Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1895-08-15
How Gould Saved the Church.


when the Texas Pacific railway
was being built, said W. w. Goodrich
the Baltimore architect, the other day,
according to the New York Advertiser,
in the midst of a discussion of Jay
Gould. in which the Little Wizard
was getting much the worst Of 1t, jay
Gould and Sidney Dillon were on a
tour OF inspection.
Their train was side-tracked IN a
little town about fifty miles west of
Fort Worth, with the regular tram
waiting for wildcat freight to come
in. The passengers were told 10y 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 staked plains
Mr.. Gould and Mr. Dillon, with
their attendants, took in the town.
They had not gone far before they
heard the mournful clang ofan auction
eer bell, and came upon the crowd OF
curious people surrounding the seller.
The auctioneer was crying, Fifteen
hundred dollars Fifteen hundred dol.
lars Am offered more2' 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 fnancier, made "A striking
picture IN his Mexican sombrero of sill
yer and gilt, his buckskln suit innged
with tasselated fringe several inches
wide of silver thread and leather, the
shining blued Colts Al sticking IN his
belt and the handles Of his daggers
showing from his boot-toPs.
"Pard, said the ranger, this be
knockout for the parson
"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 thing ont fOl hio ooin. pard
III tell you what, III chipin aud help
the parson with the bank ! busted last
night, and the ranger began to pull
gold coin aud chips out Of his pocket
galore.
But Mr.. Gould did not even glance
at it. He stepped up to the auction
eer and asked for the contractor who
was closing out his lien. The auction
eer pointed out the man, and Gould
approached him aud asked the amount
of his claim.
Seventeen hundred dollars and
costs, said he.
"What will you take in settlement
asked Mr.. Gould
"Ill settle for 81 800 aud donate
the balance, said the contractor
"Mr. Gould, taking from his pocket
several 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 TO the transactIon,
going up to Mr.. Gould, said 'Stran.
ger, what are you going todo with the
claim you We just bought ?
"Mr. Gould looked the man over IN
that calm way he had and asked why
he wanted 10 know.
why said be, 4 am the 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.
M. Gould said nothing. but, taxi
ing the receipted bill and cancelled
lien that he had in his hand, be gave
them to the steward, and turning to-
ward 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 saDg
the Doxology on their knees. Then
they went cot on the streets to find
the stranger.
They soon found out that the little
man vas none other than Jay Gould.
His train had gone, and only a cloud
Of dust on the far-away prairie indi-
Gated where the little man was.
"Mr. Gould has said that the letter
he afterwards received from that con-
gregatiOn. signed by every one IN II,
gave him more pleasure than clearing
a million dollars.