Biography; Frontier and pioneer life -- Dakota Territory; Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
Once more, that August, Packard raised his voice in favor of the
organization of the county, but once more mysterious forces blocked
his efforts. Meanwhile, the Stockmen's Association was exerting a
stabilizing influence that was as quiet as it was profound. No one
talked about it, or thought much about it. But to evil-doers, it
loomed uncomfortably in the background. Sometime during the year 1885,
the Association voted to employ a stock inspector at Medora to examine
the brands of all cattle shipped thence to Chicago. This was a
distinct check to the thieves, and might have been checkmate, if the
Association had not seen fit to appoint to the position the same Joe
Morrill who as United States deputy marshal had already exhibited a
tenderness toward the lawbreakers which was almost if not altogether
criminal. What Roosevelt's attitude was to this appointment is not
known; but he was under no illusions in regard to Morrill.
Amid the tumult and excitement of life in Medora that summer of 1885,
the consolations of organized religion were more inaccessible even
than the services of an earthly physician, and there was no servant of
Christ, of any creed or any denomination, who ministered to the men
and women scattered through that wild region in a manner even remotely
comparable to the self-sacrificing devotion with which Dr. Stickney
ministered to them. That excellent disciple of the Lord doctored
broken spirits even as he doctored broken bodies. The essentials of
religion, which are love and service, he gave with both hands from a
full heart; the "trimmings" he left to the parsons.
These "trimmings" were, it seemed, the only things which the few
professional men of God who drifted into Medora were able to
contribute. With the exception of the Roman Catholic chapel, erected
by the Marquise de Mores as a thank-offering after the birth of her
two children, there was no church of any denomination in Little
Missouri or Medora, or, in fact, anywhere in Billings County; and in
the chapel there were services not more than once or twice a month.
Occasionally an itinerant Methodist or Baptist, whom no one knew
anything about, blew in from anywhere, and blew out again; and if he
was seen no more there were no lamentations.[20] Services of a sort
were held in the "depot," in one of the stores or in the dance-hall
over Bill Williams's saloon, but attendance was scanty.
[Footnote 20: The Dickinson _Press_ burst into verse in
describing the exploits of one of the preachers.
"Of a gospel preacher we now will tell
Who started from Glendive to save souls from hell.
At the Little Missouri he struck a new game,
With the unregenerate, 'Honest John' is its name.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account