Smyrna times., 1879-08-27
Leadville Piety.
A SERMON FROM "FARo oBILL"-REsPEoTF FOR TIL
GOSPEL MAINTAINED WITH REYOLvERs.

The following from the Cheyenne Daily
! Sun, forward to us by Henry w. Tygert,
gives graphic, though of course over.
drawn idea of the daily life in the mining
region
OF course l went to Leadville, that
wonderful mushroom city, which can boast
of the most rascally gamblers, hardest
| drinkers, checklist bummers and vilest
prostitutes in creation. Ones first impulse
upon arriving in the town is to start out
and see the sights-to gaze in upon the
many gambling 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 of the |
dealers calling upon the players to "make |
your bets, gentlemen" while notes of ex.
ultation and cursing come forth in strange |
chorus, uttered by those who lose or win.
But it is not of gambling that would tell
you. The scenes are but duplicates of
those so familiar to every pioneer in the
early days of the Union Pacific railroad.
was standing in front of the hotel when
my attention was attracted by dilapidated,
antiquated looking specimen of 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
tent! Roll up, tumble up, or slide up on
yer years, fur we'll have bang.up dish O.
Gospel talk from Faro Bill; an d-o-o.o.n.t
you forgit itw
Turning to dapper little gambler who
stood near, l asked
Who is this Faro Bill?"
"Who is he? Well, now, if that amt
the boss play fur high. You kin break me
right here if | thought there was bloke
in the mines that didn't know Bill. He
used to be one O. the boys, but got capped
into a religious game by slick-tongued
Gospel sharp about two months ago. He's
chopped on all his old rackets, an don't
stand in with nothing now that don't show
up bible or prayer book in the layout.
Billy used to be the boss gambler of the
camp, and warn't afeard to sit in a game
with the flyest sport that ever slung card /;
but he's clean gone on the pious lay now,
and seems to have lost all the good there
ever was in him. The boss mouthpiece of
the heavenly mill has gone down to
Denver, an Bill is goin' to stand In an
sling Gospel to the boys as we'll as he can."
This explanation, given in the most
earnest tones, started me for the big tent.
1t was used at night for a variety theatre,
where artists (?) of questionable character
performed acts Of still more questionable
- decency, and was rented for religious
service every Sunday morning. I found
bs the tent filled to its utmost capacity.
Many had, no doubt, come through curiosity
to see how Bill would deport himself
in this, his initial sermon. Upon the stage
sat q hurley, red-faced man, who looked
over the large audience with an air of the
ys most decided independence. This wa:
Faro Bill, the speaker of the occasion
S. When he arose he glanced around the tent
NJ for a moment, evidently collecting hi!
'5 thoughts, and began:
10 "Feller citzens The preacher bein
-3d absent it falls on me to take his hand ano
80 play it fur all its worth. You all know
- that I'm just learnin' the game, of course
.55ss | may be expected to make some wilC
rs breaks, but don't believe thar's rooste
'9S in the camp mean enough to take advantag
al O. my ignorance and cold.deck me right OF
,SS the first deal. Pm sincere in this new de
''1199 parture, an | believe that I've struck
j2i game that kin play clear through withou
9d9a copperin' bet, fur when a man tackle
iS5 sich a layout as this he plays every card t
i47 win, an if he goes through the deal as h
- 9z orter to do, when he lays down to die, an
i26 the last case is ready to slide from the box
a.dd4 a.d4 he kin call the turn every time.
SIS {" was readin' in the Bible to-day tina
$40 yarn about the Prodigal Son, an want t
az tell yer the story. The book don't give n
IL
. n. Prodigal Son had an old man that put u
2ao "a. the coin every time the kid struck him fl
q stake, an never kicked at the size of th
Z. pile either. | reckon the old man ws
- purity we'll fixed, an when he died he il
N tended to give all his wealth to this kid al
HI. his brother. Prod give the old man
little game O talk one day, and injuce
him to whack up in advance o. the deaf
Wy. racket. He'd no sooner got his divy in h
fist than he shook the old man an struC
out to take in some O. the other camp
He had a way.up time fur a while, a
Sun slung his cash to the front like he owne
the best payin' lead on airth; but hal
luck hit him at last an left him fiat. III
NJ. book don't state what he went broke o
$50 but l reckon he got steered up agin son
IA brace game. But, anyhow, he got lie
40S without chip, or a four.bit piece to 60 a
Z a99 o. eat on. An old granger then tux hi
home an set him to herdin' hogs, an he
he got so hard up an hungry that he jim
in with 'em while they were feedin', a
N. stood in with 'em on husk lunch.
soon weakened on such plain proyend
an says to himself, says he: Even the O
mans hired hands are liVin' on square gr
while Pm worrying along here on CO
Har- husks straight. I'll jist take a graz
siSs sdSys tumble to myself an chop on this rack
at once. I'll skip back to the governor a
Kew KEW try to fix things up and call fur new des
SO off he started.
lpt "The old man seed the kid conf
- and what do ye reckon he done? Did
pull his gun and lay for him, intending
= wipe him out as soon as he got into rang
= Did he call the dogs to chase him off |
ranch Did he rustic around fur club a
give him stand. off at the front gate2 /
Not to any alarming extent he didn't.
SIR The Scripture book says he walt
out to meet him, and froze to him on
spot and kissed him, and then marcel
him off to clothing store and fitted
out in the nobbiest rig to be had fur CT
Then the old gent invited all the nei
bors and killed fat calf, and give
biggest blowout the camp had ever see
All the conclusion of the narrative
speaker paused, evidently framing in
mind proper application of the st'
Before he could resume a tall, blear-e
gambler, with fierce moustache, arose
said:
"'Taint me as would try ter break
i meeting, or do anything disreligious.
sir. | am not that sort Of citizen.
in nll public hoo.doos it is q parlamen