Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1891-10-03

wasn't him
Some half dozen had old bullseye silver
watches, and they compared time, and
j0st at 1856 o'clock the old horses thief
exclaimed;
Il see Tom Barker a risin of the bill. !
hain't seed him for eleven years, but,
And il was him.
As he got nearer and nearer, voice
seemed to be coming with him, and some
said, Hes talkin to himself" another
said, "He's talkin to God Almighty.
and another said, I'm be burned If he
amt praying but very soon it was
decided that he was "singiu of hime.
Bill Jones was soon advised of all this,
and coming up to the front said "Darned
If he ain't singing before | axed him, but
I'll make him sing another tune till he is
tired. Ill pay him for his ensultiug
message. lm not a-gwine to kill him,
boys, II leave life in bis rotten old carcass,
but that's all. If any of you'n want to
hear Old Sledge preach you'll have to go
ten miles FROM the roads TO do it. "
Slowly anu solemnly the preacher came,
As he drew near he narrowed down his
tune and looked kindly upon the crowd.
lie was massive man in frame, and had
a heavy suit of dark brown hair, but mis-
face was clean shaved and showed a nose
and lips and chin of firmness and great de-
termination.
Look at him, boys, and mind your
eye. said the horse thief.
Where will | find my friend, Bill
Jones 2" inquired Old Sledge.
All round they pointed him to the'man.
Riding up close he said. my friend
and brother, the good Lord has sent me to
you, and ask your hospitality for myself
and my beast, and he slowly dismounted
and faced his foe as though expecting a
kind reply.
The crisis had come and Bill Jones met
it.
"You internal old hypocrite; YOU Gus.
sed old s5ayed faced scoundrel; didn't you
know that | had swortd an oath that
would make you sing and dance and whip
you besides If you ever dared to pizen these
crossroads with your shoetracks2 Now
sing, id you, stag, and dance as you
sing, and he emphasized his command
with ringing SLAP with his open hand
upon the parsons face.
Ola Sledge recoiled with pain and sur
prise.
Recovering in moment, he said:
well, Brother Jones, did not expect
so warm welcome, but if this be your
crossroad manners suppose must sing, "
and as Devil Bill gave HIM another slap
on his jaw he began with:
My soul, be on thy guard.
Aud with his long arm suddenly and
swiftly gave Devil Bill dn open handler
that nearly knocked him off his feet, while
the parson continued to sing in SPLENDID
tenor voice:
Ten thousand foes arise.
Never was lion more aroused TO frenzy
than was Bill Jones, With his powerful
arm he made at Old Sledge as il to annihi.
late him with one blow, and many horrid
oaths but the parson Tended off the stroke
as easily as practiced boxer, and with his
left hand dealt Bill a setteron his peppers
as he continued to sing:
oh, watch and eight and pray,
Aud the battle meier give DER.
But Jones was plucky to desperation,
and the settlers were watching with bated
breath, The crisis was at hand, aud he
squared himself, and bis cenched fists few
thick and fast upon the parsons frame,
and for a time disturbed his equilibrium
and his song. Bot he rallied quickly and
began the offensive rs he sang:
Ne'er think the victory won,
Nor lay thy arlnor down
He backed his adversary squarely to the
wall of his shop, and seized him by the
throat and mauled him as he sang;
Fight on, my eoul, till death
Well, the long and the short of it was
that Old ,oledge whipped him an humblcd
him TO the ground and then lifted him up
and helped to restore him and begged a
thousand pardons.
When Devil Bill had retired to his house
and was being cared for 10y has wife; Old
Slejge mounted box in front of the
grocery and preached righteousness and
temperance and judgment to come to that
people.
He closed his solemn discourse with
brief history of his own sinful life before
his conversion and his humble work for
the Lord ever since, and he hesought his
bearers to stop and think. Stop, poor
sinner, stop and think, be cried In
alarming tones.
There were few men and many omen
IN that crowd whose eyes, long unused 10
the melting mood, dropped tears Of repent
ance at the preachers kind and tender ex.
hortation Bill Jones wife poor woman,
and crept humbly into the outskirts of the
crowd, for she had long treasured the
memories of her childhood, when she. too.
had gone with her good mothe 10 hear
preach ng. In secret she had pinned and
lamented her husbands hatred for relig-
ion and for preachers. After ahe had
washed the blood from his swollen face
and dressed his wounds she asked him if
she might 20 down to hear the preacher.
For minute he was silent and seemed TO
be dun with amazement. He had never
been whipped before, and had suddenly
lost confidence in himself and his in
fidelity.
go long, Sally" he answered, ''if he
can talk like he can fight and sing. maybe
the lord did send him. It's all mighty
strange to me, and nc groaned anguish.
His animosity seemed to have changed
into anxious wondering curiosity, and
after Sally had gone he left bis bed
and drew near the window where he could
hear
Old Sledge made an earnest, aoul reach.
ing prayer, and his pleading with the
Lord for Bill Jones salvation and that Of
u n %