The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1899-03-31
ellanepus
IhG PaIs0a's Free Lunch Counter.
BY JAY BENTON HAMILTON, d. d.

uU IA UVu l w -IunUu OUulLVl
BY JAY BENTON HAMILTON, d. d.
Judge -, a leading lawyer in a
small Western city, was Que of the Of
fetal members of the Methodist Epis-
copal church in which the Annual
Conference was III session. had ad-
dressed he Conference in the interest
Of the ''worn.out preachers" The
Judge was greatly interested in the
cause | was advocating, and invited
me to dine with him. l found him a
royal host. He was one of the found
ero of the enterprising little CITY, and
our after dinner chat was largely
reminiscent " on hi- part. The MetIo-
dist church in the earlv days had been
nickuamed The Parsons Free
Lunch Counter" ard the name still
clung to it in the speech of the first
settlers who yet remained.
II was Il pietty lively youngster in
those days" unused my host, land |
had p part in the stirring incidents
that l hardly like TO recall in these
sober years.
Il heard a ru;uor one morning tn It
a Methodist itinerant had come to
town, and had held revival service
| in one OF our Pow dive. Instead Of Il
| conversion, there was u murder. One
gambler had killed another during the
sermon. Ny curiosity was excl, ed by
| the stori S told about the Methodist
parson. | went to the saloon and found
the OLD sbanty closed. There was a
| sign ann the door painted in rude
clal acters which | was able to read
after considerable study:
"'this saloon fur sail. the prowpritor
goin to kwit the Biznus.'
About noon | passed the place
again, aud found a curious crowd
gathered about the door. A second
notice was posted below the first. 1t
was written in Il CLEAR, bold hand:
1.-The Coyote" will resume business
tomorrow night at o'clock. New
| Proprietor. New Music. New Free
Lunch Counter. Be on hand for the
opening
The next morning a large banner
| was hung out in trout of The Coyote.
| 1t had painted upon it in large black
! letters
| m. +. CHurch. Love-feast tonight
at Z o'clock sharp. Short speeches.
! New Songs Coffee and sandwiches
| free. Admission Tree. A treat f..
every one who &c mes. Do not miss the
opening of the New Coyote
No such excitement had ever been
known in town. A hundred questions
w.re asked that no one could answer.
| Every one was eager for information
which no one could furnish.
Does any body know this yer chap
pie who's bought THE Coyote ?"'
was asked by scores, but no one knew
him.
Church, l used to know gambler
by the name of Nose Church, but he
was killed; it can't be him. said one
vaga bond to another.
"'What's a love feast, anyway
said a disrepatable locking old bum
who was shaking with chill SO he
could not stand still.
| Its some cussed temp rance free
lunch | expect said another IS lie
turned to go away in disgust.
| "'Who wants q lunch counter with
| out beer? said a red-nosed old topper,
who took his meals at the free-lunches
when he could grab bite before being
kicked out. I've a notion to see if
can get my two hands full before this
tenderfoot catches onto my game
1.-THE Methodist parson who had
preached in the saloon had been called
out of bed about midnight to see the
owner of The Coyote 'One-eyed
Jack as he was commonly called, was
upon the verge of delirum tremens.
He was shiveriDg with fri hit when the
parson approached the bed. He kept
insisting that Old Dick. VITO hi d been
killed in his saloon few hours before,
was in bed with him. The moment he
saw the Parson, he shrieked ont:
"Say, Parson. old pard, take Slip
perry Dickn away, won't you? Ii you
will, I'll quit sellin' rum for good. l
felt the shakes comm on while you
was prayin' tonight. l didn't know
whether it was religion or the tremens.
I'm afraid Pm goner, Parson. Honor
bright, pard, old man, just look under
the kivers there at my back and tell
me if Old Dick is tryin' to crowd me
out of 6ed. ParsCn, if you have a
PRAYER different from the one you give
us tonight, | wish you'd start her up.
1t cant hurt nothiu'. and it might
make me forgit Old Dick bit any
how
THE result of the visit was that the
Parson rented The Coyote for Meth
odist church. He wrote the second
notice on the door and painted the
tanner that was hung across the
street. He knew that the best way to
get a crowd at the dedication of his
church was to excite the curiosity of
the community. He succeeded ire
mendously. Those who knew his
plans were pledged 10 secrecy, and be-
fore night the town was in d perfect
ferment.
"Long before the hour of the reopen
ing a great crowd had gathered about
the door of The Coyote L. seemed
as if the entire population had turned
out. The Parson had found a squeaky
old hand-organ in the loft, and, after
little tinkering, it would grind out
tolerably respectable music. The
tunes were few and far from being re-
liginus, but The ParsOn decided it was
all the better for that. One or two
lively Jig tunes were played before the
door was opened This vas great
surprise and it set the crowd almost
frantic. At =. O'clock sharp the door
was opened. The hand-organ, con
cealed by q curtain, was vigorously
manipulated by Jack. The men anC
boys, crowding, fighting, swearing
with one fierce das;. like au avalanche
swept in t. the tune of johnnie, &c
Your Gum
"In a twinkle the room was packed
The bar was gone. In its place
stood huge free-lunch counter