River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1874-01-20
From the Overland Monthly Of December.
DAIoY'S MISSION.

He'll Roaring Bar was neither pretty
nor euphonious name, nor reveren-
tial one; but, considering the charac.
ter of its dwellers, it was an exceed
ingly fitting one for the locality that
bore it. A six months residence there
convinced me so thoroughly of this
fact that | could not couscientiously
/ have changed a letter of the name,
even had [ possessed the power to do
so Not that it savored of sulphurous
odors not that the roaring of its APP
parent patron saint were ever heard
echoing among the canons that encom.
passed it but tor sinfulness, and
wickedness, and riotous debauchery, it
was peerless among all the mining
camps had ever visited in California
/ was sent there in the summer of
1858 by San Francisco firm, to close
out business that was drifting into
involuntary bankruptcy, and long
dusty ride found me there early in
July of that year. A view of the camp
from the mountain had not impressed
me favorably, and a nearer acquain.
lance only confirmed that first inn
prassion: but liko baIf-fetuctant
bridegroom, | had resolved to take it
for " better or worse, with but slight
hope, however, that it would prove any
better than it looked.
'Hello, deacon What do yOu
want in He'll Roarin'2 Preachers don't
stand much show in these diggins.
you amt wanted; better git"
This was my greeting. / had just
alighted. from my mule, tired and out
of humor, and felt haif-inclined to re-
sent the brusque, unmannerly saluta
ton, but did not. 1t was not a con-
sciousnesss of the truth that quoted
me, for my appearance was certainly
slightly clerical. True, / had per-
feet right TO differ in opinion with the
speaker, for of verify this was just
the place where preachers we're wanted,
and just the place they should stay
but, making no professions of godli-
ness, l held my tongue for a moment.
| looked up; brawny and powerful
! figure confronted me, and l prudently
| held my temper. l replied blandly
that expected to remain there awhile,
and suggested, with all meekness, that
appearances were sometimes deeeittul
4 Soon the Bar was agog with curiosity,
aud a crowd gathered. Aud such a
crowd Great broad.shouldered fell
lows, dirty and unshaved, deeply
marked with chronic dissipation, whose
every second word was an oath strip
lings, whose tongues were volubly i'm.
pudent ana early trained to bias.
phemy in imitation of their elders,
gathered round, while ! unsaddled
my mule in so awkward manner
as to excite derisiop. These people
weighed everything, like their gold
dust, in their own scales, and, mea-
suied by their standard, | was re-
garded as an imposter. | mad store.
clothes OH, aud this fact alone was
too much for the fixed conventional
ism of the Bar. Buckskin and gray
flannel assumed a dignity in early
times among the "honest miners
more unyielding, more exacting, than
purple and fine linen. My "boiled
shirt was considered an inrraction.
and therefore the Bar was aifronted.
deacon was echoed from mouth TO
mouth. Bets were offered and freely
taken that | was Psalm.singer a
gambler, with a dead thing" or
"waxed keerds lawyer a doctor
anything but horseiockey or "A gen.
tleman. Although nettled with the
uncUurteOus reception, could not af-
ford to fall out with my new neigh
bors. Beating my dusty hat against
my knee with well.assumed swageer
turned quietly and asked il the Bar
wac dry. And the Bar rdS dry.
With whoop, the crowd adjourned
to the saloon--a rickety, clap. board
institution, furnished with few stools
aud rough tables-and the Bar drank
first with myself then with the BLUFF
individual who had first accosted me-
/ Pressing through the crowd, he held
out his big, rough hand, and, taking
mine. he led me forward with some.
thing Of triumphant air.
Boys he said, III take it all back.
This is my old skipper; came out with
him IN 40 He amt no preacher-he
spends his money like a man. and
ont whine Any one that don't like
i'm can call on Bill Thorn. That's
me, boys Let's take slthin',"
Finding that things hsu taken an