Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1895-10-04
PoNY elLL DELIVERS a SERMON

ing Of his horse on the roundup two
days before. The coffin was placed be-
side the open grave beneath great
cottonwood tree, and, standing at the
head Of the corpse. Pony Bill, 1.-The
cowboy preacher" said:
+ "Boys, hardly know what kind of a i
talk to give you on this sad occasion.
Fur several years I have worked with
you on the ranges, and have preached
to you in my awk' ard way every time
could round up a bunch of you an hold
You to listen to me. but I war never
afore called on to talk in the presence
of death.
DAY afore yesterday this poor, dead
boy here throwed on his saddle an rode
out with you in joyous spirits, singin'
the songs O. the ranges. Little did he
then dream that he was ridin' right in 4
to the bog of eternity! While cuttin' a
steer out o. the bunch his boss struck
prairier dog hole an fell. crushin' poor
Charlie to the groun', an wen you
picked i'm up his immortal soul had
crossed onto the great range beyond,
from which there are no back trails.
Death loves shinin' mark, an it never
pitched rope to brighter one than
this boy.
''He war my friend. I've knowed i'm
ever since he struck this country, three
years ago, an you'll all bank high on
the truth of the statement wen 1 say
squarer boy never swung rope. No
one ever asked a favor O. Charlie Reed
'ithout it bein' cheerfully granted. He
war never known to make a low down
play. He never made a backset on duty
wen the foreman ordered ride. True,
he - xryil1 o,as ILL h1rt
war no devil brand wickedness in his
| makeup. His heart war; Twin
| spring, from which the pure waters OF
| friendship and generosity towards his
companions o. the saddle ever flowed.
He could laugh with you over your
| joys, an cuss with you over your sor-
row. His soul seemed to be blazin'
fire O. sympathy, to which all who
were chilled by the blasts of trouble
| come an warm up.
HE war brave as a lion, but his
heart war as tender as Christian wo-
mans. He would fight like riled
steer fur himself or for friend, yet
| a little child could take i'm by the
| hand an lead him out of muss. He
wasn't bad man. Did you notice that
i on the evenin's O. pay day he never
fined you in your songs an stories an
fun making at the ranch? He'd git
/ up in a corner an sit thar writin' page
after page, with a look on his face
as tender as ever sot on the face of ar
angel. He seemed to never hear your
hilarity, but ID sit there an write, now
an then wipin' tears from his cheek:
on the back o. his hand. Mex mornin
he'd jump horse and ride in to thu
postoffice-an' what d he do thar? Jus
an even half of his months wages d 81
into a money order, and that order Z
be put into an envelope, with all tn
sheets o. writin' he'd writ the nigh
.afore, an then Owe seen 'im do
several times, boys), he'd kiss tina
letter fondly, drap it into the box ar
walk out with the purtiest look on hi
face I ever saw.
, Who war that letter addressed to
, | To his OF wilder mother back in tn
, states. Would a bad man act tina
} way? I tell you, boys, Charlie WASH
reg'larly branded an ear marke
church Christian, but believe wen tn
, good Lord saw his soul a-comin' up til
! slope day afore yesterday He throwe
0 down the bars an let the boy into tn
t heavenly corral with welcomin' smil
I know He did, an 1 tell you right nov
n if 1 found myself tied to a church {
sect as didn't believe as white a boy q
:. i'm d get into heaven. ithout tn
a church brand, I'd take run on til
e | rope and break it an get a bunch
1 Christians that could look over the co
e raj fence 'ithout first putin on the o.
thodoX specs.
: How my heart aches for that poor G
v mother, who is, as yet, unaware of he
:, terrible loss. He war her only staff
! lean on, an you all know how MANU-
e ly an lovingly he stood up to tn
work. May the Great Foreman abov
It soothe and comfort till He calls her u
to Join her boy at the home ranch ami
=, the celestial pastures. L heard wee
q 1 got here this mornin' that you'd ha
d a talk among yourselves an each or
is agreed to chip in every month to kee
Is that dear oil soul comfortable till 81
ID went whar' Charlie could take keer
% her agin.
Good-by, Charlie, OF boy-good-b
l. We ar about to lay you to your etern
y rest, and We'll do it with sore hearts a
ID leaky eyes. Your ears will not hes
E. the thumps of our horses feet as v
gallop near your grave, but We'll
10 ways think of you ween We see I'll
r little mound beneath this spredain' tire
at Boys, as you come up to take la
Id look at this dear, dead face, an So
If good-by to your old pardner, 1 hol
at you'll do some serious thinkin'. MOI
so so O. you knows who'll be the mex. Ev'
as now the pale rider O. death may
l lookin' over you an takin' down h
rope for a final throw, an you dor
lg know over whose head the tug'll ia
e. I'm afeared none O. you'd fare as WI
n us 1 believe Charlie has. If you war n
ID afore the heavenly inspector toda
st Some O. you think no more o break
u the commandments O. God than 20
lr- O. breakin' broncho, an, 1890 z
I'll. punched now and START 5I 4
y: drive you'd leave tn ('el< 81 slo
III away off to the riaf r1aps fht
X isn't one O. you ~ .<1<z e e''A
us halt on sin sou 1'

ed yur casea9I,nA ~ - e.
pe hiusca11 <{ ~ Il & 354 a cl11I y
ch =, NE t YOUR sins now and !,
IN .|.' |.Il3 the hord on frSnn day
3 AZ u You'll break the strands q
~ \ rome q. forbearance after <awhile
ne hit the bottomless bog o dam4ati
as with both feet and sink to eternal y
lad sery. The fences o. sip
ded you kin jump at 'en
IL Il t-.k.1