Weekly journal-miner., 1915-12-29

"o tOoSH P4OPOoltlOil do eh iIHpS
 cunious prospector trying to string a
 bet from the king to the ace with a
 two-bit chip. For it tranSpired there was not vacant building in the camp,
 much less one large enough for the purpose in view. Soapy Smith, how ever stepped into the breach and say cd the situation.
 Tt it's agreeable to everybody I will sit into your game, gentlemen he said, as he entered the room where our hastily formed committee on ways and means was holding a shamed- faced session with The Parson. Ad- dressing the latter, he continued
 "Parson, you and I have known each other for many years. All l know about you IS to the good. l guess that all you know about mo is to the bad, and I suppose it's a safe bet that most of the back-capping talk you've heard it true. However that may be, want you to know that I'm your friend from the first to the last deal of the cards. I know that the proposition l am about to make to a gentleman of your cloth is unusual and irregular, but I make it without intent to be disrespectful and in the nope that you will view it in that light.
 My proposition is this. You ca1 hold religious services in my place of business tonight, if you see fit. just say the word and I'll turn a jack box Gin gambling parlance, close the games) at any hour you may set. The rest will be up to you.
 "Of course" he dubiously said, fits being used for game that don't fit into your calling" Then, as a wry smile twisted the corners Of his mouth, he added: But as l look at i it, there's enough cussedness ramping around the place to tax your best efforts as a preacher. Think my proposition over while and then if it's a go, let me know"
 "Well, I'll be l., I mean say ed' calculated Major Wasson, as the gambler left the room, "Soapy's prop osition is one for fair, isn't it? l dunno, Parson," he unused, "but what fit's worth considering. What do you thing about it? To me it seems as though Opportunity was knocking at your door with a miners doublc-jack. | It's big barn of place and will hold more people than any other in the camp. And, as Soapy intimated, it is akin to the inferno ill wickedness." Friends" replied The Parson, God permitting, I will hold religious scr vices in the Denver Club tonight. lease aotiiy Mr. Smith of my decis- icn."
 "Beefstcak Mike" roulette dealer in the Holy Moses Bar, laid off shift when he heard that The Parson was to preach in the Denver Club that evening and pcddled the news from saloon to saloon accompanied by his satellite, "Snccny Jake" Deaf Mat" and "Slanting Annie" pathetic deni- zens of the camps tenderloin, spread the news among tneir sister unfor~ tunates. Long Shorty" the mule skinner, announced the place of meet ing to everyone he met as he guided his ore team over the trail leading to the Last Chance mine. From there the news pcrcolated into the Holy Moses, the Amethyst and the other mine workings of the camp.
 When the miners on day-shift knocked off work they donncd theii 'tailor-mades," with the farine spring-bottom pants much affected by the miners of that period, and saunt- cred down to the Denver Club to take in" the meeting. As the hour for holding the services neared the | crowd in the resort began to thicken. Each new arrival. as inclination die lated, either clbowcd his way to the bar or shouldcred place for himself among the groups at the various gam ing tables.
 At the far end of the long room a party of Dcnvcritcs who had just closed an important mining deal were stringing stacks of gold-pieces along the numbered columns of roulette layout Smith had taken off the GUS limit of ten dollars to num- Der, was spinning the ball in person and permitting the players to bet as high as they pleased.
 Near the center of the room a group oi painted, gaudily-clad women laung- cd and talked hysterically in sham cd-face effort to disguise the motive which had prompted their visit to tho place at so carly an hour.
 The low-voiced comments of the gamcsters droncd on the air like the hum of bees. At intervals the sing soro, call. of cranS and rouIcttp deal