The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-03
Brother Barr and the Cowboy.

B
did 1 ever tell you about my broth
er's adventure with a cowboy out in
Colorado?" inquired the Rev. Thomas
Edward Barr of the Peoples pulpit,
according TO the Milwaukee Sentinel.
No? Well, Brother Walter is a
preacher, same as l am. and fifteen or
sixteen years ago, while he was out
in Colorado, he went with some brother
clergymen to Burnt Fork. d ranch set
tlement with 1000 or 5000 people. to
do little missionary work
They had never had any religious
services there and 1t was a novelty to
them Walter rented the school house
for two weeks, paying for it In adj
vance, and began holding two services
day, with a full attendance at every
meeting. The second night a man call
ed him aside and said:
" Parson, there's cowboy, one of
the most onery critters in this part of
the country, coming here to break up
your meeting
The fourth morning, after this the
school house was filled with men,
there being a marked absence of wo-
men and children, and my brother con-
cluded that something was coming,
and he was not mistaken. Just as the
/ looking man. with fringed leggtns, a
bright colored Jacket so far as trim
mings were concerned and with long,
wavy hair hanging over his shoulders,
rode up to the school house, hitched
his pony and pushed his way through
the crowd to the front of the room.
Here he forced man to give him his
seat, and then began to humble all
through the opening services.
Brother Walter took no notice of
this, but when he began his sermon the
man also began to talk. just loud
enough to disturb the meeting.
Walter did not know whether the
fellow was bluffing or was really going
to make trouble. He decided to put
him to the test by raising his voice
so that the intruder, If he was to make
himself heard, would have to do some
shouting also.
The cowboy followed his example
and began shouting.
Then Walter stepped to the front OF
the platform and, facing him. said:
:" See here, my friend, l have hired
this school house for two weeks. l am
in possession, and the laws of Colorado
and of the United States are behind
me, and / propose to conduct these
meetings peaceably if I can, with force
IL IlQSls l. ildNC. OCCn lOlu VI yOui
intention to come here and break them
up. 1 want you to keep STILL
"I don't care for the laws of Colo
rado nor the United States, neither,
replied the man as he rose up in his
seat.
"I don't care, eitherH replied Wal
ter. I can protect myself I'll give
you just a quarter of minute to get
out of herel"
q will not disturb your meeting,
said the cowboy as he took his seat
/ This turn in affairs rather astonish-
ed Walter, but he proceeded with his
sermon in peace.
"The secret of the change of front
on the part of the intruder came later
when in explanation of his backdown
he declared that the preacher had the
drop on him. The fact is, rom his
boyhood days Walter had a habit, when
speaking, of resting his right hand on
his hip, and the man thought he had
his hand on gun and declared that
he had the devil in his eye, and
thought he would be too quick for
| me-
Three months later this cowboy
Joined the mission church, and six
months later Walter installed him as
the superintendent of the Sunday
school, and he is now a straight-laced
| Presbyterian