The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1880-01-06

~ ilS uhiuo " thc stcsS W.
Gin Sling.
1t was agreed on all hands that the Sunday
should be strictly observed as the Sabbath day.
The only building in the camp large enough
to hold services in was the saloon, and the
bar-keeper cheerfully gave it up for the pur-
pose. The bar was covered over with the
American flag and a section of an old tent, to
piece out and cover the bottles; "A pulpit was
improvised from a monte table, and the
benches and chairs were ranged in front.
When the church was completed the bar
keeper gazed on it admiringlo and announced
All Intention of busting the snoot of the first
man who said cuss words or proposed to play
cards during the preachers presence in the
camp.
Sunday came, and with it Mr.. McGilvary.
He was the especial charge of the bar-keeper,
who instructed the landlady of the Root Hog
or Die Hotel 20 shove out the best in the
house for the preacher, and d-n the expense.
The bar-keeper handed the reverend gentle
man the purse and told him that was his stake,
and never mind about his expenses, as the
camp would bear them.
all ornery, sneaking, yellow cur, that stuck its
tail between its legs and crouched to the
ground when anybody looked at it. In fact
it was a very humble appearing dog, and its
humbleness was borne out by its name, which
was Uriah Heep.
At eleven O'Clock sharp, the bar-keeper
called time, for service, by pounding the tri-
angle used to call the boarders to meals at the
Root Hog or Die. The preacher approached
the saloon (the church) under escort of tie
committee, and as he stepped to the door he
bid Uriah Heep lie down in front of the
building. Uriah curled himself up by the
door, rested his head OH his paws, and ar
ranged for a nap. Tarantula, who accom-
panied the bar.keeper to church, shifted at
T1yioh anI ,,tfara1 a lou OrpxU1 yybarcot
Uriah shuffled ~uneasily along the ground and
whined.
"Here, you Tarantula, let that preacher
dog alone, or I'll kick the stuf1in' out of you,''
shouted the bar-keeper.
"Don't scold the poor ANIMAL said Mr..
McGilvary, " its only natural for dogs to be
colnbative, and the Loor creature is only
in it. Besides Uriah is not afraid of i'm.
Uriah, as becomes a minister's dog, is a hum
BILE animal, but when he is smitten on one
cheek, he smites back for all that's in him..
Strighten up Uriah, and look as though you
meat business"
These words seemed to electrify Uriah
Keep, and he " Strengthened up and growled
d~efiantly at Tarantula.
D you mean to say that you think that
thar yallar fiste can get way with my Tar
antula ?" calculated the bar-keeper, emphasiz-
ing each word.
81 most certainly do so think" responded
Mr.. McGilvary, " but it becometh not a Chris
tain minister to be boaStful OF the staying
qualities of his dog
"For how much money do you think he
can walk Tarantula's chalk?' asked the bar
keeper, now thoroughly excited.
"Oh, perhaps for a small matter OF three
hundred dollars" returned the preacher.
Boys" yelled the bar-keeper, putting his
head in the church door and addressing the
congregation, who were anxiously awaiting
the commencement of service, s.boys come
right out here. This preacher thinks three
hundred dollars worth that that thar yaller
cur of his'n can snatch my Tarantula bald
headed. Wen turn this church into a dog
fight right here
The barkeeper did not have SO large a sum
as three hundred dollars with him, but it was
such a soft thing that ali the members OF the
congregation wanted some of it, and a purse
of three hundred dollars was Immediately
made up and placed in the hands of a stake
holder against q like amount put III by the
preacher. A ring was formed and the dogs
put to work. All Gin Sling hurrah'd for Tar
a~ntula; but Mr.. McGilvary only said "Crial,
remember you're a minister's dog" ''Uriah
remembered and when the fight was over
Tarantula was the worst whipped dog ever
seen in Gin Sling Tarantula was a dog that
couldn't fight worth a cent unless he got a
hold. Uriah Heep was a dog that didn't be-
lieve in holds. His style of fighting was to
hoparound and snap. He had powerful snap,
had Uriah, and when his jaws came together
the conclusion sounded like the snap of a
Pike county revolver and the snap itself
mashed things like the latest improved double
back-acticn quartz-crusher. Criah snapped
at Tarantula's off fore-leg and made a good
many misses. "Take a nose-holt, T~arantula,''
yelled the barkeeper. \ nose-hOlt was Tar
!, antula's tavorite hold, but Uriah Heep did not
get near enough for him to take it, and how
!, could a dog take a nose-hold with that other
+ dogs jaws swapping at the rate OF three hun
dred revolutions a minute? When Uriah
= would snap, the conclusion would staItle Tar
antula and he would lose his presence of
mind. On one of these occasions he did not
regain his presence of mind, and Criah Heep,
: who had calculated on just such an oppor-
: tunity, got III his snap, and the bones of Tar
antula's of tore-les gave forth a horrible
!, crunching sound 1t was but the flash of a
,, second, that snap OF Uriah's jaws, but Tar
= antula tried to stuff his stump of tail be-
tween his legs, and lay down ON the ground
and moaned and howled. No cheer went up
for Uriah Heep, but sadly and ~solenmly the
bar-keeper announced to the clowd that his
dog was defeated. Uriah never even wagged
his tail in triumph, but looking humber than
ever walked over and crOuched down ut his
!. masters feet.
? As the stake holder handed the stakes to
4 the winner, he SAID: 'Heie's YOU dust; you've
e captured the boys and did it with your own
money, but do say you're the all-firedest
\ bloodedest preacher to take chances on a doc
e fight as ever l scotland on such a dog as that
thar Urial, too. Why a man wouldn't think
4 to look at him he could whip a mud-turkle."
p Mr.. McGilvary took the stakes gracefully
= and announced that as morning service had
: been unexpectedly interrupted, and as it was
D about dinner-tlme, service would be post
:. poned, but there would be praise service in
S the evening al seven o'clock, in the saloon.
= When seven o'clock came and Mr.. Gilvary