Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1885-03-28
RED IL
A Dakota Road Agent Who Became
Clergyman In England.

On beautiful summer afternoon, in
the year 1S79-writes-a correspondent OF
the Kansas City Times-:as the stage
bound for Deadwood was nearing Dead
Mans GuIch it suddenly came to halt,
and before the passengers had time to
inquire the cause, they wee startled on
hearing the blood curdling command
Throw up your hands if you value your
life" ..... .... ....
Al the same time two men mounted
the platform and covered them with two
deadly looking revolvers. Every one
obeyed with alacrity, for they heard oil
the daring and bloody deeds CT Red jun
the Dakota road agent, and knew that
to dlsobey meant instant death. Out.
eide robber held cooked revolver on
the driver, who was instructed to keep
his horses quiet one of the ether men
stood in the door of the coach. and kept
The passengers passil g, with navy six
covering them, while the others went
inside the coach and commenced to re-
lieve them of their money and valuables
with politeness and courtesy worthy a
"LaJy, OJiige me by handing me that
handsome chain and chryselephantine
pendant you have around your neck,
Thank youn he replied as she passed it
over, too frightened to exoostulate.
That night as the bandits sat around
their camp fire, they talked of the ad.
venture of the day with rough Jest and
hearty laughter. After they had finish
ed Their supper of roast venison, bread
and coffee. RED Jim remarked:
81 am going to examine my Christmas
presents. So
At the same time he threw more brush
and wood on the fire, which made 1T
blaze up brightly. All the time when
not talking he had been humming a
tune softly to himself. 90 "a
Boys he said, looking up. II don't
know what is The matter with me to-
night. keep humming an old song l
used to hesrat Sunday school when q
boy. l feel kinder queer, anyhow, to.
night"
Il hope you amt going to desert us
and turn preacher" said Scarface Char
ley with lau2h.
Il don't guess there is any danger Of
that" replied Jim; especially the
preacher part. But l will tell you:
When a boy l had good Christian
parents, and had followed their teach
ings would now b. leading different
life. have never fancied this way Of
making living very much, and only for
that confounded bar loom trouble in
Leadville might now be leading diff
ferent life. But have been in so many
unlaw full acts that l could not go in now
if | wanted to. So while the fire is
burning brightly will look at the things
which We were fortunate enough to
borrow to-day" With that he drew ur
nearer the fire and examined one article
after another until he came to the chain
aud pendant, which he picked up and
turned over and over in his hands.
''I'll swear! This thing opens!" he
exclaimed. Il guess we will see the
ladv's sweetheart on the inside"
With that he pr. ssed the spring and
the locket flew open. Red Jim started
back with an exclamation of surprise.
"What is the matter" cried Limping
Tom, sis it so ugly it frightens yeu"
mo jesting," said Red Jim, angrily,
81 am In no mood for testing. What l
saw in the locket, was picture, of my
mother, and it must have been my sister
from whom | stole it. The first glimpse
of the picture made m feel as. if [ were
looking in the face of my long lost
m other, for she died when l
was 4 boy, twenty years ago. How we'll
do remember the morning she died.
She called nae to her bedside, and plac-
ing her hand on my head. she said:
"My boy, am going to leave you, and
when am gone you will have nobody
to guide your erring footsteps. Had the
good Lord seen fit to let me remain on
this earth | would have brought you up
good exemplary Christian. But with
no one to guide you YOU will have q
hard time overcoming the trials. and
temptations of This wicked world. And,
son, promise me you will try and lead a
Christian life and meet me in heaven
At this point Red Jim's emotion over
came him, anG he bowed bis head on
his chest aud remained motionless foS
several minutes. When he looked up
his cheeks were still vet wi h tears, and
when he spoke his voice was husky with
sii2BSSSye e: ne salu, nom tnls on / am
going to lead different life. 1t is not
too late yet, for remember reading in
some book that the vilest sinner can re-
turn, and wish you boys would turn
over a new leaf, too. have got money
enough to take me to Europe, and in the
morning will disguise myself and start
for the coast, and once across the water
will try by Christian acts 20 atone for
mysinful past ~ ilfS va
= In the fall of 1888, while the writer
was travelling through England, he Wis
tied the cutlery works of Sheffield, and
while there friend insisted on his ac-
companying him to country meeting
house, where there was "a revival in
progress. The writer did so, and when
the preacher entered the pulpit he re-
cognized Red Jim, the once noted road
agent of Dakota. On inquiry, he was,
informed that Brother Raymond, for
that was the name that Red Jim went
by, bad been preaching for three years,
and thit hewas beloved BY everyone
hat knew linn And thus Ii utns .hat q