The Phoenix herald., 1879-09-10
THE PHGNIX HERALD
 SEMI EDITION. Wednesday, September 10, 1879. FARO BILLS" LAY OUT. Prodigal Son as Told by a LeadviIie Preacher. A Proper Respect Maintained for
 the Gospel.
sEMI-wEEKLY EDITION.
September 10, 1879.

Correspondence Carbon (wyoming) Jour
 nall
 Of course 1 went to Leadville
 that wondeful mushroom city, which
 can boast of the most rascally gam
 blers, hardest drinkers, cheekiest
 bummers and vilest prostitutes in creation. Ones first impulse upon arriving in the town is to start out and see the sights-to gaze upon the
 many gam bling hells, where money
 is ever changing hands upon the turn of card, Above the sharp clicking of the ivory checks can be heard the voices ot dealers calling upon the players to Make your bets gentlemen" while notes of exultation and cursing come forth in strange chorus, uttered by those who lose and those who win. But it is not gambling that I would tell you. The scenes are but duplicates of those so familiar to every pione eer in the early days of the Union Pacific rail road
 was standing in front of the hotel when my attention was attracted by a dilapidated antiquated looking speci- men of a saloon hummer, who was passing along the street ringing a bell. At intervals he would cease ringing and shout:
 Religious racket right away at the big tentl Roll up, tumble up, or slide up on yer years, fur we'll have bang up dish O Gospel talk from Faro Bill, and d-o-o-n-t yoU for get itl" Turning to a dapper little gambler who stood near, l ask ed:
 ''Who is this Faro Bili?"
 "Who is he? Well, now, if that ain.t tho boss play fur high. You kin break me right here if I thought there was bloke in the mines that didn't know Bill. He used to be one O the boys, but got capped into re- Iigious game by a slick-tongued Cos pei sharp about two months ago He's chopped on his old rackets, an. don't stand in with nothin' now that don't show up a Bible or prayer book in the layout. Billy used to be the boss gambler of the camp, and warn't 8 feard to sit in q game with the fly est sport that ever slung card; but he's clean gone on the pious lay now, and seems to have lost all the good here ever was in him. The boss of the heavenly mill has zone down to Denver an Bill is go- | n to stand in an sling Gospel to the ,oys as well as he can"
 This explanation, given in the most earnest tones started me instan- fer for the big tent. It was used It night for variety theater, where rtists @ of questionable character lerformed acts of still more question: ble decency and was rented for re- igious service every Sunday morn ng. Many had, no doubt come hroug curiosity to see how Bill 7ould deport himself in this his init, Il sermon. Upon the stage sat a urly, red-faced man, with arms olded in careless manner, who ooked over the audience with an ir of the most decided independence. his was Faro Bill, the speaker of the When he arose he glanced round the tent for a moment, eyi- ently collecting his thoughts, and egan: "Feller citizens the preacher bein' 1sent, it falls on me to take his and and play it fur all it's worth. ou all know that I'm just learnin' U Ie game, an,' of course, I may be U ,pected to make some wild breaks | It don't believe thar's rooster in e camp mean enough to take ac- U lntage O my ignorance an cold | .ck me on the first deal. I'm sin " re in this new departure, an I be- eve I've struck a game that I can l' ay clear through without copperin' u bet, fur when man tackles such layout as this he plays every card win, an if he goes through the " al as he orter do, when he lays a wn to die, an the last case is ready U slide from the box, he can call the e4 Tn every time. - II was readin' in the Bible today si at yarn about the Prodigal Son, an e want to tell yer the story. The book oc n't give no dates, but it happened W lg, long ago. This Prodlgal Son T.. d an old man that put up the coin w cry time the kid struck him fur "