The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-04-21


yariably reduced TO monosyllablos
Palson Jims record and capabilities wer
hardly sucn a. )uld recommend him as
candidate for cl,irch work in communitie
having claim TO advanced civilization. liz
could not read til, Pcntateuch in the origna
Hebrew, nor discIss the Thrty-nino Articles
but he was dead shot with a revolver, ant
could gracefully ride the back of buckinl
broncho. The Westminster Catechism wa!
n sealed book to Parson jim; but he coulC
set broken limb, raise tent or build q
shanty with tho next man. And because ht
was cool rs ice when fiery blood coursed
through the veins Of other men-bccause he
was brave rs a lion-becauSe he was gentle
as woman with sick men-becauso lac had q
big heart-becauSe he spoke kindly words
and because nothing came amss TO ParSor
jim, tine rough specimens Of humanity III
George Washington Gulch loved and re-
spectcd him as they never could have loved
and respected "a grave and learned doctor OF
divinity from the east.
Now, in a western mining town it is q
gross breach OF etiquette 10 make inquiries
ms to a mans pedigree or TO attempt TO learn
more than he chooses TO tell of his history
prior 70 his arrival in the camp. So long as
he is square and behaves himself he is one
Of "the boys and as such is bound to them
! by sort of frecmasOnry. Hence, when Par
son Jim came to the gulch and announced
himself as a preacher the miners asked no
questions. They did not take "much stock"
in preaching, but they were disposed to give
the new conner SHOW and when time
passed and Parson jim proved TO their salts
faction that Inc was made of the right stuff"
they not only tolerated him, but made him
heartily welcome.
There was no church in the gulch there
was no school house; there was not even a
hall Of any kind There was, however, a
large frame shanty used for whisky saloon,
named by its proprietor The Rocky Noun
tain Sample Rooms" In the west, be it re-
membered, all the drinks are samples, no
matter if the same consumer gets away with
fifty glasses from the same barrel.
Parson Jim made his appearance in the
gulch during the winter Immediately follow
ing the summer when the Hon. Samuel Green
made his important discovery Of the exist
ence of silver in the valley. He arrived on
a handsome roam mare, without bag or bag
gage, and made his quarters Mt the rude ho-
tel connected with the Rocky Mountain
Sample Rooms. During the evening there
was scuifle in the large barroom, and the
newcomer looked in through one Of the doors
to SEQ what was the trouble. A young and
slender lad of perhaps 10 or 20 years was
struggling with brutal looking, muscular
giant OF twice his age. 1t was only ques-
ton Of minutes when the big rough fellow
would down" his young opponent, and yet
the dozen or so of onlookers made no attempt
at interference. Just as the new arrival ap-
peared on the scene, the younger combatant
got in a nasty blow, which evidently hurt
and irritated his opponent. Quick as light
ming the big fellow drew his bowie knife and
raised it preparatory to plunging it into the
lad
Hands off, You bully" shouted the stran-
ger in the doorway. The burly fighter glanced
rapidly in the direction from whence these
words came. but did not drop the hand which
gripped the ugly knife
drop that knifel' Numbered the stranger,
at the same time laying his hand upon his
pistol pocket
The bully noticed the last named action
and letting go the boy yelled, with added
oaths, Curse you; shut up. Who are you,
anyhow The large man was evidently
very angry. He held the knife in his left
hand and with his right drew heavy re-
volver, which he proceeded TO level at the
stranger.
Throw up your hands, quick" shouted
the latter But the fellow did not hear this
warning Click went the hammers Of the
pistols 1t was question of quarter seconds
now. Bang! went one revolver-the stran-
upr's--nuI tba hip man fpll-1pul
Then there was momentary silence, fol-
lowed by some queer ejaculations; Dead as
a Injinl--"Sarved him rightv-" Strangers
plucky UNI e-ewtiful shotp'-"Who
air you, stranger, anyhow"
Boys" sald the new arrival, when at last
he had chance to speak, "this is q sort Of
business that am not fond of. Sometimes
it is necessary, though, as it was tonight.
am sorry; but let's say no more about it. l
pay the funeral expenses and answer all ques-
tions. You want to know who | ami Well,
Pm preacher; and there'll be preaching in
this room, with the landlords permission,
next Sunday morning at 10 O'Clock"
1t was strange introduction for a
preacher, but II was perhaps, the best one he
could have had in that wild place. Amy way,
the respect Of those rough miners was last
ingly secured, and from that time on he
grew in favor as a man and a preacher.
In those old coach days there was one seri-
Gus drawback to travelling between Denver
and George Washington Gulch-the road was
infested by small but hitherto invincible
band Of desperadoes, under the leadership OF
regular dare devil known kansas"
This man Kansas had attacked and robbed
the coaches fifteen OF eighteen times within
six months; and although he had never been
known to be accompanied by more than
three confederates, his band was the terror
Of the stage drivers and their passengers
Once the proprietors of the stage line had or
ganized posse of armed men, who secured
the country in search OF Kansas and his
crew; but tho outlaw remained at large, and
within a week lightened coach of $1,000
worth Of silver ingots
Late in the evening Of a summer day,
when, with the exception Of party OF gam
bers at the Sample Rooms" all the citizens
of the gulch were soundly sleeping, soli-
tary horseman rode up to the unpretentious
shanty which did duty for parsonage 1t
was nothing but a two roomsd hut rudely
constructed and roughly furnished On this
occasion the parsonage" was in sole charge
of All Wing. a heather Chinee," who acted
as Parson Jim's cook and chambsrmaid. All