The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1891-12-04
". G.. e. u. COLUMN.

". G. q. U.
Dick Harris was a brakeman on the x
md Y road. For carelessness and unre-
liability he was discharged from the en-
ploy OF the company. Filled with
thoughts OF revenge, he determined that
he would burn the railroad bridge that
spans the river near the town OF R. So
one dark night, having provided himself
with shavings, oil and other eombustlblc
material, he goes to the bridge and
fmakes all arrangements for setting it on
fire. When all was in readiness he dis
covers that he is without a match with
which to start the fire, just at this
point DeaconZ, who IS on his way home
from town, comes along and surprises the
would-be incendiary, who has been so
intent upon his work that he had not
noticed the deacon's approach.
Hellow, what are YOU doing here" says
the deacon,
Harris, seeing that it would be useless
to disguise his plan, replies "Well, Dea-
con, l will tell you. The railroad COM
pany have taken away my means OF liv-
ing and I am agoing to get even with
them. I am going to burn this bridge"
But you scoundrel, don't you know
that in doing that you will endanger the
lives OF hundreds OF innocent persons,
for the train may plunge into the river"
II can't help that" replied Dick, "
must have my revenge upon the railroad
company. Now, deacon, l have no
match to start the fire. Haven't you
one about you?"
eyes, I have" replies the deacon, "but
do you suppose that would let yor
have it to carry out your wicked plan?''
Nov look here, deacon q, I am going
to burn this bridge anyway, SO whether
you let me have the match or not, it viii
make no difference in the end, but
l will tell you what I will do; if you viii
give me the match l will give you q dol
lar"
To this proposition there was no re
, ply for some time. The deacon wen
through q process OF reasoning in hi
mind some thing like this: "Now it il
plain that that the fellow is determined
to burn this bridge. OF course it is
wicked thing to do, but if I don't let hin
have hematch, he will get one some wher
else, and l shall lose the dollar. an
not to blame for his determination tt
burn the bridge. Inever earned adolla
r so easily in my life, and need a new ha
to wear to church, and this dollar will
y Just buy one" Then aloud he says
p Now Dick I want you to understand
that 1 think this plan OF yours is abom
Unable and I do not want anything todc
with it, but as you say you are bounc
to burn the bridge anyway, may al
we'll have the dollar, so here is thu
match"
The match and the dollar exchange
hands and the deacon goes on his way
trying to forget as soon as possible hlt
part OF transaction. I will not throw uI
your feelings with the details OF the
tragedy that followed, OF the killed anc
wounded passengers as they were hurled
into the stream below, to the sorrow
that a carried into many a home tina
night, you can picture the scene by your
selves. Very likely your ready to exclaim
"Shame upon that deacon who woult
supply the meanst to bring about this ter
riable loss, and all for the paltry dollar
and then think he had no responsible,
in the affair" But softly, my friend
= have you not been reasoning very sin
liar to the deacons in regard to the lie
uor traffic?
. Yes | know that the saloon-keeper'
business is a detestable one, Iknow tina
:, 6f1ns ago in VIZ es EEII5hh5se U Sfp n hH 5azd tia rs
drink had inflicted on the world create
evils than war, pestilence and famin
combined; know that the supreme coul
OF the United States was right when
' declared in its official decision in the cas-
OF Chlornia vs. Christensen in 1896
that a greater amount OF misery an
crimes is shown by the statistics OF ever
SUdCC W Dc dUCllDuUttDlC 10 QFllK, UndQ I
; amy other source. But as men will Sc
, the stuff anyway, we may as well civ
them allcense and thus put afew dollar
= INTO u city treasury and save oul
selves a few cents OF taxes each year.
OF purse we take no responsible
for the misery that follows; that belong
to the men who sell.
. Is not such reasoning exactly simila
to hat OF the deacon? Do those VIII,
. reason in this way believe that they ca,
thus throw off their responsibility in tn
matter? Even if a city could be NOR
:, prosperous under such a revenge, hav
: they forgotten the warning given so lon
ago." Woe to him that buildeth a tow,
3 with blood and establisheth a city b.
. iniquity"? If city can be prosperou
only at the expense OF human lives All,
- immortal souls, then let it sink into OF
livion.
A Great I)icostar.