Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1888-03-29

Gulch "went throlgh #kli Bit
this time loaded down sh sample.
of rich silver ore.
By the following sprins the Gulch
was alive with popaAtion Of over
three hundred white n and three
women-not counting pdians and
Chinese. George WASH gton Guleh
contained a rich veil f silver
enough to make it sc>ss of much
activity for five whole years.
! About year after the postmaster's s
important trip to Lever George
Washington Gulch. was Seating brave
ly on fioodsids q 81. sf..ss asa pros
perity. Honorable Samuel Green ac-
tually had considerable postal bust
ness to transact, besides which a
double service had to be put on the
road, while Gulch passengers arrived
or departed with every coach. Add
to this fact that the postmaster owned
an interest in the richest claim il
George Washington Gulch, and it will
be readily understood that he had de-
veloped into an individual of consid
cradle Importance.
Still, if one had about that time
quietly investigated among the strange
characters who formed the curiously
cosmopolitan population Of that Colo
rado valley, with view to learning
who among their number was held in
the highest esteem, Honorable Salnu
els name would scarcely have receiv-
ed mention. The parson was the Ia
vorite among "the boys" and hardly
man but would gladly have given
his last dollar, aye, or of his lifes
blood, had anything so serious been
necessary to help the parson out of a
tight place. Never let it be imagined
for a moment that the parson of the
Gulch was the orthodox pastor, in the
habit of wearing broadcloth of clerical
cut and white cravats. He wore a
broad brimmed hat certainly, but it
was Of the approved cowboy pattern /;
to coat he was well nigh a stranger
being content to appear in heavy
red woolen shirt; while for trousers
he substituted the highly ornamented
and picturesque buckskin breechea al
fected by Mexicans, Indians and 9TH
er denizens Of the far West. 1t i
certain that the title of Reverend had
never been, verbally or in writing,
prefixed to his name; and yet be
knew, and the boys knew, that to be
called "Parson jim was in itse.i =
mark Of distinction in district where
men we're supposed TO have no official
titles or surnames, while Ch!isiitn
names were invariably reduced to
monosyllables.
Parson Jim's record and capabili.
ties were hardly such as would re-
commend him as a candidate for
church work in communities lay in :
claim to advanced civilization. He
could not read the Pentateuch in the
/ original Hebrew, or discuss the TaIg
I ty-niue Articles; 5ut he was a dead
shot with revolver, and could cyaca
fully ride the back of a bucking bron-
cho. The Westminster Catech;sm
was a sealed book to Parson Jiu, bur
he could set broken limb, raise a
tent, or build shanty with the next
man. And because he was as cool IS
ice when fiery blood coursed through
the veins Of other men-because he
was as brave a a lion-becau-e lie
was gentle as a woman with sick men
because he had big heart-brc use
( lie spoke kindly words-aud because
nothing came amiss TO Par o1 jim,
the rough specimens Of humaiily in
Geooge Washington Gulch loved md
respected him as they never could
have loved and respected grave and
learned doctor Of divinity from he
East.
{ Now, in Western mining toHu it
Is a gross breach of etiquette 10
make inquiries as to mans pedigree
or to attempt to learn mare than lie
chooses to tell of his history prior 10
his arrival in camp. So long a. h. is
square and behaves himself he is
one Of "the boys" and as such Is b.uud
TO them by sort Of fresMs--ary.
Hence, when ParSon jim cace L. ts.c
Gutch and auuoGnced himself is j.
preacher, the miners asked no aaes.
tions They did not take much ~tosk
in preaching, but Were dispos.l to
give the newcomer show .nl
when time passed and Parson jim
proved to their satisfaction that lie
was made of the right stuff, they not
only tolerated him, but mads him
heartily welcome.