The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-01-15
ROUGH DIAMOND IN A CALIFORNIA
MINING CAMP.

Away up there in the mountains, at
H, our sources of spiritual enlighten-
ment were very limited indeed. In the
first place, we were so far away from
civilization that it. is more than probable
that no one missionary in two dozen
knew of our existence. Secondly, as
there were no ladies in H, hence no
sewing circles, ministers who craved So
ciety of more refined sort than that of
Sam Hilcs's poker room, were inclined
to fight shy of us.
Once or twice, to be sure, we had had,
for brief period in each instance,
minister all to ourselves. The first one
was a brand new, very Jealous, weak
eyed, scholarly, studious and shy young
man, with BostOnese method of hand
ling the Kings English. But this one
was not happy. He might have been
star of the first magnitude at a ladies'
Browning Club but at H he was as
much out of place as the proverbial cat
in the strange garnet. He seemed to care
little for the society of his fellows beings,
at least those in H. The boys tried
to make him feel at home, and every
once in while some one would ask him
to drink, but he never did. So it came
to pass that his life became burdensome,
because the boys called him isis" and
paid about as much attention to him as
if he had been a tailor's dummy. But
when Hill Tobias, the big. kindly wit of
the camp, on hearing the reverend cough
one day, said: Sonny, ye've got tn
Group, an eff was you I'd go right back
ter my folks, it settled the "Rev. Sis"
and the next day he took the stage back
to civilization.
The other one was not with us even as
long as Sis" He came month after
Sis left, and stayed about three weeks.
He was a big, overfed, canting sort of
chap, and talked shop too much out
of business hours. One morning some.
thing broke about the engine at the
Highland mine, and Wallace, the man.
ager, used cuss words right in the pres
ence of the Rev. Obadiah Sweet, who
then and there began--just began-a
long discourse on swearing, by way of
reproof. | only heard one side of the
story, and that Was Wallace's version. 1t
seems that he took the Rev. Sweet by
the shoulders, abused him roundly as a
wolf in sleeps attire, and smote him
with more or less violence with the toe
of his miners boot. And the Rev. Sweet
walked ten miles down to Redwood to
wait for the stage.
One day, however, a man, an evangel-
gelist came and stayed a week, and in
H society were wrought great
changes, most notable of which was the
conversion of Brick Yates, one of the
toughest, most profane, goddess men in
H. 1t was the fourth or fifth night
of the evangelist stay. He had exhorted
as only true man, with his heart in his
work, can, and finally asked all those
who wanted to become Christians to
come forward and take front seat.
There was moments silence. Then
arose Brick Yates. who had at first done
all to could to hinder the work, and his
great voice grOwled: "Damme, I'll Jest
go We ~ And he went up, followed by
a dozen dad" ones.
The next night contingent from Red
wood came up and invaded the sane
tuary. They were all tough, but be-
haved pretty well until they discovered
they were getting very dry. Then, in
the most earnest part of the Rev. Hay
woods discourse, they rose and started
over to Hiles's. Mr.. Haywood stopped
speaking and looked at them in mute
appeal, but Brick was equal to the emer-
gency. As the Redwood crowd came
dumping to the door he rose, and in
hoarse whisper heard by every one, ex.
claimed: Here Whatinell d'you fell
lers mean by disturbin' these here pro-
ceedings? Go back an set down till tn
rev'ren' gifts through. Plenty time ter
drink. Hear me ?"
They heard, and went back to their
seats, and every one of them put So in
the hat.
Henceforth Brick was rs sole
spiritual physician. He was also doctor,
nurse, and general consider of all the
rough population of the camp. At the
start though he did not stop taking an
occasional dring, he quit gambling and
getting drunk, and gradually broke him
self of using strong cuss words, though
a few of the milder ones he never did
get rid of. At first few of unconcerned
ones made fun of him, but he always
took it good naturally, and they, seeing
he was in earnest, soon let him alone.
When chap called ''Charlie Ross" in
some unaccountable way held four kings
in little game wherein another king
was held by Buck Penrose, and fingered
for five or six days afterward with a A.