The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1892-07-18
CHAPTER 1.

occasion seemed to demand. He was ar
outcast and desperate, who was the one
because his social preferences were
those far removed from the customs o.
polite society, and the other because the
value Of human life was measured al
together by the weight Of provocation
that existed when he felt himself called
upon to take one, and he had taken
several.
If, in game of draw, his opponents
long continued to hold stronger hands
than he, the dexterous and complacent
way in which he would stock the cards,
and turn the apparent tide of chance
would have done credit to the most &C.
complished skin gambler" of the West
If-as was often the case-an cleo
ton, or a holiday, or a vigilance COM
mittee meeting had caused a depletion
in his stock of whisky, he would brew a
vile decoction of alcohol, water, dried
peaches and burnt sugar, and sell it as
Pure Old Bourbon, warranted ten years
old
Sometimes a better Judge of spirits
than were his usual run of customers
would swallow this compound with a
painful grimace, and criticise it in
language grotesquely impolite. Where
upon our hero would launch forth an
avalanche of profane pyrotechnics, and
hurl it at the wholesale liquOr-dealers
in Denver. He would declare between
the periods of invective that if there
was one thing above another which oc-
cupied large percentage of his spare
time it was the study OF the welfare of
his customers appetites; that he paid
more money for one gallon of whisky
than any other dealer in Aspen paid for
ten, and it was blickety- blanked shame
to be stood up and robbed by the man
for whom he was always too ready and
willing to tap his bundle, as he meta
phorically termed the payment of out
standing indebtedness.
And yet this uncOnscionabie rogue,
this bare-faced swindler, who would as
willingly tell a lie as the truth, whose
dealings were oftener crooked than
square, who was never invited to break
bread at the family boards even of men
who called him friend, had heart in
his breast as soft as wOman's and a
hidden nature as gentle as child's.
large percentage of his yearly earn
ings We're divided every New Years
Day among the charities of his State,
who had been driven to suicide by losses
at his faro table, were cared for as Law
ishly as though they had been his own.
When they built the little brown
church in Aspen he sent a thousand dol
lars in gold to the committee, accom-
panied by the message that they could
have as much more if they wanted it.
But the hands of these devout Chris
in boil hnr a.
thought that some of the foundation
stones of the house of God should be
paid for out of the wages of sin. So the
sum was returned with a daintily word
ed letter of regret, to the effect that,
much as the enterprise needed money,
it could not possibly receive assistance
from such source.
But Jack was never wanting in alter
native when faced by dilemma. and,
although the reply of the committee
wounded him, he kept his counsel, and
sent to Chicago for an organ costing
twice as much as his original subscrip-
ton. This was shipped direct to the
church people, labeled:
To the First - Church of Aspen,
from "A devout friend.
The pretty little edifice was duly fin
ished. the mysteriously begotten organ
crowded into the tiny loft, and on con-
secratiQn day the good minister twice
referred to it in his sermon, under the |
text of The Lord will provide"
Jack was there, standing alone in a
remote corner of the church, as though !
conscious that he must not contaminate |
the good Christians by coming into |
closer contact with them. The day be- |
fore the conservation he accosted !
worthy member of the congregation on
the street, and the following brief col |
loquy ensuei:
Say, Deacon, would that there church |
blow up if rs to so to the openin' to-
morrow"
THAT is strange question to ask,
replied the worthy man. -Why?"
Well, yer see, they sent back the lit
tie bag o twenties / subscribed, and as
that showed there wus feelin' agin |
me, thought I'd ask fur an invitation,
fur wouldn't like to go there and get |
fired out.
The sinner and wayferer are always !
welcome in the house of prayer, Mr.. |
Bowdoin."
We'll. if any man in Colorado knows !
any more about sinnin' and wayfarin'
than me, fetch him along and I'll make
him rich. I'll be there, dead sure"
Il nope So And the good parishioner, |
with a nervous glance at corner saloon |
where a crowd of idlers stood smiling !
at this picture of the lion and the lamb, |
nodded coldly and went away
On the following morning Jack en-
tered the church and braved the scorn- |
full glances OF the devout who had al |
ready assembled. He was indeed a |
sinner by the wayside, but no good
Samaritan was there to lend him q
friendly hand, and indicate that he !
might have a seat if he wished it. So
he took his position in the remote corner
above referred to, and with hat in hand
waited for service to begin. Before
many moments a sound swelled through
the church that rooted him to his feet in
kind of stupor of wonderment and de-
light. 1t was the organ, his own mys-
terious gift, pealing forth the majestic
harmonies Of Haydn's Offertory.
Never before in all Of his misspent
life had such melody smote his ears.
He was passionately fond of music, and
had fanOhf himSolf tn StY7,m tho y,<,pul.r