The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-07-17

when the Texas Pacific railway was
being built" said ". W. Goodrich, the
Baltimore architect. the. other day. ac-
coriing 20 the New York Advertiser, IN
the midst Of a discussion Of Jay Gould. in
which the Little Wizard" was getting
much the worst Of IL Jay Gould and Sid
ney Dillon were on a tour OF inspection.
Their train was Eide-tracked IN a lit
tie town about fifty miles west Of Fort
Worth. with the regular train waiting for
wildcat freight 70 come in The pass
engers 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 prairie
town In the staked plains.
Mr.. Gould and Mr.. Dillon with their at
tendants took IN the town.
They had not gone far before they
heard the InOurnful clang Of an auction
GERS bell. and came upon the crowd OF
curious people surrounding the seller. the
auetionesr was crying; FiIteen hundred
dollars. Fifteen hundred dollars! Am Of
fered more? when Mr.. Gould touched a
tall Texan on the arm and asked him what
the sale was for.
little financier. made a striking picture in
his Mexican sOmbrerO Of silver and gilt,
his buckskin suit fringed with tasselated
fringe several inches wide OF silver thread
and leather, the shining blued Colts a
sticking in hts belt and the handles Of
his daggers showing from his boot tops
" 'Pard.' said the ranger, this be a
4" In what way asked Mr.. Gould.
" You see, pard, the parsOn built this
church, but the tin petered out, and now
the wood butcher Is selling the whole
crowd out for his coin. Pard. I'll tell you
what. I'll chip in and help the parson with
the bank | 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 al 1t.
He stepped up to the auctioneer 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
q What will you take in settlement
asked Mr. Gould.
- III settle for 100 and donate the bal
ance, said the contractor.
MI Gould, taking from his pocket sew
eral bills Of large denomination, gave them
to the contractor and took his receipt in
full with the Cancelled lien.
Just then an old man. who had been an
eye witness of the transaction. going up &c
Mr.. Gould. said: Stranger, what are you
going TO do with the claim you've just
mir. Gould looked the man over in that
calm way he had and asked why he want
ed to know.
Why, said he, L am the steward OF
this church. All of the members and Sab
bath school scholars are in the church
with the presiding elder and pastor OF
help and save the church.
MIR. Gould said nothing, but, taking the
receipted bill and Cancelled lien that he
had in his hand, he gave them to the stew
ard, and, turning toward the depot, walked
rapidly back TO his train.
1.-THE steward entered the church, now
free. and told the people what the Lore
had done, and the people sang the DoXol
ogy on their knees. Then they went out
on the streets to find the stranger.
They soon found out that the little mar
was none other than Jay Gould. His trair
had gone, and only cloud Of dust on the
far-away prairie indicated where the little
man was.
Mr. Gould has said that the letter HI
afterward received from that congrega
ton, signed by every one in II, gave hin
more pleasure than clearing million dol
lars"