Rensselaer Republican, Volume 13, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 October 1880 — Too Well Heeled. [ARTICLE]

Too Well Heeled.

Old Shokey, a peripatetic preacher well known to California, is suen an ar dent believer ifi Scripture that be is ready to bet on any proposition which is laid down in the Bible. A few weeks ago he visited the Lake, and stopped on Sunday at Glen brook. Being nearly penniless he determined to give an exhortation, and getting the use of a ball called the einnen ■* together. His text was the marine episode, in which Jonah was taken in by a whale. “Now, my hearers, to the clam of people who never looked beyond the surtsce of things this looks like a hard story to believe, but I.know that ia so, every word of it.” He saw an incredulous look on the faces of a few of the hard cases in the front row, and, after pausing a moment, continued: “I'll bet any man in the crowd SIOO coin up that I can prove every word of it. Does anybody respond 1 ?" He thrust his hand down In hie trouser pocket and leaned forward. Nq one took him up. He went on with hie sermoo, showing conclusively that the whale did all th t was claimed of It, and then passed around the hat. “He that giveth to the poor, iendeth to the Lord," he said as it went down the P«w. “Lay up your treasures in Heaven,where neither moths nor rust corrupt, nor thieves break in and steal," he remarked again, as ho saw the hat coming back. It was handed to him empty anu he die missed the audience with a hasty benedic tipn. Alter the services he met one of his hearers and complained bitterly of the lack of coin and enthusiasm lathe town. “We’ve got the enthusiasm here, Parson,” said the man addressed, “but whan you bluffed us on a hundred dollar bet, some thought you must be a road agent, and the rest concluded that a man so well heeled didn't need any collection."