The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-08-21
CONVERSION OF MARSHAL HUNT

! remnant OF the OLD nara element. gam
blers. drinkers, cowmen and young ad.
venturers from the East, who refused L
submit to the willing dominance OF the
reformers. The women had social econ
onics club, a culture society, d Chau
tauqua circle and & number OF lesser
enterprises devoted TO the uplifting OF tht
town. The billboards had been spotted
with yellow cards reading BE Sanitars
and Be Sane, the Ladies' Sanitation So
ciety had obtained an ordinance making
expectoration on the streets. sidewalks
o. other public places a nlisdemeanor.
The movement for culture and reform
was strong It divided the social aspect
Of the town in clear. weIl-understood
lines; it cut a figure in politics; supplied
the town debating society with topics
and nettleG the natives"
| The greatest GLOW which the better ele-
ment had ever sustained was the murder
O. Dr.. Wilcox, pastor of the First church.
| ana his only son, = 10y OF y. They had
been waylaid, murdered aud robbed by a
cattle rustler named Terry Dunlap while
! they were driving from Ojo, where the
! pastor sometimes preached, TO San Marcos
! where he had lived. Terry Dunlap had
! been a ranger with the reputation of a
| college education. lie turned outlaw be-
cause he was drummed out of the Texas
1 service. and for three years he had been
| the terror Of all that country which lies
! between the lower Nueces and the Pecos.
and even across the Rio Grande, where
I he sometimes forayed. The murder OF
Dr. Wilcox and his son was still an alb
scrbing topic, though it had been done
more than year ago. The widow and
her daughter, who was IS years old, yet
lived in the little stone rectory in San
Marcos, but the church was closed, except
when an itinerant clergyman happened
along. None of these errant preachers,
most OF whom were IN search of health
cared to remain. Perhaps they were
frightened by the story of Dr. VIII
coxs fate, perhaps the town looked
rough, but at any rate the First church
had no regular pastor.
Next to the Wilcox murder the chief
source of society gossip in the town was
the love affair" between Luke Hunt and
Bessie Wilcox. Luke was the town mar
shall, feet l, 80 years old. an ex-ranger.
silent as sphinx, with quiet smile and
a seldom laugh, but ready to shoot-tOo
ready, said the reformers-and consumed
with an ambition to be sheriff OF the
county. That Bessie was inclined to smile
upon his patient suit was no secret. Nei-
Their was the opposition of Mrs. Wilcox.
The chief objection 10 Luke was that he
was never seen inside of the church
Then he drank" not to excess. perhaps
but the reform element was dead set
against liquor, and Luke Hunt used it.
He had been in the rangers with Terry
Dunlap, and Lukes enemies went so far
as to whisper that the marshal cOnnived
a the murderer's escape Nobody said
anything like that out loud" but his OPP
pOnents were using IL to stop Luke's
chances Of being sheriff
As for Luke, he had three ruling am
billions. He meant to marry Bessie VII
cox he was determined to be sheriff Of
Rico county, and he would have given
his right hand for a fair shot at Terry
Dunlap. In certain sense the last,
though most remote. was the most i'm
portant for the capture or killing of the
outlaw would give him a cinch on the
shrievalty and condone all his other short
comings in the eyes OF Mrs Wilcox In
the meanwhile, however, the Wilcox home
was denied him. the reform clement was
working tooth and nail for Deacon
Blank. and the love affairs Of Luke Hunt
as well as the political aspiration of
Marshal Hunt were whitening between
the cross-fires of rivalry and prejudice
1t was at this time that a fair-haired.
dulcet-vofced, unctuous young preacher
came to San Marcos. looked over the
ground" and enthusiastically declared
that he felt a call" to make that his
vineyard for the Lord The newcomer
made great hit with the reformers
ladies of the Economic and Culture clubs
licnized him, the leading spirits of the
better element took up a subscription TO
launch him upon his pastoral career, and /
he leaped at once into popular favor by
making nightly evangelical incursions in
to the tough district across the tracks. " |
He was eloquent. There could be no
doubt about that. Luke Hunt listened one !
night while he was harranguing crowd |
rail ma and ,T,s, 81
the Plaza saloon, and went away con-
WINGED that the new clergyman was a /
whirlwind for talk" Before Sunday the /
new preacher, whose name was St. Clair /
Rev St Clair Dubose-sought out the /
marshal and complained that beer was /
being sold in tin cans 10 boys by some /
of the 'groggeries.' Luke didn't like /
the reverend gentlemans lisp. but he /
promised to look into it," and they part /
ed after Mr.. Dubose had invited Luke to I
attend the Sunday service.
The success of the new pastor was GER
tain half an hour before the Sunday
service commenced. Not even in /
the days of old DR.. Wilcox had there
been such turnout. but the most aston
ishing feature Of the revival was the
presence % Marshal Hunt He came a
bit late, and DR.. Dubose was on the point
of beginning his sermon when Luke walk
ed slowly down the aisle to the front
pew The preacher looked a bit dis
for 4 second as the gigantic Of
ncer came il, but quickly regained his
composure and even smiled with quiet
as he recognized the import
lnce OF this recruit.
The congregation, according to their
pTejudices, took different views OF the
appearance Of the marshal /
The women thought it was a bid for
Mrs. Wilcoxs favor; the politicians said
Il was a play for the reform vote; ev-
anybody stared at Luke until the sermon
began. 1t was a corker The women
we're in ecstacies, the men were surprised
ana edited.
Set your affections on things above.
lot on things of earth said the preacher
raising his dark eyes heavenward, for
your life is hid with Christ in Cod Seek
irst the kingdom OF God and His right
;ousuess ana all things needful shall be
added unto
Are you ready to seek il. Terry
suddenly roared Marshal Hunt, standing
-, his IS leveIed and queer smile or his
gentle face.
He that doeth the-the will the
preacher pale as his shirt, was stsrnmer-
ng as if he would ignore the interrup-
ion. The congregation was Indignant
.cared. shocked into absolute. motioulcss
'iience.
''Abideth for-forever, gulped the col
apsing preacher
You dyed your hair and lei your whis-
,ers GROW. didn't you. Terry Dunlap
esuued Luxe. stepping upon the plat
orm and coilarlng the iirup masquerade
You've got , beautiful nerve and yol r.
.qt bad az preaching. but-ccme along
They sc got a sure enough pastor ~ (
ne First church new ard Sheriff HINT