Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-03-06
How Deacon White saved the Honor Oh
Camp Hard Luck.

" Quad
Camp Hard Luck was six months oiu
and we hadn't yet lost man by death.
Now and then one had met with an ac-
cident 10 Law him up for few weeks,
but il was subject OF congratu!ation
that no one had actually turned up MS
toes. Almost while we congratniateu
ourselves on this good fortune Deacon
White took 10 his bed and became serl-
ously i'll. The deacon was quiet, dig
niffed man. who never thawed out even
when whisky was plenty, and he was
the acknowledged peacemaker OF the
camp. The chaps just over the niii al
Cherry Diggings were quarreisome,,
brawling lot, and but for the efforts OF
Deacon White there'd have sometimes
been rows in which somebody would
have got cut.
Three days after tn, deacon was
taken down he sent for TWO or three OF
us TO pay him special visit. When we
had come together in his shanty he said;
boys, Pm very sick man. It's my
last sickness. I'm an old man ana re-
alize that I've got to CO."
We knew that IL was serious case,
but yet we talked encouragingly ana
tried TO brace him up.
"It's no use," he protested after we
had had our say. 1--WE got to die, and
the only question is, how shall go. IL
die in my bed the boys won't like II.
II would look TO womanish, and the fel-
lows over the hill wouId have another
chance to brag. They've had three men
die, and all died with their boots on
As a matter of fact, we were little
tender on that point, but we were Will
ing TO make an exception In the case OF
the deacon. He was not a fighting man
and couldn't be expected TO get on dy-
ing bed and get in the way OF bullet.
We talked and argued with him, and
appareptly made him see things as we
aid. and after an hour or so we returned
to work, leaving him in care OF man
whose foot had been hurt and VINO was
just able to limp around.
This was about 3 o'clock In the AFTER
noon. AT about a Cherry Diggings
man, who had filled up on whisky, APP
peared on the crest OF the hill and be-
gan whooping and yelling and giving
our camp the grand def. Following our
usual line OF conduct. we paid no atten-
ton to him, but he kept on seeking
quarrel. and by and by something hap
pened TO startle us. We heard ring
ing war whoop and looked up to see
Deacon White, fully dressed and having
a revolver in his hand, striding up the
trail. The man left with him had fallen
asleep, and the deacon had dressed and
armed himself without anybody being
the wiser. He was man six feet tail,
but he looked to be foot more as we
saw him now. His long, black hair was
blowing out behind from under his hat,
and the yels ne uttered as he went up
the trail sent chills over every man OF
US.
The chap from Cherry Diggings must
have been dumbiounded, even though
half drunk. He ceased his shouting and
stood stock still until the deacon came
within pistol shot and opened fire.
Then he turned to fee, but bullet In
the leg brought him down. The deacon
continued TO advance, firing all the time.
and we suddenly saw him throw up his
arms and fall at full length. Only then
did any OF us move. 1t had all come
upon us in such way that we stood
spellbound. When we did move hun
dred of us went together, and In three
minutes we were at the crest OF the hill.
There lay the deacon, shot through the
heart, and there lay the Cherry Dig
gings man, having four bullets In him
and dead enough before we got there.
As we looked down upon the face Of the
deacon we expected TO find IL wild and
distorted, but ii was not so. There was
a smile there--a smile fading away into
pallor as death claimed the victory. He
had died with his boots on and saved
Camp Hard Luck from being disgraced
In the eyes of Cherry Diggings.