American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-06-26
FIRsT PRAYER AT hANNEY's.

HANNEY's DIGGNGs certainly needed q
missionary if any place ever did, but,
a. ono of the boys once remarked during
great lack of water, It had to keep
ON . needin'n Jealous men came up
by steamer eid the Isthmus and seemed
to consume with their fiery haste to get
on board the vessel for China and Japan
then Self sacrificing souls gave up home
and friends and hurried across overland
TO brave-the Pacific and bury themselves
among the Austrnlasian savages. But
though they al passed almost in sight
Of HanneysB none of them paused to
give ANY affention to the souls who had
1ucked there. Men came out from
Frisco AID he East to labor with the
Chlnese mlners, who were the only
peaceab1e and welLbehaved people in
the ulnea; but the Whitehead, good
nstufcd, hard-swearing, generous, heavy
d<iuking, enthusiastic, murderous Anglo
6axons they let severely alone. Perhaps
they thought that hearts in which the
good seed had once been sown but
failed to come up into fruit were barren
soil; perhaps they thought it preferable
to be killed and eaten by cannibals than
to be tumbled into.a gulch by revolver
shot, while the shootist strolled calmly
OF in company with his approving con-
whether his bullet had completed the
business or whether O. wounded man
night mot hsvs 70 fight death and CO.
votes together.
At any rate, the missionaries let Han
ney's slone-s u anyone with an un-
quenchabie desire to carry the Word
where it il utterly unknown, a diges-
ton without fear, and q fullproof article
of common sense these last two requi-
sites are ab6olute), should be looking
fofon enefhle location Hanney's is just
the PLACE f6f him, and he need give him
self 10 txoQble for fear some one will
step n he1ors him. If he has several
dozens of similarly constituted friends
they CO Al ind similar locations by be-
taking themselves to any mining camp
in the West.
As Hsnney's had NO preacher it will be
readily imagined It had no church. With
the first crowd who located there came
an insolyent rumseller from the East.
He called himself Pentecost, which was
miners, and the boys dubbed his shop
Pentecost Chapel" at once. The name
somehow redEhSd the East, for within a
few months there reached the Postoffice
ct Helneyb . document addressed to
Preacher IN charge of Pentecost
Chapel TIE Postmaster went up and
down. TIE brook IN high spirits and told
the boys, Who instantly dropped shovel
and pan, formed line and escorted the
Postmaster and document to the Chapel.
Pentecost acknowledged the joke and
stood treat fer the crowd, after which he
solemply tore the wrapper and disclosed
q report OF &certain missionary society.
Modestly expressing his qualification at
the honor, and his unworthiness of it, he
moved that old Thompson, who had the
loudest voice in the crowd, should read
the report sloud-he, Pentecost, volun-
teering to furnish Thompson all neces-
s&ry spirituOus aid during the continu-
uance Of ) task. Thompson promptly
signified hi acquiescence, cleared his
liquid, and commenced, the boys mean
while listening sttentively and comment
ing critically. -
"Too much -cslssed heavenly twang,'
observed one, disapprovingly. as one let
ter largely composed of scriptural ex-
tracts was read.
Why the deuce didn't he shoot?" in
dignAt1y demanded another, as a tale OF
escape from. heather pursuers was read
smut up winmen in q burned dark
foomi Well, 5f'H be -durnedp solilo-
quized 8 yellow-haired Missourian, as
Thompson read. an account of Zenana
HeckOn they'd set an Internal sight
higher By wimmen ef they wuz in the
diggiRa stx months-hey, fellowsr"
You .bet!' alphabetically responded a
majority Of those present.
Before the boys became very FESTIVE
Thompson finished the pamphlet, in
Guiding few lines on the cover, which
stated that the society was greatly in
need. OF funds and that contributions
might be sent to she society's financial
agent in Boston. Thompson gratefully
concluded his service by passing the hat
with the following result: Two revolv
ers, one double-barreled pistol, three
knives, one watch. two rings doth home
made, valuable and fearfully ugly, 6
pocket inkstand,r "a silver tobacco box and
forty or fifty ounces of dust and nuggets
Boston Bill, who was VIGOROUSLY absent
minded, dropped in pocket-comb, but