Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1902-05-22

nCAY, Parson, did you hear that
y Mason was coming?"
The speaker was a 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 gos-
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 a 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 a 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 a 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 ruiz
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 MI. Wills was asked the
question already recorded, he knew
that the district would oppose Ma
sons advance, and that it meant not
only a slaughter of sheep, but pos
sibly the loss of human life. 1t 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"
yes, / know"
"And we don't, you see" Dick said,
in a very positive way.
'If there should be shooting, are
you all ready for it?" And Mr.. Wills
looked his friend earnestly in the eye,
'All ready" was the prompt reply.
81 know what you lei We fellows
think lots of your teaching, parson,
if we don't seem to practice it much.
l 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
heart!" was the triumphant reply
"How long have you had it""
Three months"
"How much have you read it?"
"Oh, I 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 thu
result Of his teaching. In truth, hi
was wondering il he had SO taught
these people that they regarded re
ligious instruction rs a stock of in
carnations to ward off evil, and thu
Bible as a charm for the same pur