National Republican., 1883-02-24
THE PARSONS PERSUASION.
How Pnrson Sandy, OF Roaring Fork
Took the Tuck Out OF Big Jim from
the "HowIing wild Oats"
Exchange.


One of the real good men in our camp on
Roaring Fork was ]. NJ. Sanders. 1t was
years afterward before any one knew that
he was anything but palm "sandy," but if
a man has front name it is bound to come
out sooner or later.
1t was later when IL turned out that
"Sandy" was not only Sanders, but ]. M.
Sanders, and like as not some of his letters
had ESQ" at the end of his name.
Well Sandy was good mana real good
man. He always had q remedy for every
complaint, from chills and fever to being so
homosck that the patient would have given
his left arm for a sight of the old red farm
house in the states. He was also n praying
man, and on Sunday, when he didn't have
too much patching and darning to do. he read
from the Bible and oXhOrted us that the road
to heaven led through trials and tribulations,
and over hills whore man shod with the
strongest faith had to look out for his footing.
Which may remark right here was also
tho belief of several others in camp, includ ing
| your humble servant.
Sandy didn't play cards nor drink nor howl
| around with his hat on his ear and his teeth
on edge, and for this reason he was -despised
by some and admired by others. If he had u
weak point IL was his too forgiving spirit.
Once in a while, when one Of the men rubbed
him a little to hard, there was warning of
danger in his blue eyes, but he let half
drunken miner spit in his face one day with
| out botraying the least show of anger. .
The same was talked over in camp, and we
were divided as TO whether it was fear of the
miners fist or pity for his befuddled condition
| which prevented a knock down. However,
there came day when the old man settled
the long-standing query Of whether he had
| fight in him or not.
Two miles above us was the camp Of the
"Howling Wild Cats" One day big Jim
Stevens, standing six feet two in his boots,
and having fist as big as two-quart jug,
| got holt of some particularly good whisky,
| and after licking the best man in his own
camp, he came down to give us whirl.
| Some of our men, probably out of mere
| deviltry, told Jim that Sandy was our fighting
man and the hardest hitter west of the Ne
braska prairies.
What did big Jim do but hunt up our
| parsOn and give him to understand that the
awfulest, bloodiest, fiercest and most desperate
struggle ever known ON the face of this globe
was about to take place.
flames Stevens, you go home" replied
Sandy.
Sandy, Pm going to lick you till you can I
beller!" chuckled Jim.
go away! I've nothing against you"
warned the parson.
SANDY, prepare to be driven head first into
the silel" yelled Jim, and with that he spit
on his hands and turned on n full head of
| steam.
We were all there, you know but there was
a sort of understood law or custom In the
mining camps that fight must be fought out
without third party chipping in. And be-
sides, some of MS had n sneaking suspicion
that Sandy would astonish the country If
cornered and compelled to use his muscle.
| Big jim rushed in like n locomotive going
for spring lamb, but he didn't get there,
When he come within striking distance
Sandy shot out and keoed him over In such
style that some one called for three cheers.
Jim got up slowly, made another rush, and
| the result was the same. He wouldn't have
| tried il again but for the jeers and taunts of
the men. The third round was beautiful
affair." Jim advanced slowly, hands up, prize
ring fashion, and for n minute we weakened
bit ON our man. Foot to foot they eyed
each other, and spared for an opening. Then
like streak of creased lightning Sandy shot
out with his left, and jim went down like a
log aud had enough.
Then who washed tho blood from his face
The parson.
Who lifted him up and walked him away,
speaking as kindly as woman2 The parson
| Yes, IL was, and IL was the same paTson who
walked to his camp with him, and on the way
J up the trail sowed such good seed that Big
Jim changed from drunken, brawling good
| fOr-nOthing TO sober, industrious miner /;
and when he struck "pocket" and had tho
wheTewithal To return home, the parson was
| the first TO congratulate him and the last to
shake his hand and bid him Godspeed.
| (Which / desire TO explain" observed our
camp shoemaker, one day some months after
| the fight, "sOmo men can be cOaxed or reas-
Oned into being good, and some others never
begin to mend their ways until after the third
knockdown."