The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-07-16
"CAMP UGLY !"
FRANCIS SCHNEIDER

w hat the miners III camp oBly sdlu NilSh
the Rev. Francis Slayton appeared in their
midst and announced that he had come to
help them lead a godly life, is quite unfit
for publication. Camp Ugly, in 1850, was
composed of select few of the worst char
acters in California; and it was not long
before the minister found that the weapons
wherewith he had combatted the Evil One
in his little eastern parish were INSULT
Gent to do battle with his hosts in the
mining camp.
Among those who despitefully used him,
none was more active than certain tall,
dark visaged miner, who, unluckily for
Slayton. possessed an almost phenomenal
influence over his fellow eampmen. King
was his name, and the Rev. Francis some-
times half believed that the name was sig
nificant and that he was in very truth the
lncarnate king" of Darkness!
There was only one person in camp who
dared to question this mans right to tyran-
nize, and this was tiny, fair haired erea-
ture whom King alluded to as MY son
joe" And MY son Joe" feared nothing.
This young gentlemans education, as the
word is generally understood, had been sad
ly neglected; but he could throw a lasso.
with the skill of a full-fledged cowboy; an
accomplishment learned before he came to
Camp Ugly, when, as he pompously eX-
planned, ME an dad was plainsmen. In
this useful art he kept himself we'll prac-
ticed. using the miners as subjects for ms
prowess, who swore and threatened when
they found themselves unexpectedly
brought to a standstill, with running
moose tightening uncomfortably about their
necks. At such times the boy was wont to
go into spasms of delight.
There was a lively row going on in the
"hotel," on a Sunday morning late in No
vcmber and the half dozen men who had
fingered swaggeringly near whore Slayton
stood, Bible in hand, took to their heels
and hurried away to the fun. With
sigh, he closed the book and followed. The
voices had grown louder and more furious,
and as the minister drew near, man came
sprawlng through the door and fell in the
dust almost at his feet, followed by King,
his face distorted by passion and his black
eyes glaring fiercely. Slayton hurriedly in
terposed himself between the two men, but
King strobe forward and in a terrible voice
commanded:
''Stand aside, you fool Dive think I'll
waste my strength on him. Git up you
Markley an take yourself off and don't
show your id face again in this camp"
Markley. tall young man with hand
some. wicked face, rose slowly, casting an
evil look at King.
what was the trouble?" asked Slayton.
''That thar sneak. Markley. won Kings
money" said a bystander, "won 1t false,
too; and called Joe"
Hold your CAB, you Internal fool" roar
ed King Parson, you git out of here. I
should think" he added. sneeringly. you'd
want to keep your white fingers out of pies
like this. You amt wanted here-take
yourself off,"
Strange to say, no further violence was
offered Markley, and as he skunk away,
Siayton turned on his heel and walked to
his cabin.
1t may be surmsed that there was much
of the minister's time not occupied in min
istering to the spiritual needs of Camp
Ugly; and some of this he spent in making
wide tours of the surrounding woods and
plains. On one of these solitary excursions,
he found himself suddenly and unexpected
ly, within half a mile of the gulch where
the miners were at work and within sight
of a lonely and indistinct trail that formed
a short cut to distant camp. He was tired
and sat down to rest. His eyes wandered
idly along the trail that crept upward, past
a solitary pine tree and lost to sight
as it descended on the other side of the hill
Something moving near the tree. arrested
his glance, and looking more attentvely,
he saw a man leaning against it, with his
face turned in the direction of the guch.
Presently the figure disappeared and at all
most the same instant King came stridins
UP the trail from the sulch, followed at
some distance by Joe, in his favorite role
of fiery mustang. King passed the min
lister without needing his good morning.
As he reached the pine tree, the man who
had been lurking in the shadow, and whom
Slayton now recognized as Markley, sprang
upon him, something cleaning in his up
raised hand.
with a cry of horror Slayton bounded
forward and before the murderous hand
had descended a second time he dealt
Markley blow that sent him Keeling. King
fell with a groan, and his assailant, mad
with fury, sprang upon Slayton, who soon
found himself the undermost man in
struggle for life with flashing knife above
him.
AT this interesting iuncture, there was
sharp whir-r-r in the air, a moose descend
ca over Markley's head and frightened re-
lentlessly about his throat, while his arms
sprawled out and his hand dropped the
knife and clutched the empty air. Releas-
ed. Slayton sprang to his feet and saw Joe,
who had turned the end of his lasso about
the trunk of the pine tree and was Juggling
away with will. He snatched his late ad-
yersary's knife, relieved him of the reVolV-
er in his belt. and called upon the boy to
slacken the Iasso. Markley, his passion
somewhat cooled, by the shock he had sus-
tained. and feeling himself entirely at Stay /.
toms mercy showed no inclination to re-
new the attack, but sat gulping and rub
hing his throat, while the minister ana joe
staunched Kings wounds and administered
doses of spirits from the TASK he carried
in his rocket Presently he Revived, and at-
fer a bewildered moment looked the MIN
ister full in the eyes, saying, family:
ord a-been a goner, IL it hadn't been for
YOU amt the man to forgit what you
done. And my son Joe here. too" cropping
for Joe's hand. "4Je's a chip-a chip-ot-
Of"
Here King went off again. When he
opened his eyes moment later, he asked
where Markley was.
"He's sitting over there" replied the min
lister.
',They'u lynch him. if they catch him
don't want that. He's a villain but he
bears me a grudge. I done him wrong
once. such as no man will forgive Would
YOU be willin' to let him go, parson, after
what he done to your
Slavton went over to MarlIley, who was
still rubbing his throat.
'eI<ing SAYS he want you to get out of this
region before the camp Is aroused. IT you
don't you'll certainly be lynched. VIII you
promise upon your honor as a."
"As a gentleman" interposed Markley.
slayton smiled grimly, I" AS gentle
man. that If 7 let YOU escape now, Won
will leave this vicinity and never again
to ;,,itI