Evening journal., 1899-06-09

you can stand around and see the show. |
/ Now. pnrson. lire away. II you've got /
any gospel thatll reach this crowd it'li |.
hev 10 be ike my whisky. hot and |
strong
THE preacher sprnng upon a table !
/ OF "egun TO sing Gospel song Ills |
ND.u was full ana powerful and he air !
was popular war ballad Tn, e., mus !
was simple and all were urged Iu pii, n |
singing II. In less than live rl, ules
h.lf the crowtl were singing az Justify |
~ rlass-leadrrs and puundite lime
with their isis upun ihe card iahles.
Amer the hNuh Was sung "a short
prayer was offered and IN srrmnu be-
gan II was plain. fervenif manly
talk straight from an earnesi heart.
The preachers !ace was sympathetic.
his voice was tender al times aud then
II rose in q ringing tone like The blast Of
trumpet The words were simple.
bold and true. lie plainly told them OF
the danger of sin. the certainty Of pen
atty for the sinner. and rnded vita an
eNhnrtation 10 regain the inrocence
and purity OF their childhnod days. He
wus in the midst Of a pathetic picture
of The far-awny home. where loved ones
were thinking. weeping aud praying
for The wicked wanderer, and the crowd
was hunging In breaihless silence upon
his words. An angry alteration was
begun al the feet Of the pre- aoher II
was fierce and brief.
IAN old man with the face of a demon
and the form Of a giant was playing
cnrds with young lad with long curly
hair and The sweet innocent face OF a
girl. The giant wns called slippery
Dick He was the terror Of the town
lie was such consuinmate trickster
with cards hat every game was delib-
erute robbery upon his part. The lad
was called The Baby hecuuse OF his
face and curls. When The two sat down
TO play. every one inihe saloon had said
10 his neighbor;
"What a fool "The BABY" is TO try
10 play cards with slippery Dick
'"rhe death-hke silence which wns
stirred only by the low. gentle voice OF
= the preacher was broken IN upon by
The Baby's' clear boyish treble;
"'You're n cheat!
"'slippery Dick roared with the
fury of a mnd bull;
"'You're linr!'
Both sprang to their feet. The old
man snaiched his revolver from his
E belt. The hammer caught in the fold
OF bis flannel shirt. and before he could
loosen II. the young man was upon him
: with the spring of tiger. The little
hand. as strong as steel grasped the
- L.. = = N hr,.tits tai ~
flashed In the light, and the next sec
e ond was buried IN the old mans heart
He sank hacl, in his chair killed In
y stantly. Before q man could stir. Jacl
p" had pressed n revolver against The
F" Baby's breast and shouted:
"'Move and you're dead mani
,e "The young man coolly folded his
arms and said in a ringing. deiian
I" voice;
" ale cheated me and I've hRed him
Do what you pleased
"Jack gave orders TO search the bod.
e, Of the dead man. When a whole pack o
II cards were found concealed about hi
!" person. all accepted this as certain evi
~ dence OF fraud. Jack roared out:
~ "'rhis court decides that skipper,
Dick" was caught cheatin' and "rh
Us Baby" is guilty OF iusiidable homicid
% and goes free. All in favor Of the mo
" tion say "Ayel"'
=" "a thunder Of Ayes responded.
y, "'All opposed say mo" said JAG
as he cooked his revolver and glare
~ about the room A moments death
y, like silence followed. Jack in lowe
~ tone said:
~ This court Is unanimous and 9Th
Baby" is acquitted. The parson vii
a. now say n prayer for "Slippery Dick.
" and wen take him out and plant him
Il. "The great bell rang out as Jnr
4, shouted:
rh "'Ar up. gents; hats OFT Every on
H.. stood and uncovered the head.
ie Il have heard many prayers in m
ne life, butnever one like the parsons owe
slippery Dick The preacher towere
r above the sen of heads, and. with eye
closed, talked with God. lie pleaded 70
ar mercy for the mob Of sinners befoT
him who were on the road to eterui
lid ruin. lie uncovered the hard and Cruz
hearts about him with the fearless an
steady hand of master surgeon. 70
ar. could hear the quick gasp of suppresse
IS. breathing as each one Of the pack Z
lie reprobates felt the unsparing hand r
he veal bis own guilty secret.
The THE prayer for Jack, the ringlead'
full in sin. was like blast from furnac
Jack covered his face with his slouC
&c hat and trembled like a leaf. The p
nj, tition for slippery Dick was piciui
the Of awful sin receiving its awful penali
,ct. in accordance with Divine law.
in. brought sob Of terror from a score
hearts. When the prayer reached 'fs
nd Baby the hard voice trembled al
RS broke into a vail and ended IN hear
i'm breaking sob. The strong man plei
in the name Of the mother. who throuf
see her burning tears prayed day and mig
,or. for the loved boys return. I have SCI
his trees swayed by n cyclone until felt
= il they must be torn from their roots
the next fierce blast. So that mass
,e- heads swayed and bowed while q