The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1898-04-27
A STRONG MAN.

A STRONG MAN.
| The weekly coach WAS due ut South
City. and all the inhabitants were ca
gerly awaiting its arrival. The Diggers'
Arms was, as usual, crowded, and
against its hospitable walls lounged
those unable to get in. Suddenly u
crack, loud and reyerberating, sounded
III the clear mountain air, and with u
whoop and rattle the great coach lum-
berod up.
The driver, CHEEKY Yankee, who
knew his men as we'll as he did his
horses, shouted. Have you heard the
news, boysi Mol Well. I'll tell you
North City has imported parsonl'
"A what u shouted the miners, jeal
GUS of their own town.
a real live parson, and, what more,
they've turned the old saloon into a
meeting house. u
There was 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 "ao
one better" than tho other
All looked toward Texas Joe, an old
and tough miner, who by brevity Of
speech and quick use of his gun had
long held the perilous position of dicta-
tor to the neighborhood.
No one spoke--indeed no ono quite
cared to. At length tho oracle. shifting
his plug from ono check to the other,
said: Pass the word TINT there'll be u
meeting here of all tho boys ut O sharp.
IL amt to be allowed that u young
shove ahead village like North CITY IL
To take the shine out of M. No, sir. 1T
ain likely"
Long before O the whole adult pop.
ulation was collected near tho saloon
and il was clear that no room would
hold tho crowd. Finally an open air
meeting was proposed and oarried--mo-
tions moved by Texas Joe generally
werc-aud the dictator took tho "bar
rel -"
Men of South City. he began, you
all know why this here meeting il call
ed We have heen made fools Of by tho
people away yonder, y waving his hand
northwnrd, ''and il amt to be- They
have been prtsumptuous enough to get u
pnrsou. rs II the inhabitants Of these
parts want either doctors or parsons
and aIr cracking ON about it no end.
Now, / ain more religious than most,
still sny, kicking his heel III the bar
rel to en- plastic his words, that it's u
real dismH,c to us that we nin't got u
parson too Now, what Ray il this
North City have got parson South
City will have one too. They have got
travelling ouss, We VIII have "a maj
of our own, n chap wot i got some edu
cation lhat'll fix EN- up, you bet. 4"
A req pittd Cornisbman. who hatet
Joe vehtultd to sny Il vote we have
II good clHIel man; ho'll be a sight
cheaper and will ho more of our own
way of thinking -
Nov, 1reloavon, you dry up. Pts.
copals ] know. Catholics know, but |
know nothing and care less about fancy
religions, and we'll have ono from the
bishop or we'll have none at all " A
chorus of approving voices showed that
.Joo had the cur of the meeting and tho
Councilman eulkily drew lack.
| Now, II earn't be dono without
money. ain got much. still / IL give
500, said the chairman. I'm give
$6r "l'll give $I0i" Here take my
dust" Here's for the slysoIaper %
were honrd on all sides, aud amid u
scene of wild excitement Texas Joe. aft
| a. 4 lac. a.1la.tt..,. a. 4
boad. said, Wen have the best there is
to be got-we've got 800. " He heamed
on the crowd and saw genuine satisfao-
ton on every face In front Of him
Then, with n queer smile ON his face.
Treleavan pushed his way to tho front
and said II call that good start. and
now all we've got 10 do In to write to
Frisco. for there's sure to be a boss
there who will send M up tho man we
want. vote that the chairman write
and sec 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-
toll in his hand.
Now, look here, mates there's IA
kind On nasty twang about the last
speakers remarks that / don't like. l
amt pushing man. but of course I'll
write IL Mr.. Treleaven wants mo to-.
Say, do you nowP' no asked, looking
intently at the Cornishman as he did so.
Tho crowd fell away ON all sides, for
the air seemed II little heavy.
mo P'raps Young Green, the last
tenderfoot, had better write it, We
oughtnt to put 1t all ON you, Joe. No
offense" he muttered
"Ah, eaid Joe, Just as you like.
Now. Green, get paper and pen. "
Tho crowd gathered again. Give the
boy room. Now just you write" With
admiration the miners listened while
Joe dictated the following letter;
SouTn Cry, Cal. u. s. A.
HoNoRED Bin North City have got IA chapel
parson and South city felt that the time has
come 10 hhve real college parson living In
tho town. A weak man amt no use, COS We
want strong man 1T 10 run the show proper
We send sJDD for cXes. Yours truly,
TnE lSnABITAsTs OF SoUTu VIEW
"Now, boys." said Joe, "it's my
shout.
South City was On fete. The miners,
unusually clean. were waiting for the
arrival Of the man who was to fairly
knock North City Their hopes had
been raised to a high pitch by the re-
ceipt Of a letter from San Francisco in
forming them that real strong man
was coming up to put them in the way
they should go.
Joe had suggested salvo Of pistols
u a welcome. but it was felt that such