The daily gazette., 1883-02-23
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A MODEL SERMON.
A Reformed Gamblers Interpretation of
the Parable of tho Prodigal Son,

A Reformed Gamblers Iuterpr citation of
the Parable OF tho Prodigal Sc n.
Leadville, Col, has experienced rdliglon,
and Faro Bill, one of he most distinguished
citizens preached the other day, In the alb
sence of--as he expressed it-"tNe boss
mouthpiece of the heavenly mill, j" to a large
and select audience, in the variety theatrer
of the place, used on Sunday as church.
This is the way the substitute began "Fel
Ter citizens, the preacher bein' absent, it
falls on me TO take his hand and play ii fur
all it's worth. You all know that I'm Just
learnin' the game, an of course | may be
expected TO make wild breaks, but don't
believe thar's rooster in the camp mean
enough To take advantage of my ignorance
and cold deck me right on the first deal
| Pm sincere in this new departure, an be-
| lieYe I've struck a game that / can play
clear through without copperin' bet, for
when a man tackles such a layout as this
| he plays every card to win, and If he goes
| through the game as he orter do, when he
lays down to die au' the last case Is ready
to slide from the box he can call the turn
every time.
81 was readln' in the Bible today that
yarn about the Prodigal Son, aud want to
tell you the story. The book dOn'tglYe no
dates, but it happened long, long ago. The
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 tie pile
either. / reckon the old man was pretty
well fixed, an when nc died be intended to
give all his wealth to this kid an his brother.
Prod give the Old man little game o. talk
one day and induced him to whack up in
advance O. the death racket. He'd no sooner
got his diyyy in his fist than he shook the
old man an struck out to take In some o.
the other camps. He he'd way-up time for
a while, and slung his cash to the front like
he owned the best payin' lead on earth but
hard luck bit him at last an left him fat.
The book don't state what he went broke on,
but | reckon he got steered NJ agin some
brace game. But anyhow he got left with
out chip or a iour-hit piece TO 20 an eat
on. An old granger chen tuck him home
an set him to hcrdin' hogs an here he rot
so hard up AN so hungry that he plped of
the swine WHILE they were feedln' and he
stood in with them on snuck lunch. He
soon weakened on such plain proyeHder and
says to himself, says he Even the old
mans hired hands are living ON square
grub, while Pm worryin' along hereo on corn
husks straight, TIL just take grand tum-
bic to myself, and chop on this racket at
once. III skip back to the governor and
try to fix thin2s up, and call for new DEAL
SO off he started.
''The old man seed the kid comm, and
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 tho dogs to chase him off the ranch
Did he hustle around for club and give
him stand of at the front gate Eh Not
to any alarming extent he didn't: no, sir.
The Scripture book says he waltzed out to
meet him, froze 10 him on the spot and
kissed him, and then marched him off to
clothing store and fitted him oHt in the
knoobiest rig IN be had for coin. Then the
old gent invited all the Deighbors, and killed
calf, and gave the biggest blowout the
camp ever seem"