The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-06-21
Tho Doxology Bestowed.

Faro Bill of Carbon Rancho was tho
speaker of the occasion. When he rose he
glanced around the tent for moment
evidently collecting his thoughts, anC
began:
''Fcller citizens, the preacher bcin' alb.
SENT 1t falls on me to take his hand ant
play 1t for all its worth. You all know
that I'm just learning the game, an, OF
course, may be expected to make wild
breaks, but don't believe there's q rooster
i'll the camp mean enough to take advan-
tagc of my ignorance an cold.dcck me
right on the first deal, Pm since. q on this
this new departure, an believe l have
struck game l can play clear through,
without coppering bet, for when u man
tackles such layout rs this he plays every
card to win, and if he goes through the
deal rs he ortcr do, when he lays down to
die, an the last case is ready to slide from
the box, he can call the turn every time.
| was readin in the Bible to-day that yarn
about the prodigal son, an want to tell
you the story. The book don't give no
dates, but it happened long, long ago
This prodigal son had an old man that put
up the coin every time the kid struck him
for stake, an never kicked at the size of
tho pile either. reckon the old man was
purity we'll fixed, an when he died he In :
tended to give all his wealth to tins kid an
his brother. Prod give the old man a lit
tic game O talk one day, and injuccd him
to whack up III advance . the death racket.
He'd no sooner got his dlvy in his fist than
nc shook the old man and struck out TO
| take in some O the other camps. He he'd
way"up time tor while, an sluug his
cash to the front like he owned the best
| IN ri lint l. L., LII, H.:
| a lick at last an left him flat. The book
| don't state what he went broke on, but I
| reckon he got stccrcd up agin some brace
game But anyhow, he got left without
Il chip or four-bit piece to 90 an eat on.
| An old granger then tuck him home an
set him to hcr,lin' hogs, an here he got 50
hard up an hungry that he plpcd off the
swine while they were fcedin', and he
stood in with 'em on Il hllsk lunch. lie
soon weakened on such plain prOvcndcr,
an he says to himself, says he: Even the
Old mans hired hands are livn' Oh SQUARE
grub, while Pm worryin' along on corn.
husks straight. l'll just take grand tum-
bio to myself an chop on this racket mt
once. I'll skip back to the governor and
try to fix things up, and call for Il new
deal; 80 OIL he started. The old man seed
the KID coming, and what do yc reckon
he did2 Did he pull his gun and lay for
him, intending to wipe him as soon as lie
got into ranger Did he call the dogs to
chase him off the ranchc2 Did he hustle
around for club and give hlm a stand off
at the front gate2 EhI Not to any alarm
ing extent he didn't. No. s:rl The Scrip
tnrc book says he waltzed out to meet Linn,
and flozc to him OH the spot, and kissed
him, and then marched him off to a cloth
ing store and fitted him out in The nobbicst
rig to be had for coin. Then tho old gent
invited all the ncighbors and killed a fat
calf, and gave the biggcst-blow out the
camp ever sccd.'
at the conclusion Of the narrative the
speaker paused. evidently framing in his
mind proper application of the story.
Before he could resume tall, blcar- eyed
gambler, with a fierce mouslache, arose
and said
""Taint ne as would try to break up
meeting, or do anything disrcllgious. No,
sir am not that sort OF a citizen. But
in all public hoo docs 1t IS a parliamentary
rule for anybody rs wants 10 AK questions
to rise up and fire 'cm off. do not want
ter fool away time questioning the work
lngs OF religion; oh, mol AS long as it is
kept IN proper bounds and does not inter.
sec as it can do harm. ! Just want to ak
the honorable speaker If he has not given
himself dead away. Docs it stand to rea
son that a blokc would feed upon corn
husks when there was hash factories in
the campo Would anybody have refused
hm the price of square meal if he had
struck item for lt9 Would any of tho
dealers that beat him ont Of his coin sec
him starvc? Az l remarked afore | do
| not want to make any dlsrcspcctable breaks,
| but must say that l have got it put ,lp
| that the speaker has been trying to feed
us on cusscd thin tatfy, and no one but
| silly would take il in"
Bill glarcd on the speaker and fairly
| hissed:
"Do you mean to say that am a lar2"
'Wal, you can take it juat as you choose.
Some folks would swallow it in that shane. ~
BILL pulled his revolver, and IN an instant
the bright barrels of numerous weapons
| flashed in the air as the friends of each
party prepared for active duty. The brcvct
preacher was the first to fire, and tho rash
doubtcr Of spiritual truths fell dead on the
ground. Shot followed shot III quick sue
ccsson, and when quiet was again restored
score or more OF dead and wounded men
were carried from the tent. Having &C.
cured attention, Bill slid:
"Furthcr proceedings is ad journcd for the
day. You will receive the doxclogy."
The audience arose.
'May grace, mercy, and peace te with
you, now and forever, amen; and want
it distinctly understood that am going to
MAINTAIN a proper respect for the Gospel If
/ have to croak every son of a gun of a
sinner in the mines. Meetin' Is out!"
The crowd filed from tho tent as coolly as
If nothing extraordinary had occurred.
| "----------$HD~-----
Warm Bread,