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

+ melt oI engineering sklII, the DenVer
and Rio Grande Railway, now daily
traverse the extreme eastern portion
Of the Rocky Mountains, lying be-
tween the city Of Denver on the north
and the Pueblo on the south and
summer tourists, as well as all-the-
year-round men OF business, pass over
the picturesque road by hundreds and
by thousands in the course of a single
year. There was a time however
not very long since, either--when
white men were very scarce in that
section, aad when the only means Of
locomotion was much dilapidated
Concord coach, whose trips were al
legged to be weekly, though as a mat
ter of fact, the time schedule of said
coach was practically filled out to
suit the driver, as he with much
'cussing" and little speed, carried
Uncle Sans mails from stage to
stage.
Rather more than twenty years ago
there was, about midway between
Denver and Colorado Springs, a point
on the road where the broad valley
narrowed into a Geep and wild gorge,
known as the George Washington
Gulch. The gorge is there yet, pre-
sumo, but the name has apparently
disappeared, there being no such sta
tion on the railway, nor, so far as !
can discover, such place on the re.
vised 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 ubiqui-
tous nature, the resident population
of the Gulch numbered three souls,
all told, while census would have
revealed the fact that these all occu-
pied the same dwelling house. There
was in those times no town or settle
ment Of any account between Denver
and the Springs, so that the stage
company was compelled to establish a
number Of stations at perfectly wild
and unpovulated points, to properly
effect changes OF horses. So rough
shed had been erected in the Gu!ch
to DO duty as a barn for the ac-
commodation of the four horses usual
ly to be found there while adjoining
was a frame mansion, consisting Of
one apartment, which served as a
sleeping room, parlor, dining hall and
kitchen for the three inhabitants, as
we'll being the official headquarters Of
Hon. Samuel Green who, in addition
/ TO his position as agent OF the stage
company, held postmaster's commits
sion from the President Of the United
States.
Honorable-be it remembered that
Mr.. Green was Government official
/ though no pos:-otfice business had
ever passed through his hands, not
even letter from or to himself, un-
less we count those which had to do
with the stsge business and went dead
/ heai'--Honorable Samuel Green 5
/ companions in the Gu,ch were a me-
Lro named Ananias-doubtless from
his propensity for prevarication-who
was chief groom of the stables, and a
half-breed Indian, whose main occu-
patton was to trap and shoot game
and then cook it. This latter iudi-
vidual was known as Francis Murphy,
and his chief failing was fondress
for undiluted whiskey.
At the close Of a fair summer day
( Honorable Samuel Green, with Messrs.
Murphy and Auanias, sat together on
a bench placed along the front of
their residence. The two last ramcd
gentlemen were still enough 10 Justify
one in the supposition that they must
te sleeping; but the Honorable Sam
ueI was busily engaged in rarring
and rubbing two or three little pieces
OF rock which lay in the palm of one
Of one Of his hands. He was evident
ly much interested.
Mas" said he at last.
"Sah ?" responded the woo..y- head.
cd darksy, rubbing his heavy eyes.
Tn a-goin' through to Denver with
Bill to aorror." BILL was one oi the
drivers on the stage line the other
was S.-aabreyis,sd from Silss.l The
/ postmaster continued: You aud
Francis Murphy keep awake part Of
the time, and sogiey watch things
while In gone. Do yer ketch on ?"
"les, in course, sah."
-Four days later, Hon. Samuel Green
returned TO tie Gulch from Denver,
aud brought with him a regular min
ing kit-picks, uattocks, hammers.
sheyels, blasting powder and other
useful Articles