The Sun.
London, England, 1867-03-14 00:00:00

wanted in the morning, and we once more bent our weary
dreary way across the bleak plain towards home. As it
might prove a satisfaction to some readers, I beg o inform
them that this extraordinary tooth, which had caused us
so much anxiety, and its original owner near his perdition,
is now in the Athena3um, or Literary and Scientific In-
stitution of the town in question, labelled " The tooth of
Joseph White, extracted the night previous to his
execution."
It is not at all my intention to enter into the details of
the morning's horrors ; it would answer no good purpose ;
suffice it to say that we were at our post in time for the
pinioning, and to join in the procession to the gallows ;
but the whole ceremony is so revolting to human nature
that its continuance in its old form is a disgrace to the
country. The chief party concerned was undoubtedly
the calmest, and I never saw a man face death so fear-
lessly, or with so little emotion, as Joseph White. Ile was
dressed in a clean white smock-frock, and wore around
his neck a new red-and-blue cotton handkerchief, loosely
tied, smart-looking and peculiar. On arriving at the foot
of the ladder which he had to ascend, Jack leetch stepped
nimbly in front of him, undid the knot in a twinkling,
and whipped it into his own pocket.
Assuming the air of a philosopher, I looked perfectly
unaffected at what was passing close to me, as if "cus-
tom had made it a matter of easiness ;" but inwardly I
preferred taking a survey of the spectators, and reading
a chapter from human nature, than studying the convul
sions of a broken neck ; so I kept my eyes on the
multitude, and gave myself up to thoughts on the
gallows.
A public execution has one unfailing effect : it brings s to
'.
the surface the scum of the earth, and, like a Pa
shower in May, gives fresh life and circulation to the
worms and grubs and reptiles of debased humanity. Cast
your eyes along the crowd of upturned faces at the
moment that the miserable wretch who is about to suffer
puts his foot on the drop ; you will at once wonder and
exclaim, From whence sprang this demonical race ? can
they be of our own flesh and blood ? You are awe-
stricken, and shudder. Look again, and you will startle ;
for, strange to say, they are all terribly alike, and tho
resemblance to one another becomes monotonous and
painful : the same brutal savageness and hellish delight
pervade their bulldog, sodden, grim countenances, now
expressive of every bad passion, trained by a course of
appalling vice. There is not the slightest sign of Soul
or sensibility in any one of them. On such a fete, Pass
through the streets, and you are hustled and pushed
against by rough, devil-may-care men, and coarse, drag-
gle-tailed gin-drinking-women, with even babies at their°t
breasts ; their existence you know not of, and you eauu
bring yourself to believe in them, so new is the type to
you ; they are the screech-owls and vampires of dark
rookeries and slums, and broad daylight displays them
in their nakedness, desperate and repulsive. You stand
shocked at their blasphemy, and thunder-struck at their
audacity. But the scene is not without its sport. These
evil spirits gamble for drink, or bet upon the "gameness"
of the culprit, and you turn away at last, more sick-
ened by this orgie of thieves, and cannibal dance round
the gibbet, than at the gurgling efforts for breath of the
strangled sacrifice to Justice.
" Thank God, that is over !" said Frank, as we Passed
out of the temple of crime. It reminded me of Sheri
" Thank God, that is settled !" when he signed! a bill!
heedless of the day of judgment. However we were glad
enough to be free of our dismal duty. it
After breakfast, in order to shake ourselves together,
was proposed to take a turn into the country, instead as
making the "home circuit" of patients, as usual, which Iva
of course agreed to, and a walk being a better remedy thant
a drive we turned into the King's Meadows, and This
our course by the towing-path towards Sunning- it
delightful stroll is too well known to bear describing
is one of the most contemplative and picturesque husqr,
able, and we walked and talked, with Nature by our aIL
in her most soothing form, until we had washed °lse
horrors from the " tablets of our memory." As Nv;ts
approached the bridge we observed a man on the oPPus' -
side of the river trolling it was a common occurrelleel
scarcely worth mentioning, excepting that at the moment
of crossing the river we remarked that he had got "
run." -
" Come, Frank," said I, "let us see the sport."
Entering the meadows, we cautiously approached paid
He was dressed in a velveteen jacket, Scotch Peck
,
trowsers, and leather gaiters, and wore around his Fltshe
a large red-and-blue tie. He worked his fish with
ce
,:
d .
skill of a practised hand. Nearer and nearer we advan
he turned his head ; it was Jack ',Ketch, with the red-auu
blue comforter we had seen in the morning.
Southampton.

A. S• B•