The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-09
DOKER AS A SIDE
l LINE TO PREACHING.
Old Man Gfeenhut Tells of the
Conversion Of q Minister
By 4 Gambler.

BY = Gambler.
Il never knowed but one man to RELY
get religion while he was In the act o playin
POKER said old man Greenhut, as he put
his feet on the window sill and lighted
q fresh cigar, but there's been a many
that I have knowed on has had their faith
siren thened most amazin' just by noticin'
the wonderful ways O. Providence as they
il most gently manifested in draw poker
when the cards is played scientific.
There Is them that don't look at It right.
I've herd preachers that called draw
poker gamblin', an warned church MEN,
bers ag'in playin' it. There was one on
'em came to Abilene, when were young
Teller, an cut quite swath round town
fr few months.
He were likely sort O. chap, too, on
for a misfortunate habit his wife had O.
presentin him with one or two young ones
long about the time O. the spring food
every year. Parson Withers wa mt. none too
well fixed for money. Then. bein' a parson
he didn't pear to get along none too well,
not gettin' no great salary, an not havin'
no means o. maxim outside money. Con-
~
81, an had fourteen children Twin, he
'peared to get kind O. discouraged like
He were q we'll meanin' sort O. chap.
too, t everybody liked, cause he didn't
have no stuck up ways. He useter say
lowed there want no good way o doin'
that 'thouten he went whore sinners was;
80 he were all over town most O. the time
when he want preachin' or studyin, an
you'd find him in old Johnson's saloon
Just as likely as not, or up to the court house
talkin' to gamblers an lawyers an niggers
an all kinds Of outcasts. Didn't make no
difference to him g long 3 it were human
bein' an he reckoned he seen a chanst O
savin' it.
Il were 'tendin' bar for old johnson
them DAYS, an 7 en- remember the first
time he come into Johnson's place. We
was all some fustered, cause we hadn't
never had no real live preacher in the place
afore, an there want no tellin' what he
might be reck min on dom.
.'Twa'n't nothin' serious, though. He
spoke pleasant an said he'd come in SOS
to get acquainted, cause he wanted to
know everybody in town. An he was
pleasant an friendly, even II he wouldn't
drink nothin when johnson offered TO treat
the house. An when he went out the
general opinion was t he were q good
sort
Tom Berger t happened to be settin' in the
place at the time, an he was struck all OF
a heap when he learned who Withers was.
Some on EN- kind O. laughed when the
parson went out, but Berger cussed EN-
crossways for a passel O. fools.
That there Is man, ne says.
hain't never seed a preacher in a rum shop
afore,' he says, an ! don't call to mind as
/ ever seed gambler go to church; but
II this place is good enough for him to come
to, I'm damned il his joint amt good
enough for me to go TO- An I'm eoin'.'
he'd forget all about 1t by Sunday, but he
didn't, an when Sunday come he put on a
clean shirt an shave an went down to
the Methodist chapel. They do say he
put big bill in the hat, too, when they
passed 1t round, but 1t was all folded up,
SO there want nobody but the parson
knowed how big twas.
After that there come to be oonsid' able
OF a friendship atween Withers an Berger,
both on EN- seem there was good stuff
into the other man, an Berger done some
little moren, good many O. the church
goin' an payin' the parsons salary.
He told me once t he reckoned the
money he put out that way done him more
good n any other money he ever spent.
He'd apays found, he said, that any time
he give anything to Withers he'd sure have
luck the next time he set into game.
He were of on the road frequent, but
Abilene were his home, an he'd show up
onoet in a while, an when he did, him an
Withers al'ays had long talk.
but Withers was gettin' more an more
down in the mouth. not I'm any lack O.
religion, but FIN shortage O. money.
Feared he were goin to be moved on at
like the Methodists does, an he we're some
worried about where the next little Withers
was likely to be born, an how in blazes
he were goin' to get the other fourteen
moved, most on EN- bein' too little to walk
.One time him and Berger was talkin'
things over in the saloon, they bein alone,
an not mindin' me. an Berger says, kind O.
sudden:
There's no use talkin', Dominic, you'd
ought for to have side line. This her Q
preachln' the Gospel is all right he says.
'f'r a man that has rich wife, an ! amt
a-sayn' but you cd preach as well as the
next, but there amt no money into it, Now,
bounteous, but there amt no decent way O.
bringin' UP children without money. Plain
as the nose on your face, it's your duty to
get money
THE preacher he lowed that sounded
reasonable. but he says
How am ] goin' to get money? My
salary ia very small, he says, AN even II I
was to get it, l don't see how I'm ever goin'
10 bring up what I've got now, let alone
what the mercy o. heaven is liable to bestow
hereafter. ! sometimes think he says,
as how the tender mercies o. Providence is
tol able cruel on occasions
They be- says Berger, but II you was
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