Year: 1879

this, he 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 readin' in the Bible to-day that
yarn about the Prodigal Son, an / 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 q stake, an never kicked
at the size of the pile either. | reckon
the old man was purity well fixed, an
when he died intended to give all his
wealth to this kid an his brother. Prod
gave the old man little game o talk
one day, and induced him to whack up
in advance o the death racket. He'd no
sooner got his divy in his fist than he
shook the old man an struck out to take
in some o the other camps. He he'd a
way-up time fur awhile, an slung his
cash to the front like he owned the
best payin' lead on airth; but hard luck
hit him lick at last an left him flat.
The book don't state what he went broke
on, but | reckon he got stored up agin
some brace game. But, anyhow, he got
left without chip, or four-bit piece to
go an eat on. An old granger then TUX
him home an set him to herdin' hogs,
an here he got so hard up an hungry
that he piped off the swine while they
were feedin', an he stood in with 'em on
a husk lunch He soon weakened on
such plain provinder, 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 husks
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 fnr new deal, so
off he started


The old man seed the kid coming,
and what do ye reckon lie done? Did he
pull his gun and lay for him, intending
to wipe him out as soon as he got into
range? Did he call the dogs to chase him
off the ranch! Did he rustic around for
club and give him stand-off at the
back gates Eh: MOI to any alarming ex-
tent he didn't. No, sir. The Scripture
book says he waltzed out to meet him,
and froze to him on the spot, and kissed
him, and then marched him off to cloth
ing store and fitted him out in the mob
| biest rig to be had fur coin. Then the
old gent invited all the neighbors, killed
a fat calf, and give the biggest blowout
the camp had 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, a tall, blear-
eyed gambler, with fierce mustache,
arose and said:


'Tain't me as would try ter break up
meeting, OF do anything disreligious.
| No, sir, am not that sort of citizen.
But in all public hoodoos it is parlia-
mentary rule for anybody as wants to Ak
| questions to rise up and fire them off. I
do not want ter fool away time ques-
tioning the workings of religion; Oh. no.
AS long as it is kept i'll proper bounds
and does not interfere with the boys in
their games / do not see as it can do
harm. / just want to ak the honorable
speaker if he has not given himself dead
away? Does it stand TO reason that a
bloke would feed upon corn husks when
there was hash factories in the camp:
Would anybody hev refused him the
price of square meal if he he'd q struck
fur it? Would any oE the dealers that
beat iiim out Of his coin see him starve2
As [ remarked afore, do not want to
make any disrespectable breaks, but !
must say that l have got It pat up that
the speaker has been trying ter feed us
on cussed thin talfy, and no one but
silly would take it in.


Bill glared upon the speaker and fairly
hissed;


DO you mean to say that I am liar


wal, you can take it just as you
choose. Some folks would swaller it in
that shape


Bill pulled his revolver, and in an in
stant the bright barrels of numerous
weapons flashed in She air as the friends
of each party prepared for active duty.
The brave 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, q score or more OF
dead and wounded men were carried
from the tent Having secured attention,
Bill said:


Further proceedings is adjourned for
the day. You will receive the doxology.'


The audience arose.


May grace. mercy, and peace be with
you now and forever, amen; and I want
it distinctly understood that am going
to maintain proper respect for the gos-
pei if ] have ter crosk every dirty son-of-
a-ggn Of sinner in the mine. Meetin'
is ont.


The crowd filed from the tent as coolly
as if nothing extraordinary had occurred.
and as gained the sidewalk I heard q
man remark,


Bill has go. the sand to make bang
up preacher, and / would not wonder If
he made big mark in the world yet
/ (Wy. IT, Journal.


REAUTIFIERS.


Ladies, you cannot make fair skin,
rosy cheeks and sparkIInp ewes with all