Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-09-25

tne session OF tne MetlOQlSU Annual
Conference then in session in the place,
and had listened with great interest to
the debate upon the admission of
women to the General Conference.
The Conference was about equally
divided, and the discussion was stir
ring and vigorous. My host was
strongly in favor Of the admission of
women, while his wife was earnestly
opposed to it. After dinner my host,
jokingly, said as he looked at his wife,
who had not only had the best of the
argument, but the last word:
"My good wife is afraid it will de-
grade woman to elect her to Metho-
dist General Conference, but you can.
not convince her that it degraded the
parsons little girl,wife to make her
chief OF police. Twas young man,
and lived here when the first Metho.
dist sermon was preached in one Of
our saloons. The saloon was turned
into chapel, and quite a vigorous
society was organized in few months.
"The town was filled with excite
ment one day by thu word flying from
mouth to mouth:
"A woman came to town o-day!'
1T was a great event. There were
but six women in the place, and they
were a hard lot. To have the female
population increased to seven, and the
latest conner to be O modest, pretty,
young girl, as she was said to be, ex-
cited an interested remark from every
man who heard it. The former pro-
prietor of the saloon which had been
turned into the Methodist Church en-
tered saloon when the matter was
under discussion. He was greeted, as
every one had been who came in, with
the remark:
Say, did you know another wom-
an came to town to-day?'
"One-eyed Jack, as he was familiar
ly known, instead of being surprised,
said, rather carelessly:
'''I was introduced to her an hour
IA roar of laughter from the in
credulous crowd made the stolid face
a trif,e redder than usual, and the
single eye CLEAN with fercer light.
Striking the bar with his huge clinched
fist until the bottles and glasses leaped
and clattered he repeated his remark
with a terrible oath:
Il was introduced to her an hour
ago, as have already said once. She
is the parsons wife. She is one oil
the incest and prettiest little women
your ever saw. She treated me as
politely as if had been the Prince oi
Wales. The fellow that ever speaks
disrespectfully of the only decent
woman in town had better select his
weapon before he speaks, for he will
have to fight me at sight
"There was little need of jack
threat The parson had so completely
won the rough element of the town by
his genial tact and fearless bearing
that every man would count it al
honor to fight to the death for him a
the drop of hat. To know that thu
bold, powerful man whom they S,
greatly admired had a young anC
beautiful wife stirred to the heart
core every man who had a spark o
manhood remaining.
"The rude shanty which was tn
temporary parsonage was on the mail
street, and within few doors of thre
of the worst saloons in the place. Th
day the parsons wife arrived ant
moved into her new home, street
fight occurred in front of one OF th
saloons and ended at the door of th,
parsonage. One of the fighters,
worthless and villainous ruffian, fel
against the parsonage door bleedin,
from q G0zen terrific gashes. The par
sons wife had been witness of tn
whole affray. AS the last viciou
thrust OF q huge bowie-knife ende,
the fight, with cry of terror sh
sprang to the door to prevent if pos
sible what she fully believed was lnur
der. AS she opened the door, tn
huge form of the desperate fell int,
the hallway at her feet. His face wa
white, his eyes were staring, and hi
blood was streaming from a severed
artery in CHASTITY spurts. She stepped
over the body of the wounded man