The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1894-03-09


his trunk, which held his treasure, to
look at the little hoard of gold and
silver which these rough mon of the
mountains had SO kindly donated
1t was not therei Perhaps, in his
excitement ut his good fortune, he had
hidden it from himself and forgotten
tho hiding-place. But, no, it was not
in the cabin
The parson was troubled. He could
not believe that any of the men who
had been 40 kind to him would be
guilty OF robbery. And yet the money
WAS gone. The long buckskin bag, in
which he kept his money and which
bore his name worked in silken thread,
he found behind the trunk.
When he met Paymaster Bill on the
following morning, he mentioned his
loss. Bill was astonished. He did not
believe that any man in the camp was
mean enough to steal, cat any rate, not
q parsons money"
The story of the loss Of Parson Toms
money was told about the camp, and,
while it was a mystery to some, the
more irreverent smiled and said they
guessed the parson was excited, and it
would turn up all right in time.
On Sunday the sun shone ont bright
and clear, and old King Solomon was
as glorious sight as one might wish
TO see. His biblical namesake in all
his reputed glory could not have fur
nished grander inspiration.
Every male person was promptly on
hand that night at the little school
house, and there was sprinkle of the
other sex--women who had not
listened to a preachers voice since
they were little girls.
The half-hour was devoted to read
ing stories, which were responded to
by hearty laughter and few pathetic
EXPLANATIONS.
When Parson Tom had finished and
was about to say goodnight, Paymaster
Bill arose and reminded his compan-
ions that on the night the pGrson had
called on them, it had been proposed
that fund be started toward building
n church. Then he added:
81 don't reckon none of we has got
a notion O backin down on thet Their
propcrsition. Eff ye has, let's hear
it.
There was not a dissenting voice,
though the amount of gold and silver
dropped in the parsons pretty buck,
skin bag was not so large as it might
have been had the parson not "lost
his first winnin'."
The moon had dropped down be.
hind the peak of King Solomon, leav'
ing the camp in darkness, while soft
snow fell with that monotony which
indicates heavier fell to come.
Parson Tom had just opened the
! door of his cabin to step in, when {
heavy hand was laid upon his throat
and hoarse voice demanded:
"Give me that money! Quick!"
The parson was by no meaus {
5 coward. He struggled with his assail
, ant. and together they fell into the
G cabin and rolled out into the ligh
% cover of fresh snow which had fallcl
on the frozen crust. Muttercd curses
? and tighter gripupon his throat me
his resistance.
3 Parson Tom knew not how long h
i had lain there, and, despite tn
warmer temperature, he was num)
with cold when he crawled into hi
i cabin. He was SO completely over
Il come by the struggle with his assailan
a and the cold that he lay upon his be-
h in stupor far into the night.
d When he aroused, the snow was fall
!. ing in great sheets, like drifts, fror
r the gulch above. He opened the doc
o and looked out He could see moth
g ing but the binding storm and tn
is darkness which was scarcely subdue
s by the CHASTITY Wilderness of the snow
e He dared not venture out. No ma
|. could live an hour in that terribl
ID storm.
le Rebuilding the fire, the parson 81
~ uONu duOl lllCu W buluh bllCu L
< think where he had heard that voiC
ID before it demanded his money. If b
10 could only recall that, he would |
able to identify the man who ha
Dt robbed him. Without that recolle
Id ton, his claim that he had bee
robbed the second time would be onl
er laughed at by the men who had bee
n so generous in their gifts.
d But it was impossible to recall i
n though he knew he had heard it al
ks remarked its peculiar tone. And the
es he sat through the long, black mig
hoping against hope.
ad 1t was broad MONDAY when
e, awoke, sitting by the dying embe
ne on the hearth The sun shone bright
than it had shono for weeks. Its h
in rays melted the snow on the roofs
re The hOuses. and the dgy WAS like Il,