The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-09-08
MISCELLANY.

MISCELLANY.
FIRST PRAYER AT HANNEYS
Hanney's Diggings certainly needed a
missionary, if any place ever did, but. as
one of the boys once remarked during a
great lack of water, sit had to keep on q
needin'.' Jealous men came up by
steamer riG the 6htmus, and seemed to
consume with their fiery haste to get on
board the vessel for China and Japan and
carry the glad tidings to the heather.
Self'sacrificing souls gave up home and
friends, and hurried across, overland, to
brave the Pacific and bury themselves
among the Australasian savages. But,
though they all passed almost in sight of
Hanney's, none Of them paused to give
any attention to the souls who had flock.
ed there. Men came out from Frisco
and the East to labor with the Chinese
miners, who we're the only peaceable and
we'll behaved people in the mines but
the white-faced, good.natured, hard
swearing, generous, heavy-drinking, en-.
thusiastic, murderous Anglo-Saxons they
let severely alone. Perhaps they thought
that hearts in which the good seed had
once been sown, but failed to come up in
to fruit, were barren soil : perhaps they
thought it preferable to be killed and eat
en- by cannibals than to be tumbled into a
.gulch by revolver shot, while the shoot
ist strolled calmly off in company with his
approving conscience, never thinking to as
certain whether his bullet had completed
the business, or whether wounded man
might not have to fight death and coyotes
together.
At any rate, the missionaries let Han
ney S alone. lfany one with an unqueach.
able desire to carry the Word where it is
utterly unknown, digestion without fear,
and full-proof article of common sense
these last two requisites are ABSOLUTELY,
should be looking for an eligible location,
Hanney's is just the place for him, and
he need give himself no trouble for fear
some one will step in before him. If he
has several dozens of similar constituted
friends, they can all find similar locations
by betaking themselves to any mining
camp in the Wes-.
As Hanney's had no preacher. it will
be readily imagined it had no church.
With the first crowd VINO located there
cane an insolvent rumseller from the
East. He called himself Pentecost,
which was as near his right name as is
usual with miners, and the boys dubbed
his shop "Pentico>t Chapel at once.
The name, somehow, reached the East,
for within a few months there rcache
the postofice at Hanney's document
addressed to ''Preacher in charge of Pen
: tecost Chapel The postmaster went
up and down the brook in high spirits,
and told the boys, who instantly drop.
ped shovel and pan. formed line, and es-
corted the postmaster ard document to
to the Chapel. Pentecost acknowledged
the joke, and stood treat for the crowd,
after which he solomnly tore the wrap
per, and disclosed a report of certain
missionary society. Modestly expressing
his qualifications at the honor, and his
unworthiness of it, he moved that old
Thompson, who had the loudest voice in
crowd, should read the report aloud, he,
Pentecost, volunteering to furnish Thomp.
son ali necessary spirituous aid during the
continuance of his task. Thompson
promptly sign1fied his acquiescence, clear
cd his throat with a glass Of amber-color.
ed liquid, and commenced, the boys mean.
while listening attentively, and comment
ing critically.
''Too much cussed heavenly twang,"
observed one, disapprovingly, as one let
ter largely composed Of scriptural ex.
tracts was read.
''Why the deuce didn't he shoot p in.
dignantly demanded another, as tale OF
escape from heather pursners was read.
'Shut up wimmen in a burned dark
room! Well, I'll be durned!'' soliloqui
ed a yellow-haired Missourian, as Thomp.
son read an account Of Zenana ''Reck.
on they set an Internal sight higher by
wimmen if they was in the diggins six
months hey, fellows
''You bet!'' emphatically responded a
number of those present.
Before the boys became very FESTIVE,
Thompson finished the pamphlet, inclu.
ding few lines on the cover, which
stated that the society was greatly in
need of funds, and that contributions
might be sent to the society's financial
agent in Boston. Thompson gracefully
concluded his service by passing his hat,
with the following net result: Two re.
volvers, one double barrelled pistol, three
knives, one watch, two rings (both home.
made, valuable. and fearfully ugly), a
pocket inkstand, silver tobacco box
and forty or fifty ounces of dust and mug
gets. Boston Bill, who was notoriously
absent minded, dropped in pocket
comb, but, on being sternly called to or
y - ~