The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-06-29

Ziegler's back room and told a constantly
augmented circle the story of the Son. They
reserved a place for him now, and it was no
ticeable that many Of his auditors took pains
with their dress. There were clean shirts
and freshly creased boots silk handkerchiefs
emerged from the corners of drawers to glad
den the eye; and three or four went to the
length Of shaving Also, they were less eager
to interrupt the current of his discourse, to
question the authenticity of statement or
the human possibility of an incident AS
Father Walsh drew Him, He stood very
real, grandly brave and lovable figure, in
calm and stress'exhibiting in their perfection
those qualities they could appreciate. Once
or twice when a,listener broke in on the mar
rative and the, priest strayed to demolish OBJ
jectons or soothe genuine doubt, the ma
jority showed fierce impatience, and it was
as much to their muttered imprecations as to
priestly reasoning that instant retreat was
due Gambling on the seventh day became
unknown. Always the strange service ended
the one way-they drank gravely, the priest
tilting his glass tothcirs, and went home.
1t CHANGED that,the Dog Iron men made
detour and struck, the town at high noon.
Forty strong, they came fresh from weeks of
sweating toll withtthe half-wild cattle OF the
mountains; they were on fire with the animal
joy Of life. Thatlnight the dance hall was
thrown open, the entire town was hidden to
come, and yearlirg steer was dragged up for
a barbecue Deadeye looked to see Father
Walsh retire within the Eating House and
shut his ears to the,ofiensive babel. He did
nothing of the kind Instead he walked the
street, unblushingly seeking acquaintance
ship with these turbulent riders of cowland.
And when the ball opened that night, he
marched into the hall arm and arm with
Lewis and Lisby, the boss Of the Dog-Iron
outfit
Certain ladies who had been invited, failed
to put in an appearance. Let's be decen.,"
suggested Lisby, as he despatched the mes
senger, "just this once" So they held
tag-dance, and ii was the noisiest and most
orderly function ever held in Dcadcye
Father Walsh stayed until the end, beaming
on them through the dust and smoke from
the bench along the wall, his red face ashinc
with good-na;0;c The gold-red dawn saw
them sarge across tic street to the Eating
i.e@ec, a.;d -l.ea 10 ocd
One day Deade,c woke Up and rubbed its
eyes Was this lainS real There on the
bo~ler OF the town, net biccuit-throw from
Inc last dwelling teetered the skeleton of a
building With hammer in his freckled
list aud his mouth full of nails, Father Walsh
.warclcd ell over and about it, directing the
labors Of two refugees from the republic Of
Mexico. The town gave over all other pur-
suits and congregated to stare and ask ques.
tons.
"This is to be the church told you Of" the
priest informed them with simple pride
The tower will be twenty feet high, boys.
Straightway they held mass meeting at
Ziegler's, for this was a venture affecting
realty values and the commercial prosperity
Of Deadeye Tom was bitterly opposed to
church. In panic over the possible injury
to his establishment, he saw in the gaunt
framework, 50 threatcningly close, the enter
ing wedge of a reform that would sweep Dead
eye clean and he hurled forth so well as he
could remember the savage denunoiations Of
The Roman power that Lutheran father had
inculcated in early youth-a how widely
had Tom himself strayedl He went to the
length Of asserting that Walsh was not reg
ularly ordained priest Some there were who
aDplaudcd his contentious irresponsible
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