The Coolidge examiner., 1931-09-18
CHAPTER V-Continued.

"How about who Were You a
Homer just for a starter" called
out a voice belonging to a man with
shining dOme-shaped bald heaC
and a flowing silky beard, reddist
in color. 1t was Shanghai Wiley
up from Texas; owner of more
than one hundred thousand long
horn cattle and Of the Rancho Pala
clos, on Tres Palacios creek. He
was the most famous cattle singer
in the whole Southwest, besides be
ing one of it's richest cattle and
land owners. Possessed Of a re-
markably high sweet tenor voice
that just escaped being a clear so
pranO. he had been known to quiet
a whole herd of restless cattle on
the verge of a mad stampede. II
was an art he had learned when a
cowboy on the range.
Yancey acknowledged this sugges-
tion with a grateful wave of the
hand.
That's right, Shanghai. Thanks
for speaking up. A good song,
though a little secular for the occa-
sion. perhaps. But anyway, you all
know il. and that's the main thing.
Kindly favor us with the pitch, will
you. Shanghai? viii the ladies
kindly join in with their sweet So
prano voices? Now, then, all to-
gether!"
1t was well known song in the
territory where, on coming to this
new and wild country, so many
settlers with a checkered-not to
say plaid-past had found it con-
venient to change their names.
The congregation took it up feel
ingly, almost sOlemnly. Somebody
in the rear suddenly produced an
accordion, and from the crowd
perched on the saloon bar came the
sound of jews harp The chorus
now swelled with all the fervor of
songs ecstasy. They might have
been singing Onward, Christian
Soldiers" Through it all, high and
clear, sounded Shanghai Wiley's
clear piercing tenor, like brasses in
a band, and sustaining it from the
roulette table platform the cello
of Yancey Cravat's powerful, rich
baritone
Sabra had joined in the singing,
not at first, but later, timidly. 1t
had seemed, however, to relieve
her. This. she thought, was better.
Perhaps, after all, this new com
munity was about to make a proper
beginning. She began to feel prim
and good and settled at last.
Now, then," said Yancey, all
aglOw, the next thing in order is
to take up the collection before the
sermon"
what for?" yelled Pete De
Vargas.
Yancey fixed him with a pitying
gray eye. Because, you Spanish
infidel, part of a church service is
taking up a collection. Southwest
Davis, / appoint you to work this
side of the house. Ike Bixler, you
take that side. The collection, fel-
low citizens, ladies and gentlemen
and you, too, Pete-is for the
new church organ"
"Why, HI, Yancey, we amt got
a churchl" bawled Pete again
aggrieved.
That's all right, Pete. Once
we buy an organ we'll have to build
church to put it in. Stands to
reason. Members of the cOngrega
ton, anybody putting in less than
two bits will be thrown out of the
tent by me. Indians not included ,
The collection was taken up, IL
two five-gallOn sombreros, the con.
tents of which, as they passed from
one hairy Sunburned paw to the
next, were watched with eagle eyes
by Southwest Davis and Ike Blk
Ter, and, in fact, by the entire gath.
ering. The sOmbreros were then
Solemnly and with some hesitation
brought to the roulette table pulpit
for Yancey's inspection.
"Mr. Graf GOtch. being used tc
lightning calculations in the matter
of coins. will kindly count the pro
ceeds of the collection"
Arkansas Graf, red-faced anC
perspiring, elbOwed his way to the
pulpit and made his swift and &C
curate count. He muttered the re
suit to Yancey. Yancey announced
it publicly. Fellow citizens, the
sum of the first collection for the
new church organ for the Osagt
church, whose denomination shall
be nameless, is the gratifying tota
of one hundred and thirty-nine
dollars and fifty-five cents. Heb
wait a minute, Graft Fifty-fve-
did you say fifty-five cents?"
That's right. Yancey."
Yancey's eye swept his flock
"Some miserable tight-fsted skin
flint of "a But maybe it was 6
Ponca or an Usage. by mistake"
How about a Cherokee, Yam
cey!" came a taunting voice from
somewhere in the rear.
"No, not a Cherokee, Sid. Recog
nlzed your voice by the squeak.
Cherokee-as you'd know if yoU