Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1899-05-03

I
hev to be like my whisky. hot and /
strong
THE preacher sprarg upon table
and began 10 sing a Gospel song. Ills
voice was full and powerful and the air
was q popalnr war ballnd. The chorus
was simple and all were urged TO join in
singing H. In less than five minutes
half the crowd were singing as Justify
MS class-leaders and pounding time
/ with their fists upon the card tables.
! After the hymn was sung. short
prayer was offered and this sermon be-
gan. tt was plain. fervent. manly
talk. straight from an earnest heart,
The preachers face was sympathetic.
his voice Mas tender atiimes and then
II rose in a ringing tone like the blast Of
n trumpet. The words were simple.
bold and true. he plainly told them of
the danger of sin. the certainty OF pen
atty for Hfe sinner, and ended with an
exhortatiGn TO regain the innocence
and purity, Of their childhood days. lie
was in The midst Of pathetic picture
of the faF-awny home, where loved ones
were thiRking, weeping and praying
was hanging in breathless silence upon
his words. An angry alteration was
begun at the feet of the preacher. 1t
was fierce and brief,
An old man with the face OF demon
and The form of a giant was playing
cards with n young lad with long curly
hair and the sweet innocent face OF
girl. The giant was called slippery
Dick He was the terror Of the town.
lie was such a consummate trickster
with cards that every game was delib-
crate robbery upon his part. The lad
was called The Baby. because OF his
J face and curls. When the two sat down
10 play. every one in the saloon had said
10 bis neighbor:
! "'What fool THE Baby" is TO try
, 10 play cards with slippery Dick
'"1he deaih-hke silence which was
. stirred only by the low. gentle voice Of
the preacher was broken in upon by
The Daby's' clear boyish treble;
' "'Youre a cheatl'
: "'Sippery Dick roared with the
fury OF mad bull:
"'You're a liar!'
2 "lloth sprang TO their feet. The old
e man suatched his revolver from his
= belt The hammer caught in the fold
of his flannel shirt. and before he could
3 loosen 1t. the young man was upon him
= with the spring of tiger. The little
hand. as strong as steel, grasped the
= giant by the throat, huge bowie knife
q flashed In the light, and the next sec.
= ond was buried in the old mans heart
: lie sank back in his chair. killed in
IA stanily. Before man could stir. Jach
n had pressed revolver AGAINST The
Babys' breast and shouted:
e "'Move and you're a dead mani
; "The young man coolly folded his
d arms and said in a ringing. deaani
J. voice:
+ "'He cheated me and I've killed him
a DO what you pleased
= Jack gave orders to search the body
Z Of the dead man. When a whole pack o
n cards were found concealed about BIZ
e person, all accepted this as certain evi
y dence OF fraud. Jack roared out:
This court decides that slipper,
is Dick" was caught cheatin' and 9TH
r. Baby" is gHiliy Of iustiaable homicid
e and goes fr~e. All in favor Of the mo
D. tion say "A!e."'
le "a thunder VI Ayes responded.
v "'Ali opposed say no" said Jnc
lie as he cooked his revolver and glare
sr about tho room. a moments death
re like silenss followed. Jack in lowe
ID tone said:
This court is unanimous and eth
Baby" is acquitted The parson wi
is now say a prayer for SLIPPERY Dick,
and we'll take him out and plant him
y 1.-The great bell rang out as Jac
is shouted:
rb "'Ali uS, gents; hats OFF, Every on
ne stood andfuncovered the head.
e. at havs heard many prayers in m
i' life. but Hsrer one like the parsons owe
Slippery Dick The preacher towere
above the sea of heads. and. with eye
closed. tuEyed with God. He pleaded f
W mercy for the mob of sinners befoI
him who were on the road 90 eterui
~ ruin. lie uncovered the hard and cru
hearts about him with the fearless an
steady hand Of master surgeon. Yo
~ could hear the quick gasp of suppressC
= breathing as each one of the pack
ne reprobates felt the unspar'rg hand r
i, veal his own guilty secret.
~ "The prayer for Jack. the riuglead
in sin. was like a blast from furnac
Jack covered his face with his slouC
70 hat and trembled like n leaf. The ?
IT, tition for Slippery Dick was pictn
u" of awful sin receiving its awful penal
CT in accordance with Divine law.
u" brought sob OF terror from a score
hearts. When the prayer reached ~
~ BABY the hard voice trembled al
broke into wall and ended in q hear
!"' breaking sob. The strong man ple'
in the name Of the mother. who throul
see her burning tears prayed day and mig
ar for the loved boys return. have Sc,
MS trees swayed by n cyclone until felt
II they must be torn from their roots
the next fierce blast So that mass
er heads swayed and bowed while {
preacher prayed. When the whisper
len amen was uttered. a breath like n SiI
lau parted the lips of every man as
n