The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1896-02-20
PONY BILLS SERMON.
TOUCHING DISCOURSE ATA COW BOYS
FUNERAL.
Virtues of a Dead COmrade Portrayed
in the Vernacular of the Road-The
Preacher Draws Lesson From the
Occasion and Points a Moral for His
Hearers.
London Sun.i

NSOo w otAShN lilN iuLNtol VI NJdi ilC
Reed, who had been killed by the fall
ing of his horse on the round up two
days before. The coffin was placed
beside the open grave beneath great
cottonwood tree, and standing at the
head of the corpse, Pony Bill, the
"Cowboy Preacher" said:
Boys, hardly know what kind of
a talk to give you on this sad occasion.
For several years l have worked with
you on the ranges, an have preached
TO you in my awk' ard way every time l
could round up bunch of you an
hold you to listen to me, but war
never afore called on to talk in the
presence of death.
Day afore yesterday this poor, dead
here throwed on his saddle an rode
out with you in joyous spirits, singin'
the song O the ranges. Little did he
then dream he was ridin' right into the
bog of eternity! While cuttin' steer
out O the bunch his hoss struck prai-
rie 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 ranges beyond,
from which thar 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
l say squarer boy never swung rope.
No one ever asked favor O. Charlie
Reed 'ithout it bein' cheerfully granted.
He never war known to make low
down play. He never made a backset
on duty wen the foreman ordered a
ride. True, he war wild an reckless,
but thar war no devil-brand wicked
ness in his makeup. His heart war
Iivin' spring from which the pure
waters of friendship and generosity
towards his companions O. the saddle
flowed. He could laugh with you over
your Joys, an cuss with you over your
sorrow. His soul seemed to be blazin'
fire O sympathy, to which all who
were chilled by the blasts OF trouble
could come an warm up.
He war brave as lion, but his heart
was as tender as a christian woman's.
He would fight like a riled steer fur
himself or for a friend, yet little child
could take i'm by the hand an lead
i'm out of muss. He wasn't bad
man. Did you ever notice on the
evenin's of pay day he never jined You
in your songs an stories an fun maxim
at the ranch? He'd git in a corner an
sit thar rltin' page after page, with a
look on his face as tender as ever sot on
the face of an angel. He seemed to
never hear your hiliar.t,, but d 81,
thar an write, now an then wipln'
tears from his cheeks N the back .
his hand. Mex morning he'd jlmp
hoss an rrie: to the post office an
wat d he d.? Jlst an even half Of
his months pay d 60 into money
order an that order ii be put INFO an
envelop with all the sheets O wrilIn'
he'd writ the night afore, and then
I've seed i'm do it several times,
boys), he'd kiss the letter fondlv, drap
it into the box an walk out with the
purtiest look on his face | ever saw
Who war that letter addressed to-?
TO his old widder mother back in the
States. Would a bad man act like
that? | tell you, boys, Charlie wasn't
a regularly branded an ear marked
church Christian, but believe wen the
good angel saw his soul comm up the
slope day afore yesterday He throwed
down the bars an let the boy into the
heavenly corral with welcomin'
smile. l know he did; an tell you
right now, ii l found myself tied to a
church or sect that didn't believe as
white boy as i'm d get into heaven
'thout the church brand, I'd take run
on the rope and break it an get a
bunch of Christians that could look
over the corral fence 'ithout first put
tin on the orthodox specs.
How my heart aches for that poor
OF mother who is, as yet, unaware Of
her terrible loss. He war her only
staff to lean on, an you all know how
manfully an lovingly he stood up to the
work. May the Great Foreman above
soothe and comfort her till he calls her
up to join her boy at the home ranch
amid the celestial pastures. | heard
wen l got here this mornin' tha, you'd
had talk among yourselves an each
one agreed to chip in every month to
! keep that dear ol' soul comfortable till
she went whar Charlie could take keel
of her again.
Boys, God'll love you fur that, il
you do tug at the gospel rope and hgh'
shy Of Him. I'll help all kin, an every
time 1 make gospel talk to the boy.
on the other ranges III send my som
brero through the bunch an cut ou
all the cash kin fur her benefit.
Good-by, Charlie, OIL boy-good
bye. We are about to lay you IL
your eternal rest, an we'll do it will
sore hearts an leaky eyes. You
ears will no, hear the thumps of ou
HOSES feet as we gallop near you
grave, but we'll always think Of yo
wen we see the little mound beneat
this spreadin' tree.
Boys, as you come up to take las
lnol NJ thu daar daad faca an, ca,