Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1892-07-14
ANGELS.

why, sure; but lets llquOr again. u Iii
reminisce.
Yer see, twas afore Angels got to be
sech a big camp as twas later on, but it
was rich camp n a mighty wicked
one There were lots uv chaps there
who'd jest as soon die in their boots as
eat, II every other house was a dance
house or saloon or gambling he'll.
Pretty Pete n his pardner, Five Ace
Bob, was reckoned the wickedest men
in the state, D 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 NV, but one
day was playing bank into Pete's
game, when Five Ace came runnin III
n sez: Boys, III be . but there's ali
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. I'll
finish the deal i 20 down and See about
that
$50 we all walked down to Jones,
n thar. sure 'nuff, in the bar. talking
with Old Bill, WIZ the parson, black coat
n white tie II all He was big, squar
shouldered chap, with black beard
n keen eyes that looked right through
yer. His pardner was only boy Of
twenty or SO, with yeller curly Ii ar, pink
n white gals face n big blue eyes.
We all walked in, n Pete he stands to
the bar II shouts fer all hands ter drink,
n to our surprise the parson II tile kid
both stepped up II called for red Ticker
n drank it.
"After the drink was finished the
parsou sez: Gents, as yer see, I'm a
minister Of the Gospel; but see no
harm in a man drinking ez long ez he
amt no drunkard | drank lust now
because | want You to SEQ that am bot
ashamed to do before yer face what I'd
do behind yer back. Right yer are.
parson says Pete; put it thar II they
shook hands. Ii then Pete he up ana
called off the hull gang Five Ace Ii
Lucky Barnes ID Dirty Smith one Il.
all the rest Nv EN- The parson shook
hands with all nv rs. n said he was
going to have meetin in Shifty SAILS
dancehouse that night. ez twas the big
gest room ia camp, II ast us all to come
n 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 II the kid on the
platform where the fddlers ust to lit
= cveiy man i'll camp WIZ in tile uu-
dience The parson spoke first Hesed.
Gents, | want to tell yer first off don't
want any nv yer dust I've got enuff
fer myself II my young friend, II there
won't be no rakeoff in this yer meetin
house, n I'm not here to preach against
any mans way . makinga a Twin. | Will
preach ag'in' drunkenness. II shall
speak privately with the gamblers; but
want to keep you men in mind Nv YER
homes u yer mother n yer wives II
yer sweethearts, h get yer to lead
cleaner lives, SOS when yer meet 'ern
ag'in yer'll not hev to be shamed.
n then he sed we'd hev song. n the
youngster he started in n played a
eoncertina n sang Yes, We VIII
Gather at the River; II there wuzn't
one Of rs that it didn't remind Nv how
our mothers ust to dress Us up Sundays
n send US to Sunday school. u stand
at the door to watch us down street n
call us back to asst if we were sure we
had our clean pocket handkerchur, Il /
tell yer, mister, thar wuzn't man with
dry eyes in the crowd when he'd finished
That young feller had vice like 4
angel Pete he sed it wuz a tennef vice.
but Five Ace offered to bet him hun
dred to fifty it wuz more like fifteener
or a twenty Pete told Five Ace lie wuz
a old fool Ii didn't know what he
wuz talkin about.
well, things run along for about a
week, n one day Pete come to Inc and
sez: Look here, Ralters, this yer camp
amt no jay camp, II we've got to hev a
church fer the parson. He's Jim dandy
and won't ask for nothing Hell je-S
natchelly go on prayin and preachin II
tryin to save couple of whisky soaked
souls like yourn n Bill Jones', which
amt wuth powder to blow EN- to -,
n you'd let him 20 doin it in that old
shack of SAILS Ii never make a move
Now I'm goin to rustic round II dig up
dust enuff from the boys, and wen jest
build him lneetin house ASH be Il
credit to the camp; n in few days the
boys he'd good log meetin house built
foored II benches i'll it n everythin.
THE parson was tickled most to
death Next they built him house, II
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 20 down street u be
guyed by them hussies On 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 IA sex
tons n things; SO old Bill Jones II Ala
bam wuz made deacons, n Pete II
Five Ace was church wardens.
"In a month every last man in camp
wuz worryin bout his future state. Old
Bill Jones came into meetin one night
with his face II hands washed N an old
black suit on, II sot down on the anx-
ious 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
bam n me wuz on the bench too, n
Pete showed his Chinaman up the aisle
~, +l,a collar. =, sot him down 'lCuoSi1n
o. me. Pete said he was high toned
Christian gentleman himself, he'd been
born n raised Christian n was a senior
church warden 70 boot II that he'd
make Christian Of All Fo4 ar spoil a
Chinaman
WAL. stranger. thinss RIM along
nice II smooth fer couple uv months er
so till Christmas comes nigh The boys
he'd been a-kcepin mighty sfraight there
WASH man III camp that drunkad
more'n wuz hullsOne fer +iin there
hedn't bin shootin scrap IVY weeks.
Pete sed things WIZ gittin 80 alfred
caam u peaceful that he wouidn; be at
all surprised te git up sum fine day n
find All Foo with wings b feathers on
his legs like Bramah hen Nary man
packed gun, II when i gent nd forgit
n drop cuss word he'd beg parding
The parson was thick with all the boys
He writ letters fer rs, advised us abeE,
all our biznus, n knew all about every
body's affairs Lots nv en- gave him
their dust sack TO keep frr EN-. i LIE
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