Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-07-20
PARSON JIM.

railroad, now daily traverse the extreme
eastern portion of the Rocky mountains,
lying between the city Of Denver on the
north and Pueblo on the south; and summer
tourists, at well as oil the year round men Of
business. pass over the picturesque road by
hundreds and by thousands in the course OF
q single year. There was a time, however
not very long since, either--vhen white men
were very scarce in that section, and when
the only means Of locomotion was a much
dilapitated Concord coach, whose trips were
alleged to be weekly, though, as a matter OF
fact, the time schedule OF said coach was
practically filed 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, 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, presume,
but the name has apparently disappeared,
there being no such station on the railway,
nor, SO far as l can discover, such place on
the revised maps of Colorado. But in those
Id days George Washington Gulch was q
relay station of the Denver stage line. Leav-
ing Indians out Of the question, they being
of a ubiquitous nature, the resident pokula-
ton of the gulch numbered three souls, all
told, while q census would have revealed the
fact that these all occupied the same dwelling
house There was in those times DO town OF
settlement Of any account between Denver
and the Springs, so that the stage company
was compelled TO establish number Of Sta
tions at perfectly wild and appropriated
points 70 effect proper changes Of horses. So
a rough shed had been erected in the guich
to do duty as barn for tbs accommodation
of the four horses usually to be found there;
while adjoining was frame mansion, con-
Sisting 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, in addition to his posi-
ton agent Of the stage company, held a
postmaster's commission from the president
OF the United States.
The Honorable-be it remembered that Mr.
Green was government official, though no
postofTice business had ever passed through
bis hands, not even a letter 20 or from him
Self. 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 guich were negro
named Ananias-doubsless from his propen-
sity 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 individ-
val was known as Francis Murphy, and his
chief failing was q fondness for undiluted
whisky.
At the close Of fair summer day the
Honorable Samuel Green, with Messrs.
Murphy and Ansnias, sat together on a
bench placed along the front Of their resi-
dence. The two last named gentlemen were
still enough to Justify one in the supposition
that they must be- sleeping; but the Honor
able Samuel was busily engaged In rapping
and rubbing two OF three little pieces Of rock
which lay in the palm OF ono of his hands.
He was evidently much Interested
"'NiasI" said he at last.
"SahF' responded the woolly hea4.d
darkey, rubbing has heavy eyes
I'm goin' through to Denver with Bill
tomorrow tBill was one of the drivers on
the stage line; the other was Si-abbreviated
from Silas.l The postmaster continued:
"You an Francis Murphy keep awake part
O. the time. an sorter watch things while
I'm gone-do yer ketch onr'
Yes, IN course, sab -
Four days later the Hon Samuel Green re-
turned TO the gulch from Denver, sand
brought with him q regular mining kit
picks mattocks. hammers, shovels, blasting
powder and other useful articles
Two weeks passed, and again the postmaS-
Ter OF George Washington, gulch went
through with Billn-this time loaded down
with samples of rich silver ore.
BY the following spring the gulch was
alive with a population of over 500
white men and three women-no. count
ing Indians and Chinese. George Washing
ton Gulch contained a rich vein Of silver
enough to make 1t q scene OF much activity
for five whole years
About year after the postmaster's i'm
Portant trip TO Denver, George Washington
Gulch was floating bravely q flood tide Of
wealth and prosperity. The Honorable Sam
uel Green actually had considerable postal
business TO transact, besides which. double
coach service had TO be put on the road,
while Grulch passengers arrived or departed
With every coach Add TO this the fact that
the postmaster owned an interest in the rich
est claim in George Washington Gulch, and
IL viii be readily understood that he hadde-
veloped into an individual Of considerable
Importance.
Still ii one had about that time quietly
Investigated among the strange characters
who formed the cUriousiy cosmopolitan pop
ulation OF that Colorado valley, with a view
to learning who among their number was
held In the highest esteem, the Honorable
Ssnuels name would scarcely have received
mention The parson was the favorite
Among The boys and hardly man but
would gladly have given his last dollar. ay,
Or his hfes blood, had anything so serious
been necessary, to help the parson out of a
hight place Never let it be imag ined for g
moment tia, the parson at the Gulch was
the orthodox pastor IL the habit of wearing
broadclotn Of clerical cut and white cravats
He wore a broad brimmed hat, certainly,
but it was Of toe approved cowboy pattern !;
% q coat he was well nigh q stranger, being
content 70 appear in heavy red wooden
fhirt: while for trousers he substituted the
highly ornamented and picturesque buckskin
hreeches affected by Me1icans. Indians snd
.ther denizens Of the far west. Il Is also
eertain that the title of reverend had nevey
bsSn, verbally or in writing, pre6xed 70 his
name: and vet be knew. and the boys knew.
sb,t 70 be called rParson Jim WAS in itself
/, mark of distinction in q district where
men were supposed to have no official titles
pr surnar,es. while Christian names were in
tariably reduced 20 monosyllabies
Parsor Jirn's record and capabilities were
hardly such Is would recommend him as g
candidate for church work IN communities
laying claim to advanced civilization He
could not read ths rPeasAasuch IN the ORIGINAL