Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1931-07-30

shooters, one Oh eacn Si0e, Dul4eu re-
assuringly In their holsters.
His thrilling voice sounded through
the tent, stilling its buzz and move
ment
Friends and fellow citizens. I have
been called on to conduct this OPEN
ing meeting of the Usage First Meth
odist Episcopal Lutheran, Presby-
terrain. Congregational. Baptist. Cath
Ollie, Unitarian church. In the course
of my career as lawyer and an edl-
tor ! have been required TO speak on
varied occasions and on many sub
Jects. have spoken In defense of my
country and In criticism Of 1t; have
been called on to defend and to con-
vict horse thieves, harlots murderers,
samples OF which professions could
doubtless be found In any large gath
erIng In the Indian territory today.
name no names ! point no finger.
Whether for good or for evil. the fact
remains that any man or woman, for
whatever purpose, found In this great
Oklahoma country today Is here be-
cause In his or her veins, actuated by
motives lofty or base, there is the
spirit OF adventure. Though | know
the Bible from cover to cover. and
while many Of its passages and pre-
cepts are craven on my heart and in
my memory. this. fellow citizens OF
Usage, is the first time that | have
been required to speak the Word OF
God in his temple" He glanced
around the gaudy, glaring tent. For
any shelter. however sordid, however
hnmble-no ofFense. Grat--becomes,
while his word is spoken within 1t.
his temple. Suppose, then. that we
unite In spirit by uniting In song. We
have, you will notice, no hymn books.
We will therefore open this suspicious
occasion in the brief but inevitably
| glorious history OF the city OF Usage
by singing-uh-what do you all know
boys, anyway
| There was a moments slightly en-
barrassing pause. Yancey raised an
| arm In encouragement. Come on,
boys! Name 1t Any suggestions,
ladies and gentlemen"
How about Who Were You at
Homer just for starter" called out
voice belonging to q man with a
shining do1ne-shaped bald head and 4
flowing silky beard. reddish In color.
1t was Shanghai Wiley, up from
/ Texas; owner OF more than one hun
dred thousand longhorn cattle and OF
the Rancho palacios, on Tres Palacios
creek. He was the most famous cattle
singer In the whole Southwest. besides
| being one Of its richest cattle and land
| owners Possessed of a remarkably
high sweet tenor voice that just es-
| capped being clear soprano. he had
been known 10 quiet whole herd Of
| restless cattle on the verge OF mad
/ stampede. II was an art he had
learned when cowboy on the range.
Yancey acknowledged this sugges-
/ tion with grateful wave of the hand.
That's right, Shanghai. Thanks for
speaking up. A good song, though a
| little secular for the occasion. per-
| haps. But anyway, YOU all know It,
/ and that's the main thing Kindly
| favor us with the pitch. will you.
| Shanghai? VIII the ladies kindly join
in with their sweet soprano voices
/ Now, then, all together y
II was a well known song in the
4 xsba ,ic
and wild country, SO many settlers
with checkered-not to say plaid
/ past had found 1t convenient to change
| their names.
The congregation took 1t up feeling
~, 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 ecstacy. They
might have been singing Onward,
Christian Soldiers" Through 1t all,
high and clear, sounded Shanghai
Wiley's piercing tenor, like brasses In
a band, and sustaining 1t from the
roulette table platform the cello OF
Yancey Crayat's powerful, rich BARI
tone.
Sabra had Joined in the singing, not
first, but later. tImidly. 1t had
seemed, somehow, to relieve her. This,
she thought, was better. Perhaps,
after all. this new community was
about to make a proper beginning.
She began to feel prim and good and
settled at last.
Now, them" said Yancey, all aglow.
1.-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 plying
gray eye. Because, you Spanish In
fidel, part OF church service is TAX
ing up a collection. Southwest Davis,
I appoint you to work this side OF the
house. Ike Bixler, you take that side.
The collection, fellow citizens, ladies
and gentlemen-and you, too, Pete-is
for the new church organ"
why, hi, Yancey, we amt got a
church," bawled Pete again, az
grieved.
That's all right, Pete Once we
buy an organ well have to build q