The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-03-09

The Proadga1 SON.
Last Sunday afternoon the superintendent
of a Sunday school out in the Black Hills
happened to be visiting some friends in
Brooklyn, and, on invitation, attended the
school service Of one Of the popular Metho-
dist churches. Invited to address the child
rem, he declined at first, but finally consented,
and to illustrate the welcome of the sinner to
repentance related the following anecdote:
I reckon most Of you young ones have
heard about the old Teller in Egypt, which
was we'll fixed fer kids. The old man was
heeled clear to his neck, and thar wasn't a
dip nor spur he wasn't onto, and you bet he
had his squar dose O sheers in every pay
dirt claim on the Divide. He was a good old
man, straight as a rifle bar'l, and without
knot, rot, or woodpecker hole from root to
crows nest. For q long time he'd been full
owner o an eighty stamp mill, and travellers
in them parts seen the smoke rising from his
chimney pretty steady, and they knowed
quartz Was grinding and the dust was good.
Thar Warn't no funny business about the old
man. He knoWed prime wash from salt by
the color, and it warns long afore the boys
quit stealing his mules and set right down to
the levels and picked for trade. They
knoWed he'd straddle any blind, but he dealt
fair, and they respected him. Well, child
ren, the old man banked a heap O quartz.
He aad 8 big ranch, and the sheep on it was
as Thick IS miners tents. Thar was antelope
and prairie chickens, and jack rabbits, and
black-tail deer till you couldn't rest. And
thar was lots Of wheat and 8 big shack, built
o logs, with a parlor in one end. Now, I
tell you, that thar old man was fixed up to
the trap, and don't you forget nothing. But
one O his sons was kind O. restless. He
wanted for to prospect for himself. The old
man give him the racket straight from the
hip; told him not to make q dog-gone fool Of
himself. Stay where he was. Thar was
more money in q stamp-mill than there was
in mines, and he advised the kid to locate
right thar. Why, children, that thar old
man knew from the sour that the short did'n t
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tailings, even if he played to win, to a squar
divide on the regular wash.
"But the kid wanted long grass, and SO the
old man started him, and gave him his bless
ing, and told him for to always deal level
with the table and never let a man get his
elbow behind his kidney N him, and so the
got away. Fixed straight to his hair.
the dust he wanted. Best advice 8 boy
ever got. What do you think he did? He
went broke. never knew whether he got
into a game whar they played straights, or
whether some fellow held over him q square
deal, but be went clear TO the bottom O his
sock and struck bedrock. Clean up dead
gone. The yield didn't pan a cent to the ton.
Gulch dried up. Dips crossed his angles,
Blind leads fetched the only vein he had, ex-
cept one, but that he didn't know Of. He was
digging for yellow in black rock and couldn't
the glory that was only waiting for him
70 assay and coin. Yes. you bet. Thar that
poor boy, without money enough to buy a
box O. matches, was driving where thar
wasn't ever pyrit, while all the sky was pour
inc out the best color ever PANIED, and he
get onto it. Well, thar was only one
thing to do. Prospecting was no use. so
be went down on q ranch, and told the ranch
men he'd keep the coyotes off the pigs. You
what an ornery derned thing a pig is.
got to kill him and smoke him and
throw him away and forget him before
you can eat him, and yet that thar young
man hived right down with pigs and drawed
when it was his turn, and if he got . fair
hand o. shucks he was goose on his luck.
the racket got.too stiff for, him SO he
kicked. He made up bis mind that he would
flock back to the mill and strike the old man
for another stake. Did the old man 60 back
on him? We'll, not for coin. Did he say
be wasn't hiring any new hands, but the kid
might work at Hamiltons Hollow /
reckon not. Says he, Put it here, pard,'
and he lust fell clean over him. Thet's style.
Thet's trade from the origin. Tibet amt all
tibet thar old man fetched out q buckskin
and an antelope shirt, and some
buffalo boots and a camp bat, and draWed