Year: 1879

Ieadyille Letter in the Wyoming journal


Many had, no doubt, come through curi>
osity to see how Bill, recently converted,
would deport himself in this his initial SER
mon. Upon the stage sat burly red faced
man, with arms folded in careless manner,
who looked over the large audience with an
air of the most decided independence. This
was Faro Bill the speaker Of the occasion.


When he arose he glanced around the tent
for moment evidently collecting his
thoughts, and began: "Feller citizens,
the preacher bein' absent, il falls on me to
take his hand and play it fur all ii is worth,


You all k4ow that I'm just learnin' the
game, and of course, may he expected to
,, make wild breaks, but don't believe thar's
rooster in the camp mean enough to take
advantage o my ignorenee and cold-deck
me right on the first deal I'm sincere in


this new departure, an believe that I've
struck a game that | can play clear through


without copperin' a bet, for when man
| tackles such a layout as this lie plays every
card to win, an if he goes through the deal
as he orter do, when he lays down to die,


an the last case is ready to slide from the
box, he can tell the turn every time. l
was readil' in the bible to-day that yarn
about the prodigal son, an l want to tell
yer the story. The book don't give no
dates, but it happened long, long ago.
This prodigal son had an old man that put
up the coin every time the kid struck him
for stake, an never kicked at the size Of
the pile either l reckon the old man was
purity well fixed, an when he died he in
tended to give all his wealth to this kid and
his brother. Prod give the old man
little game o talk one day and, injuced
him to whack up in advance o the death
racket. He'd no sooner got his dlvy III lls
fist than he shook the old man all struck
out to take in some o the other camps.
He he'd a way~up time for while, an
slung his cash to the front like he owned
the best payin lead on arth, but bad luck


hit him u lick at last an left him flat. The
| book don't state what lie went broke on,


but reckon he got steered up agin some
brace game. But anyhow he got left with


out chip or four bit piece to go an eat


on. An old Granger then TUX him home
an set him to nerdin' hogs, an here he got
so hard up an hungry that he piped off the
swine while they were feedln, and he stood
| in with EN- on a husk lunch. He soon
weakened on such plain provender, an


says to himself says he: Even the old
mans hired hands are livin' on square


grub. while I'm worrying along here on
corn-husk straight. I'll just take grand
tumble to myself an chop on this racket at
once. I'll skip back to the governor, and
| try to fix things up and call fur new deal!


80 off he started. The old man seed the
kid coming, and what do you reckon he
did2 Did he pull his gun and lay fer HIM,
intending to wipe him as soon as lie got
| | Ill b,o l,,,Nl 10 al
him off the rancho? Did he hustle around
for club, and give him stand off at the
front gateP Eh2 Not to any alarming ex~
tent he didn't No, sir The scripture


book SAYS he waltzed ont to meet him, and
froze to him on the spot and kissed hun,


and then marched him off to clothing


store and fitted him out in the nobbiest rig
| to be had for coin. Then the old gent in


yited all the neighbors and killed the fat


calf, and give the biggest blow out the
camp ever seed" At the conclusion of


the narrative the speaker paused, evidently
framing in his mind proper application


of the story Before he could resume,


tall blear eyed gambler with fierce mus
tache, arose and said: "'Taint me as
would try ter break up meeting or do any
thing disreligious. No, sir; l am not that
sort of a citizen. But in all public hoo


docs it is parliamentary rule for anybody


as wants to AK questions to rise mp and hre


them off. | do not want ter fool away time
a questioning the workings of religion; oh,


no. As long rs it is kept in proper bounds,


and does not interfere with the boys III
their game, do not see as it can do no
harm. Just want to ak the honorable
speaker if he has not give himself dead


away? Does it stqnd ter reason that bloke


would feed upon corn husks when there
WAS hash~f factories in the camp? Would
any one hey refused him the price of a


square meal if he had struck them fur 1t:


Would any of the dealers that beat him out
of his coin see him starve2 AS l remarked


afore, do not wish to make any disrespecta-
BILE breaks, but must say that | have got
if nut M that the speaker has been trying
ter feed us on cussed thin tally, and no one
but silly would take it in Bill glared
upon the speaker and fairly hissed do
you mean to say that am a har?' Nal,
vou can take it Just as you choose Some
| folks would swallow it in that shape Bill
pulled his revolver, and i'll an instant the
! bright barrels of numerous weapons flashed
| in the air as the friends of each party pre-
pared for active duty. The brevet preacher
was the first to fire, and the rash doubter
of spiritual truths fell dead on the ground.
| Shot followed shot in quick Succession,
and when quiet was again restored score
! or more OF dead and wounded men were
carried from the tent. Having secured at
tention. Bill said: Further proceedings
is adjourned for the day, You will receive