The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1898-04-29
A STRONG MAN.

Arms was, as usual, crowded, and
against it's hospitable walls lounged
those unable to get in. Suddenly a
crack, loud and reverberating, sounded
in the clear mountain air, and with
whoop and rattle the great coach lum-
bered up.
The driver, a CHEEKY Yankee, who
knew his men as we'll as he did his
horses, shouted: "Have you heard the
news, boys? No! Well, I'll tell you
North City has imported parsonw
ga what!" shouted the miners, jeal>
Gus of their own town.
"A real live parson, and, what more,
they've turned the old saloon into
meeting house
There was a long standing feud be-
tween North City and South City, which
dated from the first gold rush, and
many and useless were the buildings
that the rival towns had erected to "go
one better than the other.
All looked toward Texas Joe an old
and tough miner, who by brevity of
speech and a quick use of his gun had
long held the perilOus position of diota-
tor to the neighbOrhoOd.
No one spoke-indeed no one quite
cared to. At length the oracle, shifting
his plug from one cheek to the other,
said: "Pass the word that there'll be
meeting here of all the boys at sharp.
1t amt to be allowed that a young
shove ahead village like North City is
-, NoIy NO nr1f Of No 60
amt likely"
Long before the whole adult pop
ulation was collected near the saloon,
and it was clear that no room would
hold the crowd. Finally an open air
meeting was proposed and carried-mo-
tiOns moved by Texas Joe generally
were-and the dictator took the "bar-
rel"
"Men of South City" he began, "you
all know why this here meeting is call
ed We have been made fools of by the
people away yOnder, waving his hand
northward, land it amt to be. They
have been presumptuous enough to get a
parsOn, as if the inhabitants of these
parts want either doctors or parsons,
and are cracking on about it no end.
Now, amt more religious than most,
still l say" kicking his heel in the bar
rel to emphasize his words, "that it's
real disgrace to US that we amt got a
parsOn too. Now, what / say is this:
North City have got parsOn; South
City will have one too. They have got
a travelling cuss; we will have a man
of our own, a chap wot's got some edu-
cation. That'll fix 'em up, you bet. "
a redhaired Cornishman, who hated
Joe, ventured TO say: II vote we have
a good chapel man; he'll be a sight
cheaper and will be more of our own
way of thinking"
''Now, Treleaven, you dry up. PTS
Copals l know, Catholics / know, but /
know nothing and care less about fancy
religions, and Well have one from the
bishop or We'll have none at all. " A
chorus of approving voices showed that
Joe had the ear of the meeting, and the
Cornishman sulkily drew back.
"Now, it carn't be done without
money. l amt got much, still I'll give
$780," said the chairman. "I'll give
So" "I'll give $1OP "Here, take my
dustp' Here's for the skyscraper ~
were heard on all sides, and amid
scene of wild excitement Texas Joe, aft
er counting the collection on the barrel
head, said, "We'Il have the best there is
to be got-we've got $4O0." He beamed
on the crowd and saw genuine satisfac-
tiOn on every face III front of him.
Then, with queer smile on his face,
Treleavan pushed his way to the front
and said: Il call that a good start, and
now all we've got to do is TO write to
Frisco, for there's sure to be a boss
there who will send US up the man we
want. vote that the chairman write
and see to the whole job. A dead
pause followed this, for almost every
man knew that Joe could neither read
nor write. He rose slowly, with his pis-
tol in his hand.
"Now, look here, mates, there's
kind er nasty twang about the last
speakers remarks that l don't like. I
amt a pushing man, but of course I'll
write if Mr.. Treleaven wants me TO-
Say, do you now?" he asked, looking
intently at the Cornishman as he did so.
The crowd fell away on all sides, for
the air seemed little heavy.
"No. P'raps young Green, the last
tenderfoot, had better write it. We
oughtn't to put it all ON you, Joe. No
offense," he muttered.
"Ah," said Joe, Just as you like.
Now, Green, get paper and a pen."
The crowd gathered again. "Give the
boy room. Now just you write" With
admiration the miners listened while