The Van Buren press., 1895-11-09

8no acted IN tno o1I0o0 tn4B mboe MN
forget II was the pity that she
ahowed for him and tho little prayer
she said that made him lose his head.
And that was the first time in his life
that Montana Bill ever lost his head.
"And 20, when he saw her crying
out her heart In the little ofice.
she not knowing that anybody was
about. he didn't have the nerve 70 own
up like . man. he just sneaked .
twenty-dollar gold piece on to the
table and tried to steal out like thief
But she heard him. and saw the
money. and looked at him like ha WAS
. ghost, and sprang ahead of hin, and
stopped him, and stood there looking
at him with look he'd never seen in
NO mortal face In his life.
".It was God who put it into your
heart to bring that money she said
TO him. and Is He has done that much
He has done more, and will keep on do
ing more. until that big manly heart
in your body beats altogether for man.
kind and its Redeemer.'"
The giant paused. His narrative
had been 30 simple and earnest that
there were tesrs in many eyes Per.
haps it was these that sent his self.
mastery astray, for whom he essayed
speech again he failed. Then he looked
so foolish and helpless that q sup
pressed litter ran through the audi
ence, and this made it all the worse for
him.
At this juncture the brigadier stepped
forth. A half merry. half whimsical
expression lighted up his face as he
gently pushed the giant into plat
form seat facing the audience and then
said:
And SO It was too hard for the poer
little girl to be made to tell before all
these people what happened to her in
the Butte saloon that day, and SO q
great, strong man. seeing how small
and cruelty tortured she was, would
come forward as her knight and pro-
tector. He would show the strength
that lies in the heart of giant He"
But the audience having already
caught the point, and seeing how fool
ish and childish the giant looked as he
sat facing them with tears streaming
down his cheeks. burst into great
laughter and applause, with "halle-
lujah!"H and ''God bless the big mani"
now and than.
"This being the case" resumed the
brigadier, I'VE may now proceed to the
more interesting business of the even
ing. Cadet Annie Smith" he called.
Two sparkling blue eyes, shining
like stars under the canopy of quaint
blue poke bonnet, emerged from be-
hind the foliage Two fresh young
cheeks as deeply banked with pink and
red roses az the organ itself accom-
panied the eyes, and trim little girl
ish figure, which owned the stars and
the roses, advanced timidly to the
front A smile and q nod from the
brigadier evoked activity in. the col
lapsed muscles Of the foolish giant.
who sat on the platform like an awk-
ward schoolboy,, and he came and
stood clumsily beside the girl, and
neither looked at the other.
my friends" said the brigadier, In
very gentle and reverential voice, '.it
has pleased God to place it in my
power to unite in the holy bond of
matrimony this night two Of the
noblest hearts that ever beat in the
service Of the Saviour. One of these is
Cadet Annie Smith, whom many OF
you know and love. The other Il
William Chatsworth Harvey, formerly
known as Montana Bill, the sleekest
three-card monte sharp In tho whole
northwest" San Francisco Call.