Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1892-01-15
"EVANGELlST BRICK. ."


II, our sources of spiritual enlight-
eminent were very limited indeed. In
the first place, we were so far away
from civilization that it is more than
probable that not one missionary in
two dozen knew Of our existence
Secondly, as there were no ladies in
H, hence no sewing-circles, minis
ters who craved society Of more re-
fined sort than that of Sam Hile'S po'
ker 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 brand new, very Jealous,
weak-eyed, scholarly, studious and
shy young man, with a Bostonese
method of handling the kings En-
glish. But this one was not happy.
He might have been a star Of the first
magnitude at ladies' Browning club,
but at H he was a. much out OF
place asthe proverbial cat in strange
garrett He seemed to care little for
the society of his fellow 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 take drink, but he never did.
So it came to pass that his life became
burdensome, because the boys called
him ISIS, and paid "a much attention
to him as if he had been tailor's
dummy. But when Hill Tobias, the
big, kindly wit OF the camp, on lear
ing the reverend cough one day, said;
Sonny, ye've got the Group, an ef
was you I'd go right back ter my
folks" it settled the Rev. Sis, D." 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 big, overfed,
canting sort Of a chap, and talked
shop too much out of hours. One
morning something broke about the
engine at the Highland Mine, and
Wallace, the manager, used cuss
words right in the presence OF the
| Rev. Obadiah Sweet, who then and
there began-just began-a long dis
course on swearing, by way OF re-
proof / 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
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 evan
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's stay.
He had exhorted as only a 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 he could TO hinder the work,
and his great voice growled: "Damme,
I'll jest go ye!" And he went up, fol
lowed by dozen bad" ones.
The next night contingent from
Redwood came up and invaded the
sanctuary. They were all tough, bnt
behaved pretty well until they dis
covered that they were getting very
dry. Then. in the nost earnest part
of the Rev. Haywood's discourse, they
rose aud started TO march over 10
Hiles's Mr. Haywood stopped speak
ing and looked at them in mute ap-
peal. but Brick was equal to the
emergency. As the Redwood crowd
came dumping to the door he rose,
and in a hoarse whisper, heard by ev'
ery one, exclaimed Here ! What
inpll d'vou fellers mean by disturbin
these here perceed'n's, Gro back an
set down till tn rev'ren' gifts through.
Plenty time ter drink. Hear me 2
They heard, and went back 10 their
seats, and every one of them put -
in the hat.
Henceforth. Brick was H--'s sole
spiritual physician. He WIS also doc
tor. nurse and general consoler OF al
the rough population Of the camp
At the start. though he did not stop
taking an occasional drink, he quit
gambling and getting drunk, and
gradually broke himself of using
strong cuss words, though few o.
! the ,nilder ones he never did get rio
of. AT first few OF the unconverteC
/ ones made fun of him, but he alwayi