Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1893-05-26

pleadings and persuaslons OF the HttIr
parson and different members of the
church, refused to close his saloon on
Sunday, for upon this day he usually
realized his biggest profits.
Many laborers from the surrounding
ranches, farms and mines spent their
Sabbaths and weeks wages ut Geb-
hardt's tavern, and the passing traveller
was sure to rest there over night If he
arrived on Sunday, and this WAS, of
course, another source Of revenue for
the proprietor. This morning Jan was
standing at the door, placldly smoking
his pipe and looking away toward the
mountains with 4 self-satistied express
sion. The beauty of the landscape be
fore him might have awakened the soul
of poet or an artist, but Jan was not
of a sensitive, emotional disposition.
The scene presented to his phlegmatic
mind simply EARTH vegetation and air,
while i'll the clear, propitious weather
he discerned alone the promise OF eX,
tended patronage,
AS he stood thus, wrapped in pleas
ant anticipations, he heard a faint, low,
steady rumbling as if of distant thup.
der. He looked up quickly. There
were no clouds i'll the sky. What
could it mean? 1t was gradually be
coming louder and more distinct, and
seemed to issue from large gulch OF
pass to the west. Jan took the pipe
h, i l,,tna,l S,,ll,,I /,
shout, accompanied by the report o.
number of revolvers, startled the
echoes far and near, and there issueC
from the gulch black mass which
shortly resolved itself into body o
horsemen bearing down toward tho
town. Jan watched them lazily
thinking of the money he would be able
to realize from them.
Nearer and nearer sounded the clat
tering of the horses hoofs, until jar
could almost hear each separate foot
fall and presently they slowed an,
stopped outside his door. Smiling All,
ducking his head he wished the visi
tors good morning and invited them i'll
They accepted his invitation, and wcr,
soon standing and sitting about the baI
room, while the obsequious Jan serve,
them with drink. One of them, a burl,
fellow, asked him for a certain kind o
liquor, and after the keeper of the tav
ern had taken it from the shelf ant
turned about, his smile was suddenly
transformed to look of horror, for II,
found several revolvers levelled at him
''Mein chenelmens, that you goin' t.
do?" cried the affrighted man.
'Dutchy," said the burly fellow
"don't you know you're desecratin' thu
best day in the week by keepin' yer ga
loon open?"
"Vell, how can l helps it, chencl
mems? It's the pest day for peesi
ness"
Business or no business, old man
you've got to reform. We're the Sal
walton Army, we are, and don't you for
get it."
"Chenelmens, chenelmens, don't 4,
holdings to me" cried Jan, wringinl
his hands in anguish, us he looked dow
the bright barrels of half dozen re
volvers
'Fetch down them bottles from tina
shelf" shouted the cowboy.
The trembling Jan obeyed. CHOW
then, said this strange avenging angel
''set 'em up across tn room; ever,
ones bulls eye"
Jan hesitated, but the revolvers com
PEELED obedience Before the caval
cade moved on he had been obliged t,
see the destruction of large part O
his wares, and the unfortunate man wa
left standing amid confusion of broker
kegs, reckless bottles and pools o
wines and liquors, wringing his hand
and calling down maledictions upon hi
prosecutors, who were now continuin,
their mad career, down the street
The cowboys soon came in sight o
the little church, standing in lot sur
rounded by rough picket fence, Will
q few small poplar trees seemed endea
voring TO cast little shade about tn
building. The sweet melody of one o
the old hymns foated out to them, an,
they unconsciously paused and listened
and when it ceased rode on to the gate
way.
"Now for some fun, boys, said Billy
graceful, 1.-the young man with mis-
chievous brown eyes, as he reigned II
his horse; "you fellows just follow Spo
and well see something interesting.
Spot, who had been spokesman at tn
saloon, urged his horse forward an
they slowly rode into the yard and t.
the door of the church.
The congregation were kneeling il
prayer, while the pastor, standing il
the center of the platform, his arm
uplifted, his face writhing in the mos
ludicrous contortions, was moving hi
body up and down, keeping time wit