The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-06-11
Stories Of an Inland State.

farmerly man "of magnificent physique
| which is a common phrase with Kansas
papers, but excessive drinking and dissipa-
| ton Of other kinds had torn down hts great
| form until it was as broken as the ruins of
] an ancient tower. Peter Wattles should
ers were bent, his flesh was of that ghostly,
| sickening white which intemperance brings
and his eyes were so weakened that he
aided their efforts with tremendous spec
| tacIes parts of which hooked about either
ear.
| Wattles usually dressed well-a universal
custom among western gamblers. His
shirts were always white. His boots were
| always BACKED. He was always Clean
st-aven, but he was wreck. complete
| wreck.
One morning. the crowd had played itself
out and the men pushed their chairs back
from the gaming table and while Peter
WattIes was Tipping the cards under the ball
OF his thumb, John Axton, seated opposite
said:
Pete. Where you going?
Pete Wattles slammed the cards down on
the table and taking off his great spec
tacles TO aid his comprehension asked:
Going where?"
Heaven err
81 guess err" said Peter Wattles laughing
But while the crowd was laughing, Peter
sobered slightly and said:
Now be serious minute and let me tell
you something. We're looked upon by the
Grid as a pretty tough set and maybe We
are. It's Judge and Puck and those funny
eastern papers that cause most Of the trou-
bic. They put us in leather breeches and
stick revolvers all over US until We are
looked upon murderers. You know how
rarely We ever see a revolver. Maybe some
one of us has got one on now, but the
chances are the cartridges are rusted in.
cankered tight as a mother-in-law on her
first visit to her married daughters new
home. But those funny papers keep 1t up.
until the whole world has got the idea that
this west is as full of murderers as a coll
lege graduate is full of prunes and pride.
Somehow or other the people out here who
are decent, who never hang around card
table, get it into their cocoanuts that some
body cut here must be tough and they lay
II on US. But we haven't killed anybody
for a good many years-and even in the
hottest days 1 ever saw in the west. killing
was always a rarity and undertaken with
fear and trembling. with repugnance."
What's that got to do with heaven?"
asked Axiom.
well. Just this Now the dear fabber-
gasted public thinks 1 am sort Of frayed
and degenerated edition of Blue Beard and
Nero combined. Now what would they
say if they heard that regularly read the
Bible?''
The challenging laugh was boisterous.
But read it just the same" said Peter
T, IF
TO me but 1 took it up and read it and
tell you 1 was surprised. Why its honey
cooler. that Bible. It's rip-snorter."
Come off, cried Axton yawning. You
don't mean to say that you are really read
ing the Bible"
That's what I do"
And do you claim it does you any good?"
Yes, l do
''Ban! Why don't you join the church?'
'T intend TO-" said Peter.
The group laughed heartily and Axton
went on:
when are you going TO join?'
Next Wednesday night"
why say. Pete. you amt serious about
that?" Axton asked, studying Peter Wat
ties face
Next Wednesday / join the church."
There is forty dollars burning the lining
of my vest out to say that you don't join
no church next Wednesday or before"
Done" said Peter diving his fist into an |
inside pocket.
You don't mean II. Pete? asked Axiom. |
Come up with your money" answered |
Pete. Put up or shut up"
Il won't be bluffed,'' answered Axton |
putting up his money.
The bet was given great publicity among |
the fraternity on the morrow and was fav- |
o,ed as the days biggest joke.
Three days passed and Wednesday came. |
Axton feeling that perhaps his money was
in danger, through INSCRIPTIONS action on
the part of Pete, went TO him and said:
Look here, Pete. You don't really mean
TO join that chu ;h?"
Join her I certainly will"
But it amt right. It's sort OF giying
Tie church people here and they never
agin US like they do up at Topeka
and Emporia. You see you are monkeying
with a sacred thing. You go into their
house Of worship and fall down on the
mourner's bench or pray or do something
and they think you're sincere and pray for
you ard then later il gets out that you
wasn't moved by the spirit at all but was
!
there'l be trouble. We amt got no bust
ness guylng church Christians that way"
You're afraid Of losing your money, amt
you?''
Il don't mind the forty dollars, but II we
20 to fooIing with decent people wen all be
orced out OF this town
You don't think, Axton, that ! could
DIN the church sincere
ooh come off, OF course don't"
Wei, you be around to that revival meet
ng al the Methodist church this evening
md sec that old forty dollars OF yours fade
lway like a girls complexion at a Fourth
# July dance in a small hail.
Take the forty, then" sad Axton. "and
ion't join. It'n only make trouble for the
,oys''
oh. that's it, said old Peter Wattles |
Want TO make me take the money when ]
Ion't win ii square Well, guess not. III
DIN that church tonight. Come up"
That night the RevivaEst, a wirey little
was surprised to see In the first ;
ow Of the gallery a large representation of ,
he gambling element. Away down in front ,
re gamblers saw Peter Wattles sitting
KID Peter Wattles as he sat there began !
D set fidgety. He felt that he was out OF
is element and that everybody was looking ,
( him and guying him, and finally without :
sign he gave in and got up and went .
ack and sat down beside the boys an the | ,
auery.
And he could see the boys smiling ard =.
Judging each other and Axiom opened and Z
hu: his hand four times. sikHifyius forty.
nj a; last old Peter Watties arose and r
acins the pulpit said: :
Il wsnl 10 be converted. ! want 10 join :
his church. / am new AZ the business and ,