American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-06-26

MY willing soul would stay
In such place as this,
! And
when suddenly his cup of bliss wa
dashed to the ground, for Billy, stun
bling, fell upon his own knife and re
ceived a severe cut in the abdomen.
Wounds of this sort are generally fatal
and the boys had experience enough il
such matters to know it. In an instan
the men who had been calmly viewing
life and-death conflict bestirred them
selves to help the sufferer. Pentecos
passed a bottle of brandy over the coun
ter; half dozen men ran to the spring
for cold water; others hastily tore of
coats and even shirts, with which tt
soften bench for the wounded man
No one went for the doctor, for thai
worthy had been viewing the fight pro
fessionally from the first, and had knelt
beside the wounded man at exactly the
right moment. After a brief examina
ton he gave his opinion in the following
professional style: No go, Billy; you're
done for"
who had watched the doctor with breath
less interest, I" amt Their no chance?"
| Mary" replied the doctor, decidedly.
| arm ruined man-Tm a used-up
cuss," said the Judge, with look of bit
ter anguish. ~ wish I'd gone under,
too"
EASY, old hoss," suggested one of the
boys; "yOu didn't do him, yer know"
| "That's what's the matterI" roared the
Judge, savagely; nobody1l ever know
which of US whipped"
| And the Judge sorrowfully took him.
self off, declining most resOlutely to
drink
Many hearts were full of sympathy for
the Judge; but the poor fellow on the
| bench seemed to need most just then.
He had asked for some one who could
| write, and was debating, in whispers, a
letter to some person. Then he drank
some brandy, and then some water; then
he freely acquitted the Judge of having
| ever fought any way but fairly. But
still his mind seemed burdened. Finally,
in a very thin, weak voice, he stammcred
| out: "I don't want to make-to make it
mfortable-for-for any Of-you
| fellers, butts Their "a preacher in the
campr
The boys looked at each other inquir-
ingly: men from every calling used to go
to the mines, and no one would have
been surprised if a back-sliding priest, or
even bishop, had stepped to the front;
But none appeared, and the wounded
to another, gave a smOthered cry:
40 Godi hez miserable wretch got to
cut himself open, an then flicker out,
without anybody to say a prayer for
him?"
The boys looked sorrowful-if gold
dust could have bought prayers Billy
would have had a frst-class assortment
in an instant.
"There's Deacon Adams over to Pat
tins" suggested bystander, can they
do say he's regular rip-roarer at prayin'!
But 'tWOuld take four hours to 90 an
fetch him."
"Too long," said the doctor.
"Down in Mexico, at the Cathedral"
said another, they pray for Teller after
he's dead, when yer pay 'em for it, an
they say it's jist the thing-sure pop. I'll
give yer my word, Billy, an no 60 back,
that I'll see the jobs done up in style fur
yer, eff that's any comfort"
81 want to hear it myself" groaned
the sufferer; 81 don't feel right; can't
nobody pray-nobody in the crowd?"
Again the boys looked inquiringly at
each other, but this time it was q little
shyly. If he had asked for some one to
60 out and steal q mule, or kill bear, or
gallop buck jumping mustang to FRS
CO, they would have fought for the chance,
but praying-praying was entirely out
of their line.
The silence became painful; soon
slouched hats were hauled down over
moist eyes, and shirt-sleeves and bare
arms seemed to find something unusual
to attend to in the boys faces. Big
Brooks commenced to blubber aloud, and
was led out by old Thompson. who want
ed a chance to get out-of-doOrs so he
might break down in private. Finally
matters were brought to a crisis by
"Moee"-no one knew his other name.
Nose uncovered sandy head, face and
heard and remarked.
don't want to put on airs in this
here crowd, but, eff nobody else ken say
a word to the Lord about Billy Bent, I'm
a-goin' to do it myself. It's a 5izness
I've never bin in, but there's nothin' like
tryin'. This meetin' III come to order to
wunst."
"Hats off in church, gentlemenr" COM
handed Pentecost.
OFF came every hat, and some of the
boys knelt down, as Nose knelt beside
the bench and said:
80 Lord, here's Billy Bent needs tend
in tot He's PANIED out his last dust,
an he seems TO hev a purity clear idee
tibet this is his last chance. He wants
you to give him lift, Lord, an it's the
opinion of this house tibet he needs it.
'Tain't none NV our bzness what he's
done, an eff it wuz,. you'd know more
about it than we cud tell yer; but it's
mighty sartin that cuss that's been in
the digglns for years needs q sight of
mendin' up before he kicks the bucket"
"That's So" rejoined two or three very
smphatically.
"Billy's down, Lord, an no decent
man b1eeves that the Lord 'ud hit a man
when he's down, so he's got to be let
alone, ur he's got to be helped. Lettln'
him alone won't do him ur anybody else
emmy good, SO helpin's the holt, an, as
emmy one Nv us tough fellers would help
him if we knew how TO, it's only fair to
s'pose the Lordll do it q mighty sight
quicker. Now, what Billy needs is to
see the thing in tibet light, an you kin
make him do it good deal better than
zoe ken. It's mighty little fur the Lord
to do, but it's meat an drink an clothes
TO Billy just now. When we wuz boys
sum Nv us read some promises of your'n
in tibet book tibet wus writ good spell
ago by chaps in the old country, an
though Sunday-school teachers and
preachers mixed the matter up in our
minds, an got US all tangle-footed, we
know they're thar, an you'll know what
we mean. Now, Lord, Billy's jest the
boy-he's hard case, SO you can't find
no better stuff to work on-he's in bad
fix, tibet we can't do nothin' fur, SO it's
jest your chance. He amt exactly the
chap to make an A No. 1 angel of, but
he'll be handy Teller to hev aroun'"
Feel any better, Bllly?" said Nose,
stopping the prayer for a moment.
"a little" said Billy, feebly, but you
want to tell the whole yarn. I'm sorry
for all the wrong I've DONE"
"He's sorry fur all his deviltry,
Lord"