Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-06-04
FARO BILLS SERMON.
An Exciting Scene at the Close Of
His REWARDS upon the
PrOdigaI Son.

Leadville Letter in the Wyoming Journal
Many had, no doubt, come through
curiosity to see'how Bill, recently con.
verted, would deport himself in this,
his initial sermon. Upon the stage sat
a burly, red-fsced man, with arms fold
ed in a careless manner. who looked
over the large audience with an air of
the most decided independence. This
was Faro Bill, the speaker of the oc
casion. When he arose he glanced
around the tent for a moment, evident
ly collecting thoughts, and began:
Fellow citizens, the preacher bein'
absent, it falls on me to take his hand
and play it fur all it is worth. You
all know that I'm Just learnin' the
game, and ofcourse, | may be expected
to make wild breaks, but | don't be-
leive thar's a rooster in the camp
mean enough to take advantage o. my
ignorance and cold deck me on the
first deal. I'm sincere in this new de-
parture, an | believe that I've struck
a game that | can play clear through
without copperin a bet, for when a
man takes such a layout as this, he
plays every card to win, an if he goes
through a deal as he orto do, when he
lays down to die, an the last case is
ready II slide from the box, he can call
the turn everv time.
II was rea din' in the Bible to day
that yarn about the prOdigal son, and
/ want to tell yer a story. The book
don't give no dates, but it happened
long, long ago. The prodigal son had
an old man that put up the coin every
time the kid stuck him for a stake,
an never kicked at the size of the
pile either. l reckon the old man was
purity we'll fixed, an when he died he
intended to give all his wealth to this
kid and his brother. Prod. give the
old man a little game o talk one day.
and iDjuced him to whack up in ad-
vance O. his death racket. He'd no
sooner got his dizzy in his fist than he
shook the old man an struck out to
take IN some O. the other camps.
He he'd a way up time for awhile,
an slung his cash to the front like he
owned the best payin' lead on earth,
but bad luck hit him a lick at last an
left him fat. The books don't state
what he went broke on, but | reckon
he got steered up agin some brace
game. But anyhow he got left without
a chip or a four bit piece to go on and
beat on. An old granger then tux him
home an set him herdin' hogs, an
here he got so hard up an hungry that
he piped off the swine while they
were feedin' and he stood in with 'em
on a husk lunch. He soon weakened
on such plain provender, an says he to
himself, says he: IN just take a grand
tumble 10 myself an on this racket at
once. I'll skip back to the governor,
an try to fix things up and call for a
new deal!' so off he started.
1.-THE old man seed the kid a coming
what do you reckon he did? Did he
pull his gun and lay for him, intending
to wipe him as soon as he got into
range? Did he call the dogs to chase
him off the ranch? Did he hustle
around for a club, and give him a stand
off at the front gate? Eli? Not to
any alarming extent, he didn't. No,
sir? The Scripture book says he
waltzed out to meet him, and froze to
him on the spot, and kissed him and
then marched him off to a clothing
store and 6ttedhim outin the nobbiest
rig to be had for coin. Then the old
gent invited the neighbors and killed
a fat calf, and gave the biggest blow
out the camp ever seed"
At the conclusion of the narrative
the speaker paused, evidently framing
in his mind a proper application ofthe
story. Before he could resume, a tall
bear eyed gambler, with a fierce mus
taehe. arose and said:
"Tain't me as would try ter break
up a meetin, or do anything disreli-
gious. No sir | am not that sort Of
a citizen. But in all public hoo doos,
it is a parliamentary rule for anybody
as wants to ak questions to rise up and
fire them of. | do not want ter fool
away questioning the workings of re-
ligion oh no.
las long as it is kept in proper
bounds, and does not interfere with
the boys in their games. l do not see
az it can do no harm. / just want to
ask the honorable speaker if he has
not given himself dead away. Does il
stand ter reason that a bloke would
feed upon corn husks when there was
hash factories in the camp? Would
any one refuse him the price Of a
square meal if he had struck them for
it? Would any Of the dealers that
beat him out Of his coin see him
starve2'
las | remarked afore, | do not
want to make you any disrespectable
breaks, but | must say that / have
got it put up that the speaker is try
ing ter feed US on cussed thin tafy,
and no one but a silly would take ii
in" Bill glared upon the speaker
and fairly Kissed: do you mean to
say | am a liar2" .Wall, you can
take it as you choose. Some folks
would swallow it in that shape" Bill
pulled his revolver, and in an instant
the bright barrels Of numerous weap.
ons flashed in the air as the friends of
each party prepared for active duty.
The brevet preacher wal the first to
fire, and the rash doubter of spiritual
truths fell dead on the ground. Shot
followed shot in quick succession, and
when quiet was again restored a score
or more of dead and wounded men
were carried from the tent Having
secured attention, Bill said Fur
ther proceedings is adjurned for the