Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-12-22
A LGADvlLLE sERuOy.
philadelphia Times.

Philadelphia Times.l
At one Of our evening entertainments
Mr.. J. L. Dow, N. p, of Victoria, q
Sootchman of excellent humor. Who il
returning from q tour in the United
States, read us q sermon which be had
taken down az he heard it in Leadville.
The service was in a variety theater;
some whisky barrels m sde the pulpit.
After the singing Of "a Days March
Nearer HOme," a hard-featured miner
rose TO address the hard -featured con-
gregati0n:
Friends, the regular preacher has gone
down today among tho boys who are
working the new carbonate mines at
Gunnison, and I have been appointed
to take his hand aud heave it for all it's
worth. To many of you present it
won't be necessary to tell you that am
kiader new to this business; but don't
believe there's a rooster in the camp
mean enough to take advantage Of my
ignorance and cold deck me on the first
deal. I've been reading in this we're
book that yarn about the PrOdigal Son,
and I'll try to tell you the story. The
book don't give no dates, but / guess it
happened q considerable spell back in
history. Il seems the Prod's father was
flush with the stamps, and q real good
sort into tho bargain, as be always
shelled out freely when the kid struck
him for stake, and never bucked at
the size Of the pile neither, 30 long az
the boy heaved in hearty on the ranch
and generally behaved himself hansum.
Bot by and by the kid bsQan to get rest
les, and wanted 70 rustic out to travel,
80 he got tho old man to ante up in ad-
vance of the death Racket and let him
90. He no srOner got his divvy in his
pocket than he shook the ranch and
spread himself out TO take in seme of
the far of camps. Well, according to
the book, he had a-Way-up time, and
slunQ his coin around as If he owned
the best paying lead within thousand
miles Of Denver. But, my friends, this
game don't last forever. Hard luck
struck him at last, and the Prod is
found in one of his sober intervals re.
marking in q confidential way to one of
his chuns: II say, old pard, Pm clean
busted down to the bedrock, and them's
the cold bloOded facts" The book don't
say what the Prod went broke on, bat
probably he had steefed against some
brace game. Be that as it may, how
ever, he was 80 beautifully cleaned out
that he hadn't q two-bit piece left to 90
and eat on. In this condition be struck
a ranch belonging to An old granger,
who, taking pity on the poor busted
stranger, gave him q job Of herdiuR
hogs. The granger wasn't bad old
sample in a general way, but he was in.
clined to be kinder mean on the feed,
avxA hnt th0
SO friRhtfully HARDEST for . meal, he
had to 60 whacks in the hog trough.
You bet the kid who in his flush times
had been BOOKING around among the best
Of every thing, like silver king or rail-
road monopolist. had now plenty of time
on his hands for doing a tall lot Of
thinking. and one day he said to him
self :" I'll just ding this business. Why.
even the meanest help in my governors
hired service are living IN square grub.
and plenty Of it, while I'm worrying
along here on q shook lunch. I know
what I'll DO. I'll Just skip back on the
old man, and ask for q new deal" So
away he went. But he had q hard time
reaching the old ranch, and don't you
forget il. When you have plenty Of
coin, my friends, everybody is pleasant,
bat when you're on the borrow you
don't find il 90 pleasant. Finally he did
strike tho familiar trail leading to the
little old home, and while crossing some
open lots the old man, a. the books put
il, saw him a-coming Afar Of. Yes, that
old mans eyes were very dim, but he
did not fail = spot his boy afar Of.
And what dye suppose Prod's father
did? Die he whistle the dogs up to
chase him of tho ranch? You bet he
didn't. Did he 90 and take down his
shotgun and wait until he got . good
drop on him? You bet he did not. NJ,
bat I'll tell you what he did. He just
waltzed ont the gate - meet him and
froze right to that poor scarecrow right
ON the spot and fell to kissing of him
and weeping over him and calling him
his poor. louQ-lost boy, until tho Prod
got broke all up, like sluioe dam whom
the snow comes down Of Pixies Peak,
under a July sun. The old man took him
right away 70 Q clothing store and rugged
him out in the nobbiest suit 70 be
had for coin, and put an elegant gold
ring on his finger. ordered the latest
steer on the ranch 70 be killed. invited
all the neiRhbors in and had the biggest
blowout that camp had ever seen.
Nov Il apDArs that the Prod'e elder
brother Wa ont ut work With the teams,
and when he came In he asked some Of
the help what vas the meaning Of the
picaic they vere having inside, and
when he vas told the reason be Just got
real mad. The old man, hearing Of
this, went out 70 him and said: "Come
in, lad. your brothers como back, and
we're having . regular old fashioned ju-
bilse; nov you oo0e right along. like a
good fellow, and take . share in the
break down." but the brother wouldn't
bulge, and aid Look here, dad, Il have
duck 20 the ranch, and have never tranas
grsssed your orders, bat Il never struck
you 10 have picnic Of this kind until
you give it in honor Of . loafer Who has
diaRraced our name" Bus. my friends.
yoa make yoas bets )o0 il. that old
man bad . level bead. and want 70
b. easily blu1ed. He says: Ny
soo. yeo say thas you have never trans
grea1sd my orders, but Are you quite
sure that's cor Itell you that you have
gradually tranagrsased my command
meats nov BY yoar unbrotheTiy and
uncharisabls behavior. Learn shat
am not pleased BY services Of mere
fern, il the heart 10 not in -
cord. Yoa may count thst your service i
aocordinR 70 the letter Of The law, bat
I'll vou II dont All TIE bUnhn2 WoFfh =