The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1893-06-14

5ebhardt. This citizen, despite the
pleadings and persuasions of the little
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 at 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, placidly smoking
his pipe and looking away toward the
mountains with self-satisfied 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 sensitive, emotional disposition.
The scene presented to his phlegmatiC
mind simply earth, vegetation and air,
while in 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 thun,
der. He looked up quickly. There
were no clouds in 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
from his mouth and listened. Suddenly
q shout, accompanied by the report o.
q number of revolvers, startled the
echoes far and near, and there issued
from the gulch a black mass which
shortly resolved itself into body OF
horsemen bearing down toward the
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 Jan
could almost hear each separate foot
fall, and presently they slowed and
stopped outside his door. Smiling and
ducking his head, he wished the visi-
tors good morning and invited them in.
They accepted his invitation, and were
soon standing and sitting about the ban
room, while the obsequious Jan served
them with drink. One of them, IA burly
fellow, asked him for a certain kind OF
liquor, and after the keeper of the tav.
ern had taken it from the shelf and
turned about, his smile was suddenly
transformed to look of horror, for he
found several revolvers levelled at him
"Mein chenelmens, that you goin' Il
do?" cried the affrighted man.
"Dutchy," said the burly fellow,
''don't you know you're desecratin' the
best day in the week by keepin' yer sa
loon open?"
''Vell, how can helps it, chenel
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 dc
holdings to me" cried Jan, wringinl
his hands in anguish, as he looked dow
the bright barrels of half dozen re
volvers.
"Fetch down them bottles from thai
SHELF" shouted the cowboy.
The trembling Jan obeyed. 'Now
then, Fl" said this strange avenging angel
''set 'em up across tn room; every
ones bulls eye"
Jan hesitated, but the revolvers com
PEELED obedience. Before the caval
cade moved on he had been obliged tC
see the destruction of large part o.
his wares, and the unfortunate man wai
left standing amid confusion of broker
kegs, neckless bottles and pools o
wines and liquors, wringing his hands
and calling down maledictiOns upon his
prosecutors, who were now continuing
their mad career, down the street
The cowboys soon came in sight Ol
the little church, standing in lot sur
rounded by rough picket fence, Will,
few small poplar trees seemed endea
voring to- cast little shade abori tho
building. The sweet melody Of one ot
the old hymns hoated out to them, and
Shey uneonsciously paused and listened,