Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-10-18
FARO BILL.

l Z
OF course | went to Ieadvillc, that
wonderful mushroom city, which can
boast nf the most rasCally gamblers, har-
d..St drinkers, checklist bummers and
vilrst prostitutes i'm creation. Ones
first impulse upon arriving IN the town
il tn start out aud see the sights-to gaze
upon the many gambling hellS, where
money is ever changing hands upon the
turn of "A card. Above the sharp click
ing oi the ivory checks can he heard the
voices 1T dealers calling upon the PLAYERS
To make your bets, gentlemen, while
notes OF eXultation and curslng come
forth in strange chorus, uttered by those
who lose and those who win. hut 10 y
not oi gambling | would tell YOU. The
scenes are but duplicates Of those So IA
miliar to every pioneer in the early days
Of the Union Pacific Railroad.
| was standing in front of the hotel
when INV attention was attracted 10y Il
dilapiIatr.l. autiyuated-lookinA speci-
men ri a saloon hummer. who wISlpISS
ing along the street ringing bell. Al
intervals, hc would cease ringing and
shout
Religious racket right away AT the
big tent, Roll up, tumble mp, or slide
up ON ycr-y-e1r, Tor We'll have a bang mp
dish o Gospel talk from Faro BIll-and
don't YOU forget 10
Turning toa dapper little gambler who
stool nrar, ! asked
who IL Faro Bile
"Who il he" Well. now, ii that amt
the boss play Tor high. You kin break
me right here ii | thought there was a
blukr in the mines that didn't know
BIN. lie used % be- one q the boys,
but got capped into a religious game 10y
a slick-tuugued gospel sharp about two
months ago. He's chopped on all his
old urkrts aud don't stand in with
uuthiu' now that don't show US Bible
or a PRAYER book in the layout. Billy
usrd % Ice the boss gambler of thecamp,
and wasn't aiearcd 10 sit in game with
.lvrst sport that ever Hung card but
he's clean gone on the pIous law, and
seems tD have lost all the good there was
iu hmm The boss mOuthpieCe of the
heavenly mill has gone down In Denver,
an B..l Is guiu' tO stand IN an sling gus
pcl 10 the hnyS aS we'll Is hr can.
This explanation, given I'm the most
rIruv,; tones, started me lnStantcr Tor
I the hig tent u vas used ut night Tor 4
variety theIi-r. SHere .artiStCs OF a
questionable character performed acts
. al still more questionable decency, and
Was rented Tor religious services every
SUNDAY morning found the tent
iurl th itS utmost cJparity. MANY had,
No doubt. come through curiosity 90 see
how Hll would, dcp0rt himself IN this
his initial sermon. Upon the stage sat
| a hurly. rrd-iacrd man, with arms fold
/ Ell ia d careless manner, who looked
over the large audience with an mir Of
the most decided Independence. This
was Faro Bill, the speaker Of the Occa-
sion. When he arose, he glanced
around the tent for a moment, evident
ly collecting his thoughts, AMI began:
"Frurr' citizens, the preacher bcin'
absent, 10 falls on me To take his hand
and play 10 fur all its worth. You all
know that I'm Just lcarnin' the game,
an oi course may he expected 10 make
Will breaks. hut | don't believe thar'S a
rooster in the camp mean enough To
take advantage q my ignorance and
cold lttS sight on the first deal. I'm
sincere m this new departure, an | be
lirvr I've struck a game ! can play clear
through without CoppCrln' a bctior when
men tarkleS such 4 layout rs this he
PLAYS every card 10 win, and IL he goes
through the deal - he Orter do, when
he laws down 10 die, an the last case l.
ready 20 slide from the box, he can tell
the turn every time.
II Wa FeaiiR' in the Bible to-day
thar warm about the PrOdigal son, an
] want "a tell yer the story. The book
don't give M dates, but lt happened
long. long ago. This PrOdigal Son hal
an old man that put up the coin every
time the kil struck him Tor stake an
never kicked 40 the size of the pIle,
either rcc,ru the oli man WAS
Vu.,y well uNyi. au when he died he
intended to give AL his wealth TO this
kid an his brother. Prod give the
old man a little game q talk one day,
and injuced him u whack up IN al
vance q tie death racket. He'd nOsOon-
er got his diyy In his INST than he shook
the old man an strGCk ont % take in
some q the other camps. He had a
way up time for a while, an siHng his
cash o. the front like he owned the best
pawn lead on earth; but hard luck hit
him 4 lick At last, an left him Hat. The
book don't state what he went broke or,
but I reckon he got steered up agin some
brace game. But any how, he got left
without a chip. an a Granger then tuck
him home an set him 10 herJlin' hogs,
an here he got 80 hard up an hungry
that hs piped off the swine while they
.xe-s lsxsllR. Al hs sls21 IN With 'smon.
4 musk lunch. he soon weaEenei an
such plain prOvender, an saws to him
self. slyshe; Even the old man. hired
hands are Twin on square grub. while
I'm worryin' along here on corn husks
straight. Ill Just take grand tumble
to myself an chop on this racket NJ once.
Ill skip back 10 the governor an try to
IN up. an call for new deal, So OIL he
started.
The old man seed the kid a coming,
and what do YOU reckon hc didG Did
he pull his gun and lay for HIM, intend
ing 10 wipe him As soon As he got into
range Did he call the dogs In chase
him Oft the rancheR Did he hustle
around Tor a club and give him a stand
of at the front gate Eht Not 10 any