Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-01-27
A SHOOTING PARSON.

For three years the Rev. Charles Mont
ford had been the guiding star of a little
town in South Dakota. He came there
with his wife, a gentle voiced m of
attractive appearance, announced himself
as an evangelist and began a series OF
meetings.
The first week some of the most reck-
less and daring, while out on one of their
wild escapades, perceived him coming
from meeting on Sunday night. They had
been drinking and had amused them
selves by shooting out the lights, then
w~hooping and galloping through the town
like wild Indians. The sight of the good
man caused one to say:
"Boys, let's have some fun with the
parson."
That was sufficient. They rode their
ponies upon the sidewalk and compelled
him to take the middle of the road, where
they surrounded him, galloping in a ring
like equestrians at a circus, shooting off
their revolvers and emitting yells that
would have dazed any tenderfoot that ever
saw the woolly west.
1u6y cAYOCpCu AhCLCly w 1IiShIOh uAo
pious man and see him tremble and plead
for his life, but he stood as calm and I'M
moved as if in his pulpit. He removed his
hat, and the moon, shining bright and
full, illumined his face with q sort OF
glory.
They saw him raise his eyes heaven
ward and his lips move as if in prayer
A gentle smile overspread his features,
and gradually the whooping ceased, the
ponies were refined in, and as they halted
in a ring around him his sonorous voice
rang out on the night air:
MAY God have mercy on your souls!'
The power Of that voice was felt by ev-
cry man, and they looked at him with a
sort of wonder. A moment Of intense ST.
lence, and the man of God, following up
his advantage, said solemnly:
"Let Is pray"
Kneeling in the road, he lifted up his
voice in an impassioned appeal that God
would change the hearts of these reckless
men and make them good and useful citi-
Zens.
Involuntarily they bowed their heads
and waited for him to finish. He arose
and gave them a cordial invitation to at
tend his meetings.
II freely forgive you for your attempt
to intimidate me and assure you that l
was not in the least afraid-the Lord takes
care of his own. My faith in him protect
ed me, but l might have depended ON my
self and hit the mark every time. 10
prove to you that l make no idle boast, l
will put a hole through the brims of seven
hats"
So saying, he drew a seven shooter from
his hip pocket and, swinging around the
circle, rapidly discharged seven shots. The
astonished men heard the whir of the bull
let's past their ears, and, taking off their
wide felt hats, held them up for examina.
ton, The moon shone through a hole in
each Just two inches from the edge on the
left side.
They were filled with wonder at the
parsons GOODNESS, while they were trying
to "scare" him, they were awestruck by
his eloquent prayer, but a man who could
shoot like that commanded their profound
respect.
"Good night, gentlemen. God bless
YOU" said the reverend man fervently.
GOOD night, parson," responded the
COW anu tHey WuoolcN dEUuiNu anu
disappeared down the road.
"Well, If he amt the durndest ouss
aver run up against!' said one, who but
echoed the sentiments of all.
After that his reputation was estab'
lished. The cowboys and ranchmen never
came to town without making a personal
call upon the shooting parson,' as he
was called, and attending some Of his
meetings. His fame spread abroad and
Invitations came from %neighboring towns
to hold revivals, and there was a cordial
welcome for him everywhere.
He helped the poor, nursed the sick,
prayed with the dying and his power fol
doing good was simply marvellous. He
seemed to understand the natures of these
rough people and knew how to win theil
confidence. He was never molested aftel
his first experience with the cowboys ant
any one of them would have fought fol
him at the slightest %provocation. He wal
assisted in his good work by his gentl,
wife, who held the hearts Of the people al
did her gifted husband.
A series of robberies began in the vicin
ity. Horses were stolen by the score, cat
tie were run out Of the country and farm
houses were entered and ransacked. AL
who resisted the perpetrators were shot
not always killed, but disabled-and TIN
people were worked up to such excitemen
that il the robbers had been caught tn,
nearest tree would have served for thei
bodies to swing from. There was q pal
of them, and they were always masked.
The body Of a man on a n~eighborinl
-.-uI ,,cn fo,,rH tn a xuo11 H{a hnrpao hai
been robbed, and there was every indica
ton that 1t wa the work OF the two DIES
peradoes who had terrorized the surround
ing country. This last outrage had arouse
The anger of the community to such al
extent that the parson preached a specia
sermon with the text, Love your ene
miles,"
He exhorted his hearers to pray for tn
miscreants and not allow their indigna
ton to carry them beyond the pale of tn
law. He believed in doing all that wa
possible to capture and punish, and woul'
himself join in the pursuit.
For several years this continued, an
patience ceased to be q virtue. After al
audacious attempt to rustic q bunch Q
fine steers q posse Of men started In pur
suit. They were riding hard and coul'
hear the hoof beats of two horses ahead O
them and could see the outlines OF tw
figures on horseback a half mile In from
in the uncertain light Of the early dawn.
The outlaws furious riding soon pu
them out of sight, but the pursuers rod
on and presently observed a solitary horse
man riding toward them. When he cam
up, they recognized their beloved pastor