The daily morning Alaskan., 1902-05-22
THE PARSON OF
 NUGGET CAMP
tOrlglnaLl

bright spring morning entered Nugget Camp. Addressing myself to an old man washing for gold in the creek, told him my object and asked if the Inhabitants of the place would be like ly Co give me a hearing.
 Reckon not, parson," he said. "We had a man along here on the same business year ago"
 "Tell me about it"
 'It was list sech a mOrnin as this when a man walked Into this place an said he was a parson. He was not straltlaccd, long faced duder, but one of them glnoine, sympathlzln' sort of fellers carc'lated to take right hold ot a camp Ike this. The first thing he done was to sit down to a game of poker with the boys. an it wasn't long ufore be cleaned em an out. Then he set up the liquor fur the gang an drunk one stln horn hlsself.
 "'Now. boys, he said, 'sence I've shown you that I'm no whinin', long haired, snlvilln' evangelist. but one of your own kind, I think pa'aps youn pay some attention to what I say. I've mined an struck it big, an mined az mighty near starved. I've gambled an soaked an done a heap of ornery things too numerous to mention. Then one day struck lt blggern l ever done afore. got what's wuth more'n an the gold in these we're mountlngs-re- ilgion. Sence that time I've wanted other people to enjoy my Gnd. an want to give it Co you all right we're. m after you git it youn an say its the biggest nugget ever found In this we're camp
 " What do you want us to do. par sonr asked one of the gang.
 "I want you to come outen the woods back of this place an listen to what l got to say to you. Come right along now while the spcrlt moves you. Tell all the rest on 'em. Scatter through the camp an say that a mau has come among you who'll distribute a treasure-a treasure not of this world. but of kingdom come
 "Waal, the man had got such an in- duence outer 'em that they went round collectin' Che people. Some come from curiosity; some because they had once got religion an. havin' lost it wanted Co git it again; some because the men huntln' 'em axed 'em to. Leastaways lt wasn't more'n half an hour before every man, woman an child in the camp was in the woods woitin' to lis- ten to the parson. When they was an .hcre. the stranger stood up on a stump lh' says to 'em:
 " Gents, this yere woods is now con. uecrated to this yere holy purpose. It sn't meet to come inter a tamplc Of he Lord with sich ornary things as 45 aliber rcvOlycrs or ten inch dirk lnives. You'rc expected to come meek m humble. Now, before the service begins [ want an weapons deposited over there on that mound. Any man ms keeps SO much as a rusty pocket knife may expect eternal dlmnation.'
 "The men that the parson cleaned out at poker was thc first Co move. Then the rest of the miners, secin' what had been done, or. moved by the holiness of the occasion. goes to the mound, un- straps their weapons an throws 'em on the pile. When lt was an done, the parson aXCd 'cm:
 "'Has any man concluded to desc. crate this place with weapons hid un der his shirt? lf SO. that man win re- pcnt in sackcloth an ashes
 He looked SO searchin' that one man who had kep' his pocketknifc wllted an went out an throwcd it over.
 "I'm glad that mans conscience said the parson, has forbid his com mittin' an unpardonable sin. Is there any other sneakln' sinner who's got a wcoponT
 Nobody else moved, an the parson knowcd they was cleaned out Then, rcachin' under his coattails, he draw ed out two barkers an addressed the mectin';
 "'Sence you're all unarmcd an got the drop on you would announce that the Aust an the last thing afore this meetin' is a contribution. An step up as | pint you out an deposit your yalybles afore this yere stump
 Do you know, stranger, that rascal made every one on 'cm walk up Go the foot of the stump he was a-standin' on an throw down what be had. There was a pile of things, some on 'cm yalyhle. some on 'cm no use, fur the people was so frightened that they pitched over an they had. When the last one had contributed, the parson got down an, still holdiu' his barkers an keepin' one eye on the congrega- ton. picked out what be wanted. When he'd stuffed his pockets he backed up on ter the stump an pronounced a benediction.
 Galoots,' he said. I've gone through a multitude Of suckers, but l never bled a stupider lot than you peo- pie Of Nugget Camp
 "Thar was one real religious man in the crowd, an he spoke up an, look In at the bogus parson, said, quotln' Scripture:
 "'Fooll This night thy soul shall