The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-03-20
PARSON jim.

Pueblo on the south; and summer tourists, as
we'll as all-the-year-round men of business,
pass over the picturesque road by hundreds and
by thousands in the course of single year.
There was a time, howevcr,--not very long
since, eithcr-when white men were very
scarce in that section, and when the only
means Of locomotion was a much dilapidated
Concord coach, whose trips were alleged to be
weekly, though, as matter of fact, the time
schedule Of said coach was practically filed
out to suit the driver. as he, with much
fcussing" and little speed, carried Uncle
Sans mails from stage to stage.
Rather more than twenty years ago there
was, about midway between Denver and Colo
RADIO springs, point on the road where the
broad valley narrowed into a deep and wild
gorge, known as the George Washington Gulch.
The gorge is there yet, L presume, but the
name has apparently disappeared, there being
no such station on the railway, nor, so far as
can discover, such place on the revised maps
of Colorado. But in those old days George
Washington Gulch was a relay station of the
Denver stage line. Leaving Indians out Of the
question, they being OF ubiquitous nature,
the resident population of the gulch
numbered three souls, all told, while a
census would have revealed the fact that these
all occupied the same dwelling house. There
was i'll those times no town or settlement Of any
account between Denver and the springs, SO
THAI TIE stage company WAS COIlpelleu 10 GS-
tablish number Of stations at perfectly wild
and appropriated points, to affect proper
changes of horses. SO a rough shed had been
erected in the gulch to do duty as a barn for
the accommodation of the four horses usually
TO be found there while adj joining was q frame
mansion, consisting of one apartment, which
served as sleeping-room, parlor, dining-hall,
and kitchen for the three inhabitants, as well
as being the official headquarters of the Hon.
Samuel Green, who, III addition to his position
as agent of the stage company, held post
masters commission from the president of the
United States.
The Honorable--be it remembered that Mr.
Green a government official, though no
postotfce business had ever passed through his
hands, not even q letter to or from himself,
unless we count those which had to do with
the stage business and went 'deadhead''-the
Honorable Samuel Green's companions in the
solitude of the Gulch were negro named
Ananas-d doubtless from his propensity for
prevarication-who was chief groom of the
stables and half-breed Indian, whose main
occupation was to trap and shoot game and
then cook it. The latter individual was
known as Francis Murphy, and his chief fail
ing was fondness for undiluted whisky.
AT the close of fair summer day, the Hon.
Samuel Green, with NEessrs. Murphy and
sHapas. s~t4.aeflseF NJ et-sseit lSaas 4siJs,.s
the front OF their residence. The two last
named gentlemen were still enough to justify
one in the supposition that they must be
sleeping: but the Hon. Samuel was busily
little pieces of rock which lay in the palm of
one of his hands. He was evidently much in
terested.
"Nias," said he at last.
'Sah," responded the wooly-headed darky
rubbing his heavy eyes.
''Im a-goin through to Denver with Bill to-
morrow" (Bill was one of the drivers on the
stage line; the other was Si-abbreviated from
SilaS.) The postmaster continued: "You an
Francis Murphy keep awake part O. the time
an sorter watch things while I'm gone-do yer
ketch on?"
Eyes, in course, sah."
-Four days later the Hon. Samuel Green re-
surned to the Gulch from Denver and brought
with him regular mining kit-picks, mat
tocks hammers shoyels, blasting-powder and
other useful articles.
Two weeks passed and again the postmas-
ter of George Washington Gulch event through
with Bill''-ths time loaded down with sam
Piles of rich silver ore.
BY the following spring the Gulch was alive
with population of over three hundred
white men and three women-not counting
Indians and Chinese. George Washington
Gulch contained rich vein of silver-enough
to make it scene Of much activity for five
whole years.
About year after the postmaster's inner
tant trip to Denver, George Washington Gulch
was floating bravely on floodtdc of wealth
and prosperity. The Honorable Samuel
Green actually had considerable postal bust
ness to transact, beside which n double coach
passengers arrived or departed with every
coach. Add to this the fact that the post
master owned an interest in the richest claim
in George Washington Gulch, and it will be
readily understood that he had developed into
an individual of considerable importance.
Still, if one had about that time quietly in
vestigated among the strange characters who
formed the curiously cosmopolitan population
of that Colorado valley, with a view to learn
ing who among their number was held in the
highest esteem, the Hon. Sanuel's name
would scarcely have received mention. The
parson was the tayorite among "the boys
and hardly man but would gladly have given
his last dollar, ay, or his ife's blood, had any,
thing so serious been necessary, to help the
parson out of tight place. Never let it be
imagined for moment that the parson at the
In the habit of wearing broad,
cloth of clerical cut and white crayats. He
wore broad-brimmed hat certainly, but it
was OF the approved cowboy pattern to a coat
he was well nigh stranger, being content to
appear IN heavy red woOiien shirt; while for
trousers he substituted the highly ornamented
and picturesque buckskn brooches affected by
Mexicans, Indians and other denizens of the
far west. 1t is also certain that the title of
reverend had never been, verbally or in
writing, prefixed to his name; and vet he
knew, and the boys knew, that to be called
"Parson Jim" was in itself mark of distnc-
ton in a district where men were supposed to
have no official titles or surnames, while Chris
syllables
Parson Jims record and capabilities were
hardly such as would recommend him as a
candidate for church work in communities
laying claim to advanced civilization. lie
could not read the Pentateuch in the original
Hebrew, nor discuss the Thirty-nine Arti-
Giles but he was Gead-shot with a revolver,
and could gracefully ride the back of a buck
ing broncho The Westminster Catechism
was n sealed book 20 Parson jim but he could
set broken limb, raise tent or build shan
ty with the next man, And because he was
cool as ice when fiery blood coursed through
the veins of other men--because lie was brave
as lion.-because he was gentle as woman
with sick men-beeause he had a big heart
because he spoke kindly words and because
nothing came atniss to Parson Jim, the rough
specimens Of humanity in George Washington
Gulch loved and respected him as they
never could have loved and respected grave
and learned doctor OF divinity from the east.
Now, in western mining town il is gross
breach OF etiquette TO make inquiries as TO a
mans pedigree or attempt TO learn more than
he chooses TO tell Of his history prior to his ar