The San Francisco call., 1897-08-01

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and*for the next two months he will be
even more.soi for he will star the State as
banner attraction for the Salvation
Army: ::.=-;-::..s:: :: Il: -
r. For the past three weeks John Welsh
has: bee marching at the head @of the
eamp-meeting band through the streets of
thfs city, and on. account of his great
height, alle.ent plug hat and many deco-
rations representing pea oeiul events, he
has. attracted great attention: He cannot
be-: compared to: any ordinary character,
because every event :. in his life has q
unique distinction that John says was
never dunlicated.- " ~ + .::
{: When 1t was announced that John
Welsh OF Col ak was toteIf his life story a
large crowd naturally gathered, for John
lis: agood stery:teller as Well=as something
OF: apoet.* s: -: ). r-....:. n.
John is; a Green Mountain boy, and
sixty-eight years ago was born" in Yer
mont, done>of the most romantic incl
dents In his life was the time he married
for spite ut half an hours notice because
he had been lllted. This happened half a
century ago and, according:;to John, was
followed by drunk which continued for
very nearly fifty years. John was all
ready 10 be married when stranger came
along and won away his intended. -: AS
soon as he realized his situation John
swore long oath, how long he does not
say, but he left home and started west
ward with but one idea: He swore he
would marry the first female that would
say Yes" to hisproposal.
!. He had not gone many miles before he
felt dry, very dry. As John tells the story
IN his own dry style, his was very dry
nature, so he called at a ranch and mod
estIy asked for a.drink OF water. The lady
asked him where he was gong, and he
i'm mediately told her that he was deter
mined TO marry the first woman that
would have aim. Then he peated his
lady came out of the house; just as John
said "IfI marry the first woman that will
have me-" Shereplied, "Then, why don t
you m AIRY my sister2' This sister was
in the house on visit from New York
State, but John said if she was agreeable
he would take her, although he bad not
seen her.
The farmers wife championed Johns
cause, and in few minutes she returned
with her un married sister. They were in
reduced. and John and the girl were left
alone. II have bern courting a girl fiv
years and she has run away with another
man; now, I'll marry ior spite the first
girl that will have me-" said John.
"Y You're stranger; I'll take chances on
you If you will take cnances on me. There
is an old saying that matches are made in
heaven but birthstone is put on in another
place" said the lady.
Half an hour later they sgreed TO marry,
and as soon as the Justice OF the Peace
could be driven to the ranch John We.sh
had carried out his threat. He was then
49, and before he came of age John was
widower. He then started ON half CEN
fury of drunkenness, and the only sober
days he knew were when he was in jail
and on the occasion OF protracted stav
in San Quentin. John 10 now nearly 70
years of age. and on the Fourth of July
eight years ago he was met at Golfax by
an officer of the army, little woman who
evidently had hopes for John.
When all the crowd was drunk she in
duced John to get ON his knees outside of
the saloon. and although that was eight
years ago John has been, 10 use his own
language, "a model gentle man and good
American citizen ever SINCE"
At the recent public Army wedding
John gave the young couple some good
advice in a home made poem, which was
very original and londlv aDplauded and