The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-02-20

who must be 40, II q day-and tnot M
noccnt gal Of l6. 1t was simply dis
EuStin'I'
1 need not say that the older cynics
and critics already alluded to. at once
improved the occasion! What more
could be expected! Women. the world
over were noted for this sort OF thing!
This long haired staggering bully, with
his air OF mystery. had captivnted them
us he always had since the days of Ho-
mer Simple Merit. that sat lowly I'm
barrooms. and conceived projects for
the public good around the humble, UNI
DESTINATIONS stove was nowhere! Youth
could not too soon learn this bitter les
son, And I'm this case, youth, too, per-
haps was right in it's conjecture, for
this was no doubt the little game of the
tperfdious Bulger, We recalled the fact
| that his unhallowcd appearance in camp
was almost coincident with the arrival
! of the two families We glanced at
l'riggs-to our amuzement for the first
time he looked seriously concerned But
Mosby In the meantime leaned his ell
bows lazily over the counter and in
slow voice added fuel to the fame
81 wouldn't hcv spoken Of 1t before"
he said with side-lonE glance ut
Briggs. FOR 1t might be all In the line
o. Bulgcr's business. but suthin hap
pcncd the other night that for a mint,
SIT me. ! was passing the takers shan
~ and heard one of them gals a-sing-
In q camp meetln'ihymn. don't callti-
late TO run agln you young fellers in
any sparkin' OF canoohlin' that's goim'
on. but her voice sounded SO powruI
soothin' and pretty that r jest stood
there and listened: Then the old woman
old Mother Buker--she Joined I'm and
listened. too And then-durn my
skin!-but n mans voice joined in-jest
bclchinE outer that cabin!-and sortrr
lifted myself up and kem away. 'rhct
voice, gentlemen said Mosby, lingcr-
ing artistically as he took up a glass
and professionally eyed II before wipIng
II with his towel. that voice, ciimf'bly
fixed thar in tibet cabin among them
wimen folks. was Bulger's!"
Briggs got up with his eyes looking
the darker for his flushed face Gen
tlemen," he said. huskily. "thar's only
one thing to be done. y lot of us have
got to ride over TO Sawyers Dam to-
morrow morning. and pick up az many
square men us we can muster: there's
big camp-meeting goin' on there. and
there won't be no difficulty In that
When we've goEstl big enough crowd
to show we me!H business we must
march back here and ride Bulger out
Of this camp! don't banker arter Vigil
lance Committees as Il rule-it's a rough
remedy-its like drlnkin Il quart o.
whiskey ag'in rattlesnake poison-but
lis got to be done! We don't mind be-
insa sold ourselves, but when IL comes
to our standin' by and seem the only
innocent people In Rattlesnakc given
away-wc kick! Bulger's got to be fired
outer this camp! And ne Will be-"
Hut he was not.
For when, the next morning, deter
mined and thoughtful procession or the
best and most characteristic citizens of
Ratuesrake Camp filed into Sawyers
Dam. they found that their mysterious
friends had disappeared. although they
met with IL fraternal but subdued well
come from the general camp. But any
approach Ia the subject of their visit,
however was received with a chilling
disapproval. Did they not know that
lawlessness of any kind, even under the
rude mantle Of furtive Justice. was to
be deprecated and secuted when q
means of salvation, q power of rcorgnu-
iZation' such as was now sweeping over
Sawyers Dam was nj hand? Could they
not induce this man who was to be VIC
lently deported to accompany them to
saw yer's Dam and subject himself to
the powerful influence of the revival
then In full swing.
Rattlesnase boys laughed bitterly. and
described the man of whom they talked
so lightly. But in vain. ITS no use"
gentlemen" said n more worldly by
stander In a lower voice ..thc camp
betwiNt You and me there Amt no Won
der. For the man that runs 1.-THE big
prcacher--haS got new WAYS and meth
DDS that fetches the boys every time.
He don't preach no cut and dried COS
pei; lie don't carry around no slop-shop
robes and clap 'em on YOU whether they
fit or not, but he samples and measures
the camp afore he wades into 1t. He
scouts and examines; he ain't no mere
Sunday preacher with Il comfortable
house and once-a-week church, but he
gives up his days and nights to 1t. and
makes his family work with him. and
even sends 'em forward to explore the
field. And he alnt no white choker
shadhelly, either. but fits himself like
his gospel to the men he works among.
We ough TO hear him afore you GO
His tent is just on your way. I'll go
with YOU
Too detected to offer anv opposition.
and perhaps n little curious to see this
man who has unwittingly frustrated
their design of lynching Bulger. they
halted at the outer fringe of worship
perS who packed the huge enclosure.
They had not time to indulge their cyni-
cisms over this swayinE mass of emo
tional. Matchmaking and almost ire
sponsble beings, nor to detect any SINH
larity between their extreme methods.
and the scheme of redemption. they
themselves were seeking. for in a few
moments. apparently lifted to his feet
on q wave OF religious eXultation, the
famous preacher arose. The men OF
Rattlesnake gasped for BREATH
II was Bulger
But Briggs quickly recovered himself