Frontier and pioneer life -- West (U.S.); West (U.S.) -- Social life and customs
"A short time ago a home missionary, Rev. Mr. P----, came to Silverton,
and having learned that I had been a church attendant in the East, he
called upon me, and asked if I would give him some assistance that would
aid him in the establishment of a church in this mining town." Having
explained the character of the community, the Judge said to the
missionary, "If you will go where I shall take you, I will see what can
be done." There was then no house of worship in Silverton. The
missionary promptly assented. "Then," continued the Judge, "I led him at
once into this gambling house and up to the bar. Calling for the
proprietor, I introduced the missionary and said, 'You know we have no
church in Silverton and Rev. P---- desires to help us raise some money
to apply toward the building of one.' 'No church in Silverton?' shouted
the saloon proprietor, with apparent disgust. 'No,' I replied, 'not
one!' Then with a series of oaths, vigorously emphasized by a blow of
his fist upon the bar, which made the minister tremble, he declared that
it was a d----d shame and showed a lack of enterprise. He added, 'If we
are ever going to have a first-class town we've got to have everything
that's a-going. Ye want something out of me?' 'Yes,' I replied, 'we
should be pleased to have you head the subscription list, and I thought
that about two hundred dollars would be about right for your place.' The
young missionary gulped and held his breath. 'All right,' said the
proprietor, as he inscribed his name on the paper, 'we've got to have
everything that's a-goin' if we have any kind of a town. Now what'll you
have with me, gentlemen?' as he firmly slammed upon the counter two or
three bottles, 'and, by the way, I've got a little good, old whiskey
here made before the war, that I keep back for my friends.'"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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