Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1888-06-30

this faithful beast and my Heavenly
Father. The dust-stains of travel lie
heavily upon me, and | am weary and
faint from fatigue and hunger"
A coarse laugh Of amusement broke
from the lips of some OF the listeners.
but Giant Dave, one of the toughest
men of the camp, arose to his feet, and
said:
Stranger, don't reckon that we hev'
cum to none too pious camp, but L
reckon tibet We are human ernuf not
ter let err teller-critter suffer frum
hunger. Thar's grub ernuff in my
shanty fer one good square meal.
Cum on.
Straight down the street strobe the
big man, and silently the stranger
guided the burro in his footsteps. And
thus they passed from the view of the
bummers upon the hotel steps.
At the cabin of the big miner the
stranger found shelter and food. And
as he eagerly devoured the humble
food placed before him and drank the
cool water which Giant Dave brought
in tin dipper, he quoted:
'Whomsoever shall give to drink
unto one of these little ones cup of
cold water, verify / say unto you, he
shall in no wise lose his reward.
For a time the newcomer remained
in Big Pine, and, strangely enough,
while he was there, he and the rough
miner, Giant Dave, were pards. They
were singular pair-Dave was as
coarse and rough as a piece of quartz
newly broken from the hillside, while
"the Parson," as the stranger was
called, was as smooth as polished mar
be and as gentle as a kitten.
He did not give his name, but lie
said that he had been minister of the
gospel away back in the East. He
had been caught by the gold fever,
and, leaving his little TO k in the care
of another, had turned his face west
ward, resolved to seek fortune among
the mine.
His ,uest had been fruitless. Ever
fckle, the fair goddess had refused to
come at his call, and now, penniless,
almost hopeless, he was once more
ready to work for the Master.
Sometimes in the dusk of quiet
evening some of the miners would hear
him praying. His voice would be up
raised in an earnest entreaty for SIM
ners, and sometimes lie would seem to
pour ont his very soul" i'll prayer.
Often lie would sing some familiar
hymn, and many Il rough mans eyes
were dimmed with tears as he thought
of the mother he had often nearu sing
the same familiar air.
Gradually the Parson became popu-
lar in Big Pine, and it was great oc-
casion when, for the first time, one
Sabbath, he was permitted to address
the greater portion of the camp. tho
miners having assembled in Hop Ben
sons saloon to hear the Grafton. The
saloon keeper was usually a evel-head-
ed man, and he thought that genuine
parson would be drawing card" at
his saloon.
1t was a rough crowd that assembled
in the saloon. The miners expected
sport, but they were hardly prepared
for what they heard.
Standing upon a deal table, tho
Parson began his address, or perhaps
we should say sermon. He spoke
smoothly and with distinctness, and
after the first few moments held the
closest attention of his audience. New
er before had the men of Big Pine
heard anything like it. They soon be-
came oblivioas to their surroundings /;
before their eyes arose pictures of Jesus
among his disciples. They saw him as
he called the fishermen from their nets !;
they saw him as he walked upon the
sea; they saw him heal the sick
and raise the dead, and, breathing soft
ly. they listened, enraptured, en-
tranced.