Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1894-02-16

| presence. On this occasion the dogs of
Winston and Lewis found the exercises
HOMOGENEOUS, and went out behind the tent
and got up a fight with some %ntighboring
CANNES. The doctors dog, a fine hunter
named ''Birdo." stood insiue and watched
the proceedings with a jealous eye through
a hole in the canvas as big as a saucer. at
the back of the tent. Becoming excited as
the uproar outside increased, and eager to
take part in the fight. he tried to bolt
through the hole. He got as far as the
shoulders and stuck fast.
He could neither get his body through
the hole, nor draw his head back, and his
frsntic plunges backward ard forward, to
free himself, threatened to wreck the tent
and alarmed the children. At last the
stiff canvass yielded and split with a loud
crack, while the dog shot through the
opening and Joined the combatants outside
with a howl of deliph mt at getting there in
time. The Bible class unable to control
their laughter, adjourned IN a body, and it
was some time before those who remained
could proceed smoothly with the exercises.
Soon after this the tent was borrowed by
a man vino wanted to hold a lot in the
north half of the same block with it, and
the Sunday school then met in my house..
On MayS11, 1873, Rev. d. e. Lyan,a mis-
sionary of the Presbyterian church
preached in John Mason's new building on
the corner OF 9th and Main streets, where
jennings store now is, and which was in
tended for a saloon. 1t was then unfin-
ished, and seats were made from boards
intended to be used in the building, and
laid across the trestles used by the carpen-
tiers. These seats were unpleasently high,
and awkward to reach, but they were we'll
filled. Mr.. Mason was present and gave
literally to the collection. In the after
noon my Sunday school met in the same
place and Mr.. Mason was again an atten-
tive listener.
On this occasion my Sunday school of
which l had heretofore had sole charge,
was formally organized as a union Sunday
school" and l was elected superintendent.
Mr.. Lyon wished to make it a Presby-
terian Sunday school, but 1 wished to keep
the Catholic children, who I knew would
not attend a partisan school, so insisted
upon a o sectarian uniOn'school, as had
been Its character from the first.
Mr.. Mason built the white cottage across
the track from the Sheridan house, and
which at the time was the finest house in
own. His son Johnnie" if living is the
only child now living of those who were
born in Edwinton before the completion of
| tho roilr,.oI A ooo0n1 cor,,;oo ,ro, Ln1J
by the Presbyterians, soon afterwards in
the still empty"Crumming tent,"which was
owned by Mr.. Benjamin of st. Paul. There
had been some trouble in regard to this
tent which had delayed the opening of this
saloon.
I was not present on this occasion, and il
is the only religious service held in the
early days of Bismarck which l did not at
tend, hence if any Of the outre occurrences,
which Cheap John publications, dixie the
Dakota Atlas" have represented as having
taken place in connection with the first
sermon in Bismarck, ever took place. II
must have been on this occasion. All the
others were as reverently conducted and
the behavior of the congregation was as
decorous as in any eastern church. This
service was conducted by Rev. d. C. Lyon
and Rev. I. O. Sloan. A Presbyterian con.
gregation of four persons was organized
at this meeting, consisting of l. G. Adams
{. A. Lounsberry, Harry F. Douglas, and
Mrs. Boswell of Fort Mexican.
Mrs. Boswell was widow of a Presby-
terrain clergyman in Omaha. Her grief
at her husbands death was so intense that
that for a time she was an inmate of a pri.
vate asylum. Being a friend of the family
of Col. Robert Wilson, the partner of Mai
Dickey in the post-traders store at Fort
Mexican, on her recovery she was brought
out in the fall of ~ to superintend the
housekeeping arrangements of the firm, al
at that place. Major Dickey kept open
house on an extensive scale, at the foot Of
the hill below the fort, and the ladies from
Bismarck, and from the fort who went on
shopping expeditions to his store were
royalty entertained. People knew how tc
dine then. Mrs. Boswell was an amiable
and cultured lady, and was a favorite with
the ladies on both sides Of the river, bu,
soon after this her old malady returned
and she went back to the asylum.
&c. Adams was an old man of distin
gulshed appearances with rosy complexion
and snow white hair and beard. He was
carpenter by trade, but long filled the Of
flee county justice of the peace. After a
%variegated career, alternating from church
to saloon, he married an estimable Chris.
tian woman,a widow with a large family
Of half-grOwn sons and daughters. Two
years later there came addressed to the
Bismarck postmaster. q letter from his
wife, in another state, anxiously inquirine
for the missing husband, of whom she had
last traced several years before, woman
like, she feared that he was dead. 1 in
tended to give the letter to his Bismarck
wife, but my assistant P. NJ. j. L. Elber1
gave it to Adams himself. That night he
disappeared, saloon and church alike los
an active member and patron, and Bis
marck knew him no more.
ITO be Continual
Things Look Gloomy.
II .. @sArE -E r. - -N ~ " 1