The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1902-06-06
BY MILFORD w. FosHAY.
-
nCAY, Parson, did you hear that

~ Mason was COnlngI
The speaker was typical western
ranchman. His stalwart frame was
propped negligently against his lit
tie, rat-like pony, with one arm
thrown over it's shoulder as if ready
to pick it up and carry it off. The
man addressed had just ridden up
to the log post office. Booted and
spurred, with his broad brimmed hat,
as he sat astride the red bronco, he
did not appear very much like a Cos
pei advocate. Yet he was, and the
sole wielder of the "Sword of the
Spirit" within a radius of some so
miles.
This man was known and loved by
all the families in the sparsely set
tied district, because he was ever
ready to watch at the bedside of the
sick or to gallop the 10 miles to the
lonely little station in the valley, and
telegraph for doctor when the case
was desperate. More than this, he en-
tered heartily into all their local
interests, knitting himself so closely
to them that his influence often
averted outbursts over disputed wa
ter privileges, or other disturb
ing conditions. He felt that
they valued his ministrations to
the dying and offices to the
dead; yet he often sighed that the
living were so careless of his advice
regarding spiritual attainments. But
he kept his signs to himself; for he
well knew that while genuine tear
for another's physical suffering
would touch their hearts, anything
of that nature which accompanied
religious teaching would weaken his
influence.
Just now, this district was in dan
gerous state of excitement over the
attitude of the sheep men. This was
a cattle region, and it had no inten-
ton of permitting Mason to drive
through his flock Of sheep and ruin
the pasturage for the season. He had
done SO once, and the experience was
not to be repeated. They sent him
word to this effect, and he replied
shortly, that, when he got orders
from Washington not to trespass on
the government land beyond the
Hogback, he would take another
route-and not till then.
So, when Mr.. Wills was asked the
question already recorded, he knew
that the district would oppose Ma
sons advance, and that it meant not
only slaughter of sheep, but pos
sibly the loss of human life. It was
of no use to talk against the method
to be employed. He had done that;
but this was a case in which they felt
it necessary to set his counsel at
naught. He would say something,
however, to this mountain giant
whose good impulse he knew to be in
keeping with the size of the organ
which set them going.
swell, Dick, when will he be here?"
"About the last of next week. He
has started, but will have to stop at
Crooks to feed his precious flock.
He expects to let them do their own
feeding through here, you know"
eyes, know"
"And we don't, you see," Dick said,
in very positive way.
eff there should be shooting, are
you all ready for it?" And Mr.. Wills
looked his friend earnestly in the eye.
Gall ready was the prompt reply.
81 know what you mean. We fellows
think lots of your teaching, parson,
if we don't seem to practice it much.
want to tell you that when we were
over to Divide last time, we got
something that will keep us all right.
See that bulge?" and he drew his shirt
smooth, on his left side.
'Yes. What is it?"
"a New Testament, right over my
hearth" was the triumphant reply
"How long have you had it?"
'Three months"
"How much have you read it?"
"Oh, haven't read it any. But you
said we ought always to have one
along with u.s."
Mr.. Wills did not seem to rejoice
as much as Dick looked for, over the
result of his teaching. In truth, he
was wondering if he had so taught
these people that they regarded re-
Hgious instruction as a stock of in
carnations to ward off evil, and the
Bible as charm for the same pur-
pose. When he came among them
three years before, he found men
and women who had grown up, mar
f1ed and reared children without ever
having attended divine service. 1t
was exceedingly difficult to lead them
to conception of spiritual relations
between God and themselves. He
now asked for the Book, and finding
that it contained the Psalms, he
marked the fifteenth verse of the
fiftieth Psalm, and the third chapter
of John, sixteenth verse. Handing
1t back, he said:
81 wish you would read what /
have marked"
'All right, will, sometime" Dick
promised, putting the Book away in
its resting place.
Before Mason gets here?''
''Don't like to take medicine before
I'm sick. If it should go hard with
me, I'll look it up"
On a day of the following week,
word was circulated that Mason
would probably drive his sheep
through during the night. Mr.. Wills
slept little and did not undress, that
he might be ready in case he was