The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-02-01
A BRAND FROM THE BURNING.
How Secretary Palmer and John G. Blake
Failed to Make Convert.


John Godfrey Blake and Secretary Palmer. Of
the Y. NJ. c. A., have been having brief but
| thrilling experience with genuine cowboy from
the boundless ranges of far-away Texas, and are
| entitled to public recognition for their rathe,
remarkable success in evangelizing the untutored
mani pulator Of the larat They were seated in
the office of the latter one afternoon of last
| week when the door opened and
through it stalked figure that
required but one glance to be properly sized up
by an observer. 1t was that of a rough looking
citizen, six feet in height, over whose broad
shoulders the long black hair with which his
head was covered fell in graceful ringlets, and
surmounted by broad brimmed white sombrero
of the approved Buffalo Bill pattern Cowkide
boots, in which the pantaloons were
stuffed, coat of uncertain - color,
through the opening in which buckskin shirt
was discernible, completed the outfit. The
stranger asked if he was in the headquarters of
the Y. NJ. c. A., and received an affirmative an
swer. He looked suspiciously about, as if still
just a little dubious, but finally made known
the object of his visit. 'Tm yaller-legged cow
ence." said he; IAN want to find somebody
that'll give me the proper steer"
Now, real live cowboy is not treasure to be
picked up every day, and the talented workers
in the vineyard were delighted at the opportu-
nifty offered. "What kind of work do you want,
my good brother9' inquired Brother Palmer,
rubbing his hands delightedly.
work, HI" roared the erstwhile pursuer of
the festive steer, in manner that caused Bishop
Blake to shudder and the secretary's knees to
shake. "Work hi don't want work
lwant rest. came up here from Texas" he
continued, to explain his coming. ito find a good
place to invest my money. I've got leven thou
sand dollars in my kicks, see here if you don't
believe it producing fat roll from every pock-
et), and all wants good place to stay. went
to Cincinnati first, an on the way mp Teller
told me that when / got there if didn't want to
get into trouble I'd better go right to the Y. NC.
A, an let them find boarding
house. l asked a guy on the street to
steer me into their headquarters, an he showed
fellers playin' some kind of keerds. 1 asked if
it was the Y. NJ G. A., an they laughed and said
yes Then | told em what l wanted. All
right, says one OF 'em, you want good quiet
boarding house, do yous Well. I'll fix you out
went where he sent me- an wish
you could have seen what happened!
went in and told the landlady what l wanted.
She laughed like the other Teller did and went
out. In few minutes she came back with
whole lot OF other women in low-neeked dresses,
and they laughed too and began to think the
Teller had made mistake about the place and
mosied out In a hurry l went back to the Y.
NJ. G. A. and told the chap where had been
they all laughed again, and said they
were mistaken they guessed Then they asked
IN to 90 tow two III of en-
an went into several places to get what they
said was salvation water paid for it, | saw
another Teller call for gn an the man give it to
him out of the same bottle we got the Salvation
water out of. / got stuck on the stuff, and
drank big lot of it, an the police got me an
locked me up an said l was drunk. Then the
judge told me them fellers didn't be-
long to no Y. Nj. G. A., but was a lot of
gamblers and advised me to leave town. So
came here, and now look here, stranger, don't
want no SIGH game as got in Cincinnati"
Here was an opportunity to snatch brand
from the burning sure enough, so Brother
Blake and Brother Palmer told their new found
acquaintance about redeemng grace, and that
salvation was to be had gratis, and warned him
of the dangers of the broad road to the fire.
works display, which he received with becoming
reverence They sent him to the ladies of the
w. G. T. u, to one of whom he told the story
of his Cincinnati experiences with faithfulness
to detail that will not be attempted
in these columns. Between the ladies
and his first friends he was kept going
for day or two, and Brother Blake and Brother
Palmer congratulated themselves rapturously
over the able manner in which the untrammeled
child of the frontier had been yanked from the
very verge Of the yawning abyss of perdition,
through the instrumentality of the Y. NJ G. A.
Then came revelation that filled their souls
with horror. Their innocent from the borders
proved to have gotten so well stuck on the sal
walton water experimental on in Cincinnati that
he played another and very brilliant engagement
with it in Indianapolis, and the city's
gin supply was depleted at an
astonishing rate for several days. Stalking into
a West-end saloon, the seeker for truth pulled
off his overcoat. and, throwing it the counter,
produced revolver of the character used by his
landsmen, the late BILLY the Kid" and Mr..
James, and shouted: There's So 900 in that
coat, and the first that
touches it will get 4S'er through his lights"
The coat was undiSturbed. A
couple Of days later the innocent had succeeded
in getting pretty nearly everybody on the West
Side drunk, had furnished business enough for
the police to keep the patrol wagon running day
and night, and at last accounts was firmly estab
lished at resort not visited by the first fami
lies, where he was rapidly putting his money in
circulation for drinks for the million.