Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1895-08-15
Gould Saved the Church.
THE LITTLE WIZARD NOT so
BLACK AS HE IS
PAINTED.


PAINTED.
When the Texas Pacific railway
was being built" said w. w. Good
rich, the Baltimore architect, the
other day, according to the New
York Advertiser, in the midst of q
discussion Of Jay Gould, in which
the "Little Wizard" was getting
much the worst of it. Jay Gould
and Sidney Dillon were on tour of
inspection.
Their train was side-tracked in a
little town about fifty miles west
OF Fort Worth, Texas, with the
regular train waiting for wildcat
freight to come in. The passengers
were told by the conductor that at
least two hours would elapse before
they would run again, and that they
had ample time to see the sights of a
prairie town in the stsked plains.
Mr.. Gould and Mr.. Dillon, with
their attendants, took in the town.
They had not gone far before they
heard the mournful clang of an auc-
tioneer's bell and came upon the
crowd of curious people surround
ing the seller. The auctioneer was
crying, Fifteen hundred dollars I
Fifteen hundred dollars! Am of.
fered more?' When Mr.. Gould
touched tall Texan on the arm and
asked him what the sale was for.
The man, as he looked curiously
at the little financier, made a strik-
ing picture in his Mexican sombrero
of silver and gilt, his buckskin suit
tringed with a tasselated fringe sew
eral inches wide of silver thread and
leather, and the shining blued Colts
"A sticking in his belt and the ham
dies of his daggers showing from
his boot-tops.
Pard,' said the ranger, this be a
knockout for the parson.'
In what way?' asked Mr.. Gould.
You see pard, the parson built
THIS church, but the tin petered out,
ana now the wood butcher is selling
the whole crowd out for this coin.
Pard, I'll tell you what, I'lI chip in
and help the parson with the bank I
busted last night and the ranger
began to pull gold coin and chips
out of his pockets galore.
But Mr.. Gould did not even glance
at 1T. He stepped up to the auction
eer and asked for the contractor who
was closing out his lien.
The auctioneer pointed out the
man, and Gould approached him
and asked the amount of his claim.
Seventeen hundred dollars and
COSTS said he.
What will you take in settle
ment?' asked Mr.. Gould.
'l'll settle for 81, 800 and donate
the balance said the contractor.
MIR. Gould, taking from his pocket
several bills of large denomination.
gave them to the contractor and
took his receipt in full with the can
celled lien.
Just then an old man, who had
been an eyewitness of the transac-
tion, going up to Mr.. Gould said:
Stranger, what are you going to
do with the claim you've lust
bought"
Mr.. Gould looked the man over
in that calm way he had and asked
why he wanted to know.
Why,' said he, & am steward of
this church. All Of the members
and Sabbath-school scholars are
in the church, with the presiding
elder and pastor on their knees
praying God to come to our help
and save the church,
Mr.. Gould said nothing, but tax.
ing the receipted bill and cancelled
lien that he had in his hand, he gave
them to the steward, and turning
toward the depot, walked rapidly
back to his train.
The steward entered the church.
now free, and told the people what
the Lord had done, and the people
sang the Doxology on their knees.
Then they went out on the streets to
find the stranger.
They soon found out that the lit
tie man was none other than Jaw
Gould. His train had gone, and
only cloud Of dust OH the far-away
prairie indicated where the little
man was.
Mr.. Gould has said that the letter
he afterwards received from that
congregation, signed by every one
In 1t, gave him more pleasure than
clearing a million dollars"