Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1875-06-25
FIRST PRAYER AT HANNEY'S.

HANNEY's DIGGINGs certainly needed
missionary if any place ever did, but,
as one of the boys once remarked during
a great lack of water, " 1t had to keep
on a needin'." Jealous men came up
by steamer 0SG the Isthmus 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 hea-
then. Self-sacrifcing 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
tlocked there. Men came out from
Frisco and the East to labor with the
Chinese miners, who were the only
peaceable and well-behaved people in
the mines; but the Whitehead, good
natured, hard-swearing, generous, heavy
drinking, enthusiastic, 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 into fruit were barren
soil; perhaps they thought it preferable
to be killed and eaten by Cannibals than
to be tumbled into gulch by q revolver
shot, while the shootist strolled calmly
off in company with his approving con-
science, never thinking to ascertain
whether his bullet had completed the
business or whether wounded man
might not have to fight death and CO.
votes together.
At any rate, the missionaries let Han
ney's alone. If anyone with an un-
quonchable desire to carry the Word
where it is utterly unknown, a diges-
ton without fear, and fullproof article
of common sense Chese last two requi-
sites are ABSOLUTELY, should be looking
for an eligible location Hanney's is just
the place for him. and he need give him.
self no trouble for fear some one will
step in before him. If he has several
dozens of similarly constituted friends
they can all find similar locations by be-
taking themselves to any mining camp
in the West.
As Hanneys had no preacher it will be
readily imagined it had no church. With
the first crowd who located there came
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
"Pentecost Chapel" at once. The name
somehow reached the East, for within a
few months there reached the Postoffice
at Hanney's a document addressed to
preacher in charge of Pentecost
Chapel" The Postmaster went up and
down the 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 for the crowd, after which he
solemnly tore the wrapper and disclosed
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 aloud-he, Pentecost, volun-
teering to furnish Thompson all neces-
sary spirituous aid during the continu.
uance of his task. Thompson promptly
signified his acquiescence, cleared his
throat with a glass of amber-colored
LIQUID, and commenced, the boys mean
while listening attentively and comment
ing critically.
stToo 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?'' in
dlgnantly demanded another, as a tale of
escape from heather pursuers was read.
smut up Wimmen in burned dark
room! Well, III be durnedr' solilo-
quiZed a yellow-haired Missourian. as
Thompson read an account of Zenana.