mpleted the business, or whether a
wounded man might not have to fight death and coyotes together.

At any rate, the missionaries let Hanney's alone. If any one with an
unquenchable desire to carry the Word where it is utterly unknown, a
digestion without fear, and a full-proof article of common sense (these
last two requisites are absolute), should be looking for an eligible
location, Hanney's is just the place for him, and he need give himself
no trouble for fear some one would step in before him. If he has several
dozens of similarly constituted friends, they can all find similar
locations by betaking themselves to any mining camp in the West.

As Hanney's had no preacher, it will be readily imagined it had no
church. With the first crowd who located there came an insolvent
rumseller from the East. He called himself Pentecost, which was as near
his right name as is usual with miners, and the boys dubbed his shop
"Pentecost Chapel" at once. The name, somehow, reached the East, for
within a few months there reached the post-office at Hanney's a document
addressed to "Preacher in charge of Pentecost Chapel." The postmaster
went up and down the brook in high spirits, and told the boys; they
instantly dropped shovel and pan, formed line, and escorted the
postmaster and document to the chapel. Pentecost acknowledged the joke,
and stood treat for the crowd, after which he solemnly tore the wrapper,
and disclosed the report of a certain missionary society. Modestly
expressing his gratification at the honor, and his unworthiness of it,
he moved that old Thompson, who had the loudest voice in the crowd,
should read the report aloud, he, Pentecost, volunteering to furnish
Thompson all necessary spirituous aid during the continuance of his
task. Thompson promptly signified his acquiescence, cleared his throat
with a glass of amber-colored liquid, and commenced, the boys meanwhile
listening attentively, and commenting critically.

"Too much cussed heavenly twang," observed one, disapprovingly, as one
letter largely composed of Scriptural extracts was read.

"Why the deuce didn't he shoot?" indignantly demanded another, as a tale
of escape from heathen pursuers was read.

"Shot up wimmen in a derned dark room! Well, _I'll_ be durned!"
soliloquized a yellow-haired Missourian, as Thompson read an account of
a Zenana. "Reckon they'd set an infernal sight higher by wimmen if they
wuz in the diggins' six months--hey, fellers?"

"