
there but for the timely arrival of an
, other party.
/ In their midst was man in clerica
: garb-none other than Mr.. Pohick'
, companion of the preceding night-se
} curely bound on horse.
: The new company was headed by
: Deputy Sheriff well acquainted will
: Mr.. Pohick.
"Glad to see you, Mr.. Pohick," sal,
} the officer; g but, bless me, I hardl.
} knew you in that rig r.
, The parsons eyes, for the first time
) fell on his garments. They were Ger
, tainly not his own. Nothing could b,
more unclerical than their cut and ma
terial. The cards and whisky bottl
) were now accounted for; and when OlC
1 Job, on whose back the other prisone
was tied, greeted his master with hi
old familiar neigh, the whole tFutl
, flashed on the parsons mind. The mai
2 with whom he had shared his room tn
: night before was q horse-tsief, who
r rising first in the morning, had no
4 only taken the parsons clothes for
3 disguise, leaving his own, but had take1
Old Job who was far the better horse