Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-12-30
ALIAS THE PARS0N.

ALIAS THE PARS0N.
Even IN 80. - long ago as that, when
few western towns could boast street
lamp or postoifice--to say nothing OF
churches and school houses-Four Hole
CIV wa. generally ciassed as ''despril
hard place.
IL was the toughest of the tough.
Though a comparatively young town al
the date Of the incident about to be re
| corded, its notorious wickedness had ad-
vertised it far and wide, and Four Hole
| CITY was an accepted synonym for the
unique and supcrlative in western
| wretchedaess.
Its population varied according to the
distance and direction Of the latest gold
| find
4 clear spring Of water had made the
! spot favorit- camping place for miners,
and a contraband barrel or two OF
| whisky had established q bar and made
the spring place a city"
| 1t could hardly BIZ said that the growth
| Of Four Hole City WIS phenomenal-that
it was magic city or anything Of that
sort. But it grew.
Trade was lively at the Red Finger
| bar. and the cemetery spread like q
| green bay tree In due course Of time
| there was another barroom and another
| burying ground.
Then Little jug Nancy came, the first
| woman. and forthwith another grave
yard was added to the lisf-three Of
| them in seven months.
So alluring was the opportunity. in
| fact. that a speculative undertaken was
| tempted across the mountains from
Frisco with a wagon load of collins.
The market was all right. but it's a
| part of the record that the Frisco under
| taker was tn. first man ever buried in q
| coffin at Four Hole City. Little jug
Nancy OBLIGATED
But in spite of all that the town grew.
And as it grew there became manifest,
at irregularly long intervals, a natural
tendency towards something like reform.
At even rarer intervals this usually
vague manifestation took definite shape
and proportions
The first effort of the sort was when
Sho.string Mike and that gang had an
election. Mike set himself up for mayor,
and the rest of the boys were council
men. Long Dickv Bass was the marshal.
II was all right while it lasted They
buried the mayor and the marshal in one
grave and two of the council in another
Another one of the councilmen reformed,
and was hung six months later for horse
stealing. The others escaped.
Then the law and order fever struck
Four Hole City, They hung Jimmy
Doolan of the Red Finger bar Little
jug Nancy followed suit. same day. same
limb, Three OF four of the opposition
lights snnffed out in amazingly rapid
gang caved.
This was when the Frisco undertaken
saw his opportunity.
Then Nigger-Foot Jim tried to run it.
This reform was pre-eminently success
full. it must be acknowle lodged. SO far as
it went Jim was dead shot. and as
quick as a cat
His government terminated very alb
ruptly, however few hours after it
started, just as Jim stepped out of the
door of the Red Finger bar. 1t was done
in the dark and they never did find out
who did it,
They made him a grave beside Little
jug Nancy, and Four Hole City dropped
back into the old nut. 1t relapsed, in
other words.
Then United States man came along.
Poor fellow-they were looking for him.
They had his grave dug twenty -four
hours in advance of his arrival. They
had his tombstone fixed and the epitaph,
and one of those Frisco collins marked
for his private use.
Those brass buttons six big ones and
nine little ones-made elegant chips
These were by no means the only eff
forts at reform, nor by any means the
only failures. Suffice it to say that there
had been precisely as many failures as
there were efforts. and exactly as many
efforts as failures. when Parson Josh
came in that bright, breezy. beautiful
day in autumn. 1850.
The parsop didn't make any bones
about it. He called out the boys and
told them what to look for.
"Ef the Lord don't hinder" said the
parson, I'm preach here twice a week
an pray the same. Ell you don't like it,
don't come. This yer's business, and
business is business. All invited. Smokin'
allowed, but Ill lick the fust man a.
laughs in meetin'. amt er seekin' no
fuss I'm er peaceable man, but bust
ness is business. I'm yer ter save souls,
an they must be order in meetin'. All
want is a square deal"
He had come in on horseback, and
without taking his feet from the stirrups
he pronounced the benediction. nodded
pleasantly to the crowd. and galloped
off in the direction from which he had
come.
II was done absolutely before q man
in the crowd could realize it. The idea
preaching in Four Hole City. Benedic-
ton! Prayer!
The strangest part Of it all was that
the parson had compelled an unmistak-
able feeling Of respect. He had left
them impressed with the idea that he
~as superior SOMEBODY. amnly able to
take care ot himself. and not too sanctt-
fed to fight
Three days later he came again.
This time they were ready for him.
Slippery Sam Digger was the spokesman
for the crowd This yer town." said
Sam. lis Four Hole City. We are the
gang "a lives yer in Four Hole City.
We don't want no preachin', and -
we won't have none Of i'll"
The parson was thoughtful fog few
seconds. weighing the matter delibe-
rately. and then quietly announced that
there would he meeting. and that il Sam
didn't like it he'd have to move.
Then they hitched 1t didnt last long.
Sam was carried of on one Of the
benches, and the parson took his posi-
ton at the outdoor pulpit as quietly ~ If
nothing had happened.
"Owin' ter the racket" said the par
son, they won't be nothin' this evenin'
but the benediction Hereafter they
won't be no racket. an lar services
will be held
Then he pronounced the benediction
upon as orderly and appreciative con-
gregation as ever faced preacher.
Then he rode off leisurely, just as hs
did before. without ever once looking