The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1893-08-22
THE COWBOYS COLLECTION.

10 morning service, though a few late
corners were still hurrying toward the
c~onsecrated spot. The Sabbath was
observed and respected by all the resi-
dents of the town, excepting Jan Geb
hardt. This citizen, despite the plead
ings and p~ersuasions of the little par
son 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
Sabbath and weeks wages at Geb-
hardt's tavern, and the passing trav-
eler 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, placidIy
smoking his pipe and looking away to-
WARD the mountains with a self salts
fed expression. The beauty Of the
landscape before him might have
awakened the soul of a poet or an
artist, but Jan was not of a sensitive,
emotional disposition. The scene pre-
sented to his p~hlegmatic mind simply
earth, vegetation and air, while in the
clear, propositions weather he dis
cerned alone the promise of extended
patronage.
AS he stood thus, wrapped in pleas
ant anticipations, he heard a faint,
low, steady rumbling as if of distant
thunder. He looked up quickly. There
were no clouds in the sky. What
could it mean2 It was gradually be-
coming louder and more distinct, and
seemed to issue from a large gulch Or
pass to the west. Jan took the pipe
from his mouth and listened. Suddenly
a shout, accompanied by the report of
a number of revolvers, started the
echoes far and near, and there issued
from the gulch a black mass which
shortly resolved itself into a body of
horsemen bearing down toward the
town. Jan watched them lazily, think
ing 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 visit
ors good morning and invited them in.
They accepted his invitation, and were
soon standing and sitting about the
bar-room, while the obsequious Jan
served them with drink. One of them,
a burly fellow, asked him for a certain
kind of liquor, and after the keeper of
the tavern had taken it from the shelf
and turned about, his smile was sud
denly transformed to a look of horror,
for he found several revolver5 levelled
at him.
"Mein chenelmens, that you goin' to
do?" cried the affrighted man.
"Dutchy," said the burly fellow,
don't you know you're d~esecratin' the
best day in the week by keepin' yer
saloon open?"
"Vell, how can I helps it, chenel-
mens9 It's the pest day for Freshness"
Business or no business, old man,
you've got to reform. We're the Sal
walton Army. we are, and don't you
forget it,"
"Chenelmens, chenelmens, don't do
holdings to me-" cried Jan, wringing
his hands in anguish, as he looked
down the bright barrels of half adozen
revolvers.
"Fetch down them bottles from that
shelf, shouted the cowboy.
The trembling Jan obeyed. Now,
then" said this strange avenging angel,
''set 'em up across tn room; every
ones a bulls eye"
Jan hesitated, but the revolvers COM
PEELED obedience. Before the cavalcade
moved on he had been obliged to see
the destruction of a large part of his
wares, and the unfortunate man was
left standing amid a confusion of broken
kegs, reckless bottles and pools Of
wines and liquors, wringing his hands
and calling down maledictions upon
his prosecutors, who were now con-
tinuing their mad career, down the
street.
The cowboys soon came il sight of
the little church, standing in a lot sur
rounded by a rough picket fence, while
a few small poplar trees seemed en-
deavoring to cast a little shade about
the building. The sweet melody of
one of the old hymns foated out to
them, and they unconsciously paused
and listed, and when it ceased rode on