Arizona republican., 1892-08-31
ANGELS.

Why, sure; but let's liquor again, n I'll reminisce.
 Yer see, twas afore Angels got to be sech big camp as twas later on, but il was a rich camp n a mighty wicked one. There were lots uv chaps there who'd jest as soon die in their boots as eat, n every other house was dance. house or saloon or gambling hell. Pretty Pete n his pardner, Five Ace Bob, was reckoned the wickedest men in the state, n old Bill Jones, what kept the Golden West hotel, had na- tional reputation for cussin.
 "The idea of parson striking the camp never was thought uv, but one day was playing bank into Pete's game, when Five Ace came runnin in n sez; Boys, I'll be -, but there's an ornery cuss of a parson jest rid up to Jones'. He's got pardner with him, n he lows he's goin to convert the camp The - he is,' sez Pete. m finish the deal n go down and see about that.
 80 we all walked down to Jones', n thar, sure huff, in the bar, talking with Old Bill, wuz the parson, black coat n white tie n all. He was a big, sauar' shouldered chap, with black beard
 n keen eyes that looked right through yer His pardner was only boy of twenty or so, with weller curly har, pink
 n white gals face n big blue eyes. We all walked in, n Pete he stands to the bar n shouts fer all hands ter drink,
 n to our surprise the parson n the kid both stepped up n called for red kicker
 n drank it.
 After the drink was finished the parson sez: Gents, as yer see, I'm a minister of the Gospel; but l see no harm in a man drinking ez long ez he l aint no drunkard. 1 drank just now because want you to see that am not ashamed to do before yer face what I'd do behind yer back Right yer are, parson, says Pete; put it thar;' n they shook hands, n then Pete he up and called off the hull gang-Five Ace n Lucky Barnes n Dirty Smith n one n all the rest Hv 'em. The parson shook hands with all uv us, n said he was going to have a meetin in Shifty Sal's dancehouse that night, ez twas the big gest room in camp, n ast us all to come | Il we sed we would.
 When we got outside Pete sez, Boys, you mind me, that devil dodger'll cap ture the camp, n he did. That night we all went along down to Shifty's n found the parson n the kid on the platform where the fiddlers ust to sit. n every man in camp wuz in the au- dience. The parson spoke first. He sed: Gents, l want to tell yer first off don't want any uy yer dust. I've got enuff fer myself n my young friend, n there won't be no rakeof in this yer meetin house, n I'm not here to preach against any mans way O making Twin. will preach agin' drunkenness, n 1 shall speak privately with the gamblers; but l want to keep you men in mind uv yer homes n yer mother n yer wives n yer sweethearts, n get yer to lead cleaner lives, sos when yer meet 'em ag'in yer'll not hev to be 'shamed.
 n then he sed we'd hey a song, n the youngster he started in n played a concertina n sang Yes, We Will Gather at the River; n there wuznt one of us that it didn't remind nv how our mothers ust to dress us up Sundays n send us to Sunday school, n stand at the door to watch us down street n call us back to ast if we were sure we had our clean pocket handkerchur, n tell yer, mister, thar wuzn't man with dry eyes in the crowd when he'd finished That young feller had vice like a angel. Pete he sed it wuz tenner vice, but Five Ace offered to bet him a hun dred to fifty it wuz more like fifteener or twenty. Pete told Five Ace he wuz - old fool n didn't know what he wuz talkin about.
 Well, things run along for about a week, n one day Pete come to me and sez: Look here, Ralters, this yer camp ain't no jay camp, n we've got to hev a church fer the parson. He's jim dandy, and won't ask for nothing. He'd jes, natchelly go on prayin and preachin n tryin to save couple of whisky soaked souls like yourn n Bill Jones', which ain't wuth powder to blow 'em to -, n you'd let him go doin it in that old shack of Sals n never make a move Now I'm goin to rustic round n dig up dust enuff from the boys, and we'll jest build him a meetin house asll be a credit to the camp n in few days the boys he'd good log meetin house built, hoored n benches in it n everythin.
 The parson was tickled most to death. Next they built him house, n he n his pardner moved into it. Then Pete said the gals must go; sed it wuz a dead, rank, snide game to work on the parson ter hev to go down street n be guyed by them hussies Cn they did guy him awful sometimes, tool; so the gals they went. Then Pete sed the church he'd to be properly organized; he'd to hev deacons n church wardens n sex tons n things; so old Bill Jones n Ala bam wuz made deacons, n Pete n Five Ace was church wardens,
 In month every last man i'll camp wuz worryin bout his future state. Old Bill Jones came into meetin one night with his face n hands washed n an old black suit on, n sot down on the anX- lOus bench n ast to be prayed fer. The parson kneit down n put his arm around him, n how he did pray. Be- fore he got through Lucky Barnes, Ala Dam n me wuz on the bench too, n Pete showed his Chinaman up the aisle nv the collar n sot him down longside