Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-12-16
COLLAR AND ELBO W.

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Before Father Ryan came quietly into our
rough mining town, we had never observed
any suspicious religious character mousiDg
for gospel ranch In fact, none OF us ever
had any religion of any kind; but when
Father Ryan came there, he seemed TO know
all about it. He called the people of his
faith together, or visited them one at a time,
and among the first things we knew, he be-
gan with his own hands assisted by Others,
TO grade level spot on one Of tho rock faced
hills surrounding the town.
When we stopped on our way TO and from
work, and asked, "whatr goin' TO put up ?"
the father embracing his shovel handle long
enough to seem to be about to spit on his
gloved hands, stood up and replied;
"a small edifce to the worship Of God
"Oh church, Ell?
"Well, begging your pardon, hardly a
church; but bit of a chapel, just"
"What kind?"
"Catholic." And the father went on
shoveling the loose earth and small rocks over
the side Of the grade, as If he had no greater
concern in the matter than the employment
Of his time until sundown. By-and.by the
chapel began to assume the form Of a struct-
ure, which, like each of the various hosting
works. looked down from its stony eminence
upon the town Of cabins clustered in the
hollow of the hills
When the house was rooted in, and exter-
nally complete, the irreverent wits of the
camp dubbed it, 'Purgatory H'istin' Works" "
This new title coming TO the ears OF Father
Ryan, he smiled meeky and said:
Sure it's not a bad name at all, and, glo-
ry be to God, I've great hopes I'll be the
means of hoisting many poor soul into
eternal glory"
1t was no easy matter to collect the money
TO pay for q religious building in our camp,
because we had all been SO long away from
what are called religious influences, and free
from the so-called restraints of divine grace,
that we thought such notions superhuous.
We had seen our fellows scken and die, or
die without being sick we had cared for,
nursed or buried them without the "beneft
of the clergy" Full many a harsh refusal
and profane snub fell to the lot of Father
Ryan, as he went from mine to mine on pay
days, in his efforts to gather into the treasury
of the Lord a small part of the hard earnings,
much of which otherwise was destined to
cross the green cloth Of the gambling table,
or disappear through the till of the bar. room
counter.
The pay. days in the mines in our camp
were from the first to the fourth of each
month; but in the year when Father Ryan
was building his chapel, two Of the largest
works announced that their mines would pay
of on the day before Christmas, and shut
down for repairs during the holidays.
Now, about halfway between these shut
down mines and the town, there was little
swale in the hillside at an abrupt elbow in
the road. In this little swale, and on level
with the road-bed, an enterprising spirit
graded into the hill, forming a smooth, level
plane. On the front half of this level, and
occupying about half the space, the man of
enterprise erected what the papers call a
hostelrie, that is to say, II place of refresh
ment-mostly alcoholic and nicotine-for the
accommodation of the constant goers to and
fro between the town and tho mines.
II was a rough log. onend building, rooted
with willows overlaid with rye-gRss and
weighted down with "A coating OF earth. The
two ends fitted up against the rocky sides of
the graded recess. The front war not impos-
ing as to architecture, and the rear was like
the front. only instead Of facing any road
view, il formed one side of square, unroof-
ed theatre, the other sides of which were
walled about by the quarried faces Of the nat
ural rock. The real theatre had O native rock
flooring. quarried and Clipped smooth, for
no purpose originally other than for place
of storage for empty barrels, boxes, etc. But
shortly after the Inauguration of alcoholic en-
tertainment in the house, and before the yard
could be dedicated 10 its intended use, there
was an impromptu wrestling bout in this con-
venient but crude arena, and from that day
forward, the house and place became known
far and wide among the silver hills as the
"Collar and Elbow"
On New Years day the "Collar and Elbow"
was dispensing free egg-nog to its patrons,
and the low log house was full of noisy,
brawny men, talking, gesticulRting, drinking,
smoking and profaning the kings English ar
tistically. Father Ryan came beaming like a
stout cherub into the crowd, aud taking of
his hat, said in a mellow, soft voice, as he
laid his hat upon the end of the counter
"a happy New Year to you, gentlemen,
one and all, and many happy returns of the
same"
"Hello, padre, come up and take drink
with the boys" said a stout miner in rough
yet kindly way, looking inquiringly into the
fathers face, and laying hand gently on his
shoulder.
"Well, said his reverence, mot wishing
to spoil convivialty in moderation, I'll do it."
"Bully for you, old man. Yer give the
padre bumper O. nog"
mo, if you'll excuse me" said the father,
it's not egg-nog I'll take, but glass Of wine.
I've poor head for mixed liquors"
"All right, padre-anything you like"
The barkeeper quietly passed the wine to
the priest.
"Now, gentlemen" A" said Father Ryan, after
emptying the glass, and with his hat still on
the counter, "if you kindly excuse me, have
little business with each of you"
"Well, well excuse you. What's the little
business ?"
'Well, then, it's just this. I'm in sore
need of few more dollars to finish the little
house on the hill, and I'll be obliged 10 each
of you If you'd put what you think you can
spare into my hat there on the counter, as
holiday contribution to the good cause"
''See yer, boys, the padre wants TO finish
his h'istin' works. Let's all chip, There's
mine" and the miner threw his half dollar
into the hat.
The example was contagious, and the sill
yer was piled into the hat. Father Ryan
stood beaming on the boys as they contribu-
ted to his holy store.
"Has everybody anteed2 See yer, Nate, 4"
TO a big-boned, American built man, who sat
on the end of a board bench in the corner,
"oome up and pool"
''Not il 1 know myself" said Nate, sulkily.
The men turned about and faced the dis
senting Nate, jeering and gliding at him.
GO for him, padre, speak piece to
him"
"Oh, now, gentlemen, be aisy," said his
reverence with light wave of the hand.
Every man has a right to give or refuse as his
feelings prompt him. and am thinking it's
not for regard of the money that the gentle
man refuses 10 contribute. If / might, /
would ask him il he does not think some kind
of a religion is good thing3"
"You can ask me anything you please but
I'm not buildin' meeting houses"
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