Phoenix tribune., 1920-02-28
The GAMBLERS
Church
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Continued from Last Week.

!
ut does come to me now that Sis
ter Hawkins gave me twenty-five dol
lars some weeks ago to credit to her
club, but it slipped my memory. 1t
all comes to me now. She gave it to
me one day when l happened to be
! at her restaurant. l must have lost
it because l don't remember having
that much money afterward And SO
the whole thing passed out of my mind
entirely. But l will make good. Here
are eighteen dollars of it now and /
will get up the other seven Eefore
night"
| Rev. Harris had spoken the naked
truth and in all he had said he was
as honest as an angel of light. But
] the bad part was it sounded like a lie
and Deacon Thompson was not above
taking full advantage of the situation.
Children" he began again, 81 be-
lieve in the square thing. And there's
something about this that don't look
square. Looks mighty crooked to me.
Things have come to a pretty pass
when we can't trust our own pastor
with our own money Looks to me
mighty like we need new preacher"
But have told the TRUTH" pleaded
the minister; God knows l have told
the truth. l don't know what became
OF the money though 1 remember
had it. III make it good 1 have told
the truth. L"
ANY common rogue would say the
'same," interrupted the deacon, now
quite sure of his ground. "And we
had just as well settle this thing right
now. So while I am on my feet III
move that we declare the pulpit of
! Ebenezer vacant. Do l hear a sec
ond?"
Second the notion" said Sister
Hawkins, having hardly sat down.
"All that's in favor of the motion
signify by rising to your feet" said
the dictator.
This carefully staged piece of tricks
cry had been too much for the un-
wary, unsuspecting members of Ebe-
nezer. That the preacher had been
caught a red-handed rogue with the
! goods on seemed evident on the face
of it. The reaction was swift and ter
rifle. Instantly the popular preacher
of yesterday became the outcast of
today. Half the members stood up
directly ESQ great was the effect of
this SUDDENLY uncovered scandaD and
seeing half standing, the balance slow
ly rose and made the vote unanimous
The pastor burst into tears Broth
ers, Christians, Friends" he pleaded,
do hear me. have done no wrong
l will make the money good"
"Sit down, preacher" and every
body started at the big heavy voice
which had roar in it like a lions.
And everybody strained neck and eye
to watch the big man as he forged
his way from the back of the church
up to where Deacon Thompson stood.
Tim Nelson had come to church
that morning in order to win a friend
ly bet. Some one of his rowdy COM
panions had stood him five bucks that
if he went to church they would turn
him back at the door, Tim Nelson,
veteran sport, gambler and all-round
sinner, had come to church, had been
admitted, had>won his bet, had heard
a good sermon, and was now on the
verge of returning to draw down when
the matter of Sister Hawkins was
suddenly thrust into the service by
Deacon Thompson.
You folks sit down." he command
ed, gaining the front and facing the
deacon; 81 got something to tell you
that may knock you back into your
senses. And you sit down, jim
Thompson, you old two-faced hypo-
crite! Don't open your mouth to me
or I'll turn you up to the white folks
for the liquor I been buying from you
for the last ten years. I'll tell EN-
that the back end of your store amt
nothing but q barroom on the q. t.
amt so low as to squeal on a man
been buying liquor from, but when
see an old hypocrite like you trying
to double-cross such a good man as
Preacher Harris is, then I'm mean
enough to do anything to him.
Preacher Harris don't know what
he did with that twenty-five bones.
Well, l happen to know. Your great
and mighty Deacon Thompson here
has got trifling, no-account son
named Sid. You all know him. There