The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-04-07

am an ordained clergyman Of the
Protestant Episcopal church and have
spent my life In mission work, usually
among miners. When The gold fever
was at It's height IN the west-that IS,
before mining communities we're Or
ganized on the respectable basis many
Of them are run on today did deal
Of work among them. I would settle
myself at a central point in a mining
district, from which would make trips
to different camps, speaking to the PEG
pie, trying 70 lead them to walk In the
straight and barrow path. was young
and muscular In those days Indeed,
had been a member OF the university
football team Of nv college.
One Sunday morning ! started on a
ten mile walk to a mining camp at
which ! bad spoken before and had
made enough converts to warrant the
starting Of a church. / was going to
address them on the subject, after
which collection weulg be taken up
to start fund for a buiiuing The day
was fine, the sky a deep blue. aud as !
strobe on. occasionally pausiae 70 en-
Joy some expansive view, | thought
how thankful ! should be at having
such work to 10 Instead OF being shut
up in a counting room or an once try
ing to make money out Of people rath-
er than Improving their condition.
On the way met a man carrying
lariat ii bis hand who, seeing my cler-
Zeal garb. took On his hat to NE and
wished me good morning / stopped
to speak with him, but he politely
turned about ard walked With me that
the time used in converting should be
cit his expense instead Of mine He
asked me where | was going, nv pur-
pose and other questions pertaining to
my work ! noticed that he was par
ticular to know If this were to be my
first visit to the camp Then be asked
nae where I would preach the next
Sunday, and ! told him at the Palmer
Gulch camp, some 1--WE miles frem the
Acme camp. to which | WAS then 40
ing. I gave him much other informa-
ton including my name. before It oc-
Cured to me that he might have some
object IN getting al these facts
Suddenly he whipped out d revolv-
er and, holding Il cooked upon my
nose. told me to take Of my clothes
It dashed upon me that he would put
them on himself 20 70 the Acme
camp. personate me. take up col
lection and II possible get away with
II. Probably might have given my
life to defeat bis purpose. but my life
would avaH nothing. obeyed bis or
der and exchanged clothes with him,
after which he bound my ankles and
my hands with the lariat ard left me
on thinking bis design over made
up my mind that he would not 30 to
the Acme camp, for ! had told him
was known there, but TO Palmer
Gulch camp, where be knew bad
never been. ] must get rid Of those
cords, follow him and head him Of
from what believed was ais swim
ding purpose Though very strong, !
could not burst the bonds. nor could |
unite them. was smoking pipe when
the man joined nse ard Ind contiausd
to give an occasional puff The Co
baeco WAS still lighted It occurred 70
me that ! might possibly light . fife
and burn them The only iaaammable
thing near me was dry grass | man,
aged to collect some with my fingers
dumped the lighted tobacco on it and
BY vigorous blowing produced 4 dame
over this held the cord that bound
my wrists, smuggling it So that with nlg
patural strength ] was able to break