Middletown transcript., 1897-04-10

HA3X2fB by violence, an
$500 were buried wit
scraping of violins and firing of Win
chesters. Men had been ''planted" witt
las little ceremony as potatoes; pro
fessional descendants of Delilah wer
laid away amid the blare Of brass in
stuments and breaking of champaign
bottles.
"But," said Buckskin Bill, will
grave, unconscious profonity, "tha
sort of ground-up won't go this time
The gospel brand has got to be pu
or, and who is to do it2"
That was the problem which dis
tracted Longan through four anxious
days. Men had died as hunted wild
beasts die; women had yield up theil
souls as warriors give way in battle
But 'this time'' the fair-haired idol Of
the camp had gone out into the great
silence without struggle. Saturday
afternoon she deigned to ride uptown
with Bob Stedman and exhibit the bis
| que marvel imported by her worshipers
from Chicago, whereupon the leading
citizens united withKentucky Smitty in
drinking 'the health of the fairest child
and the finest doll baby west of the
Missouri" In the gray darkness of
Monday morning her soul slipped over
the diyide-and the town was desolate.
Slanting Anna closed her dance
house in Difference to the public grief.
Wheele's He'll and Phil Watson's Lad
der of Heaven logan abounded in
picturesque nOmenclaturel bore signs
.'Shut up till after the funeral" Miners,
cow-puncher and ranchmen gathered
in groups at the corners, silent, forlorn
and uncontrolled.
Down at MarVin's The young mother
looked at the floor and rocked mechan-
ically. Mrs. Marvin was one of the
four chaste women of whom Logan
was justly proud. Her morals were
above uspicion.AsBobStedman phrased
1t, 'Sht amt no beauty, ,butshe straight,
you bet. She'sa stayer. She don't need
noprops. Beyond tiIat she WAS what
COW camps had made her, vain and
and careless women. Concerning spirit
ual things she knew nothing. Religion
did not flourish in town with brew
cry, fourteen saloons, nine gambling
houses, iwo dance balls, and neither
church nor clergyman. The Sunday
diversions wele dancing, faro, poker,
and irrigation" of An alcoholic nat ure.
AS the mother of the infant divinity
Logan worshiped, Mrs. Marvin headed
the list of desirable partners at the
dance.
When she looked into the face of her
little dead child, longing for some
thing better was born in Mrs. Marvin's
soul. She spoke fiercely to the men
who talked Of a procession and music
at the hall: "You sha'n't bury my
baby like tbat-you sha'n'tl | won't
have her buried like sheep or gam
bier. Somebody's got to pray or do
somethingl She sha'n't be buried that
wayl"
''That's straight" I" said Tom Gibson.
''The pious is the thing. We must find
somebody to do that praying"
As men seek for lost lead, SO they
searched, with no result save Buckskin
Bill's despairing query of Monday night
The nearest clergyman was four days.
journey across the mountains, and
hence cut of the question. Once, In
its beginning, Logan Hospitality enter
tanned parson for three weeks. He was
cordially welcomed and invited to take |
up his residence and "open a gospel |
shop" His experiments in faro, how
ever nece, STATED a nocturnal exit from
the town. This, coupled with the fact |
that another mans horse was his meaDs |
Of transportation, destroyed public cons
fidence in the cloth, and ne preacher had
since been permitted to abidein Logan.
1t was Tom Gibson's horse he took and
Tom swore greatlepgth andwith much
profane particularly of detail that he
would ''plug him full Of lead on sight"
Now the greatness of his anxiety in
quilted his desire for revenge. He said,
wistfully: "If only Magee was here,
he couldn-
mo, he couldn't," interrupted Bob
Stedman. "That miserable scoundrel
pray over maverick in this
town, let alone that little''-H choked
and went to the door. Before his eyes
came a fair vision with soft yellow
curls, round blue eyes, and caressing
baby voiee, saying: "Fanty you for
The wide and the dollie. You may tiss
me, Bobl' No card sharper and horse
theft could pray over Bobs child angel.
Tuesday morning daWned. Personal
appeal had been made to every man in
the town. Wheeler, popularity known
IS Parson Jim because he once was a
local preacher among the Methodists in
Ohio, was urged and pressed to officiate.
No boys" be answered, ''most of you
1on't know any better, but I do. am
mean, but am not insulting the Al
mighty; Lam not mean enough for that
ret. l have made a Help for yon-
Ind myself. The fellow who keeps
He'll he smiled, bitterly, twas never
Known to lead in prayer; and / win not
,egin." /,
Logan possessed no facilities for em- II
,alming or preserving bodies; funerals
we're usually held within twenty -four
hours after death. Tuesday morning /
vas The time fixed for the baby'sburial.
An embarrassed delegation explained
be Gauss Of delay to the bewildered ! J