Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-23
One of Captain Jack CrawfOrd's BeS t
Temperance Stories.
SCENE In CAMP IN THE FAR WEST.
An Old Scout Skaters a jug Of Whisky
With Revolver Shot.
THE NOVEL PLEDGE ENDS A CAROUsA1
rCoRazsroxprxcr OF THE D1spArcH.I

of the tables. Captain Jack, as he is falnil-
iarly called by all who know him, turned
toward the speakers and answered quietly;
ST don't drink, but will smoke a cigar
with you"
His hearers were surprised. A scout and
man who had spent all his life among the
Indians in the West not drink? It seemed
impossible.
"I see your surprise" said the Captain,
smiling, "and think if I reel of little
story you won't blame me SO much for
being a temperance man."
OF course everyone was eager to hear the
story, for Captain Jack has the reputation
of being charming story teller, 50 when
the party had retired to a secluded nook in
the gorgeous cafe, the scout began: "Boys,
| what am going to tell you is the truth and
think il may make some OF you, especially
you kittenish fellows, feel stronger in this
big city of temptations. In 1875 was ap-
pointed chief of scouts to succeed Buffalo
Bill, in the campaign against Sitting Bull.
| Returning one evening from a two days
scout, my horse went lame and determined
to turn him loose and 60 ahead on foot.
Just as was about to take off the saddle
and bride, I heard the sounds of song and
laughter drifting from a remote part of the
canon. 1T is the command I thought,
and it is not far away. Brace up, Chief,
old fellow, and we'll soon be where there is
plenty to eat and where we will have
chance to rest
AROUND A BIG CAMP FIRE.
ST soon came in sight Of big campfire,
in the ruddy light of which were grouped
number OF scouts and peterborough,
gr1zzled old frontiersmen, whose lives had
been spent on the borders of civilization.
As drew near the spot they began to sing
a border song, the notes of which echoed
and re-echoed around the great rock-ribbed
gulch with weird and almost unearthly
reverberations. The boysI welcomed me
warmly, and learned that they had secured
a big jug of whisky, and had made their
present camp away rom the troops to have
a good time unmolested. OF course, the
jug travelled slowly but frequently around
the circle, and fun and laughter reigned
supreme.
"tNow, Cap'n Jack, said one of the boys
you must fill up with us on this tarantula
juice. We've come up yer for a jamboree,
an we're havin' it in Wild West style, and
don't yer fergit it. Flood yer innards,
Cap'n, an take hand in tn festivities
mo thank you, boys" 1 said, I never
the Ioudest laughter, as though it were the
best joke of the season. The man who held
the jug came over to me and said: 'That'sal
right, Cap'n, but on special 'casion sich
as this be, everybody must drink. Let US
have good time while we kin, for on sich
expedition as this we don't know when
we'll run into iDjuus an leave our unoccu-
pied bodies layin' sort O. onconsarned like,
among the sage brush in a state of bald
headed inactivity; SO let's make all we kin
O. life while it stays with us. Fas'en yer
claws on tn jug, Of boy, and down some Of
tn liquor
A STORY IN THE CAMP.
''I took the jug, and, placing it on a
stump by my side, said: Boys, always do
my share toward helping out camp festivi-
ties, but before drink with you want to
tell you little story. When I was little
bareiooted, mischievous youngster, my home
was in Minersville, in the coal regions of
Pennsylvania. My father was kind and in
dulgent, and, with his little ones grouped
around him, he often told US stories of ad-
venture and life in the mines Ny mother
was a sweet, gentle creature, for whom our
alteration almost verged into worship. She
was bound up in ner children and they in
her-bound with the purest and brightest
links ever forged for the golden chain OF
love. The dove of peace rested upon our
happy little home and cooed its sweetest
melodies.
""When grew to be chunk of boy no.
ticec gradual but marked change in my
fathers appearance and actions. His
clothes became seedy, his face flushed, and
he would act strangely when he came home.
Mother would always take him to bed, and
afterward when 1 noticed her tears and
asked her what the trouble was, she would
reply that father was not well. He never
told us any more stories, but stayed away
until late hour. When I grew older
knew that the cause of his staggering and
strange actions was rum, and that it was
DRAGGING A NOBLE
man down, down, day by day into the
depths of hell upon earth. He at last re-
fused to speak kindly to US, and as we felt |
that our father was lost to us our hearts |
ached with grief. When the war broke out |
in 1861 my father was one OF the first to go |
to the front, and two years later, against the |
wishes of my mother, enlisted, although |
not of the required age. 1 will not detail to
you my experience during the way, but 1 |
was wounded twice, and at the close OF the /
war 1 returned home. Ny father was
wounded also, and died shortly after the
war.
father, my mother was taken sick, and my
heart almost broke as saw her day by day
sinking. One day the doctor came to me
and said: Johnny, 1 have sad news for
you, but you must bear up under the great
sorrow as we'll as you can; your mother must
leave you soon."
"'I trembled so could hardly stand, and
begged the doctor not to givehe up, but to
save her for me and would be his slave Tor
life. The good, kind-hearted old man placed
his hand on my head and said: my dear
boy, she is past all human aid. Calm your
self as much as you can and come with me;
she wants to see you."
WHERE HIS MOTHER LAY DYING.
"fHe took my hand and led me into the
room which already rested under the dark
shadows of the wings of the Angel of Death.
Ny poor mother lay there pale as the pillow
upon which her dear head rested; upon her
emaciated face look of calm resignation
such an expression as comes Only to the
dying Christian. whose hope of i'm
stamped with the approving seal of
the Almighty. Weeping bitterly, threw
myself on my knees at the bedside. Placing
one of her thin, white hands in mine and
the other on my head she said: Johnny, nv
son, must leave you. My dear boy, will
you make me promise that 1 can take up
to heaven with me? 1t will then not be SO
hard to leave you here alone in the world"
"'Choked with sobs and tears. told her
that would promise aEything-anything-
anything. "God bless you for those words,
my boy," she said, ''for know that 1 can
trust you, promise me that as long as you
live you will not let drop of liquor pass
your lips ct promise, mother. promise.
[ promise the angel that God is about to
tata fron, mo that will never touch IL