St. Landry democrat., 1890-05-17
ALIAS THE PARSON.


few western towns could boast street
lamp or postoflicc-to say nothing Of
churches aud school houses-Four Hole
City was generally classed as "desprit
hard place"
IL was the toughest Of the tough
Though II comparatively young town at
the date OF the incident about to be re-
corded, its notorious wickedness had adj
vertised it far and wide, and -Four Hole
City was an accepted synonym for the
unique and 5uperlativc in western
wretchedness
It's population varied according to the
distance and direction Of the latest gold
find.
A clear spring of water had made the
spot favorite camping place for miners,
and contrsband barrel or two Of
whisky had established a bar and made
the spring place "city."
II could hardly be said that the growth
of -Four Hole City was phenomenal-tha
it was a magic city or anything Of that
sort. But it grew.
Trade was lively at the Red Finger
bar, and the cemetery spread like
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 list-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 wagon load Of collins.
The market was all right, but It's
part of the record that the Frisco under
taker was the first man ever buried i'll
coffin at Four Hole City. Little jug
Nancy otiiciated.
But i'll spite Of all that the town grew.
And Us it grew there became manifest
at irregularly long intervals, natural
tendency towards something like reform.
Nj gwen rarer intervals this usually
vague manifestation took definite shape
and proportions.
The first effort of the sort was when
shotstring Mike and that gang had an
election. Mike set himself up for mayor,
and the rest Of the boys were council
men. Long Diclsy Bass was the marshal.
1T 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 councilman reformed
and WAS hung six months later for horse
stealing. The others escaped.
Then tho 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 or four of the opposition
lights snutfed out in amazingly rapid
succession--and then the law and order
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 acknowledged, so far as
it went jim was dead shot, and as
quick as cat.
His government terminated very alb
ruptfF, however, few hours after it
started, just as Jim stepped out OF the
door Of the Red Finger bar. It was done
in the dark, and they never did find out
who did it.
They made him q grave beside Little
jug Nancy, and Four Hole City dropped
back into the old rut. 1t relapsed, In
other words.
Then United States man came along
Poor feilow-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 ens Of those Frisco coffins marked |
for his private use
Those brass buttons-six big ones and |
nine little ones-mads elegant chips.
These we're by no means the only ef- |
fcnts III reform. nor by any means the |
only failures. Suffice Ii to say that there |
had been precisely as many failures as
there were efforts, and exactly rs many
efforts az failures, when Paraon Josh
came in that bright, breezy, beautiful
day in autumn, 1860.
The parson didn't make any bones |
about it. He called out the boys and
told them what to look for.
EFF the Lord don't hinder" said the
parson. ''l'll preach here twice week
an pray the same. Ef you don't like it,
uOu v tOii1e- Ills sSl . DueIlSSs} dftu
business sbusiness. All invited Smokin'
allowed, but Ill lick the fust man as
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 he order in meetin' All
want il u square deal.
ne had come in on horseback, and
without taking his feet from the stirrups
lie pronounced the benediction, nodded
pleasantly to the crowd, and galloped
Off iii the direction from which he had
come.
IT was done absolutely before 4 man
in the crowd could realize it. Tie idea
,,res ching in Four Hole City! Benedic-
tion. Prayer!
The siransest part Of it all was that
The parson han compelled All unmistak-
able feeling Of respect. He had left
them impressed with Tie idea that he ]
ssas superior somebody, anaply able to /