The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1853-08-18

$50 great was his confidence, that ever
my brother hesitated. He delayed the ex
execution for some ten minutes, but NO horse
man appeared. The executioner was or.
deredto proceed, and Thomas Street ap.
lpeared to abandon hope. He shook hands
with the other officials first, and then heic
out his hand to me.
Doctor said he, Il shake hands with you
now, because all hope is over; but you are
the cause ofmy standing where must soon
fall
GLOW SO, my dear sr!' asked. What
under heaven have to say to your coming
back to Cheltcnham,-to you stealing the
clothes!'
II did not steal the clothes,' reiterated
Street 'and that will be known when too
late; but it is well for you that I shall be
hung; it was game for your life or mine,
and you have won. | came back t. Chal
tenham to kill you!
"To kill ME!' exclaimed, my God, sir!
what reason have you to wish to injure me!
never even SAW you till you were arres-
ted for sheep-stealing this time twelve
months
"Preciscly' said Street; you remember,
then that l pretended insanity as bar to
punishment. You were called to give an
opinion and visited me in my cell. You
asked me questions, and finally struck me
with a cane on the shoulder, and declared
that | was no more mad than you were
yourself. You were right was not mad,
but NEVER FoRGAvE THAT BLOW: and, worse
than the blow, the laughing sneer which
curled your lip as you spoke! l vowed re-
venge and the hope oft became the object
Of my life. conducted myself well in the
hulks, and at last took advantage of the op-
portunity Of escape afforded by my jailer's
carelessncss. came back to Cheltenham
to have your lfe,-to return the blow with
interest-to see how your features looked
when they could neither SMILE nor sNEERn
s'Really, sir, you possess vivid recollcc-
tion," answered, sit is not possible that
could have struck you,-it is contrary to my
rank, to my experience, to my breeding
"Contrary to whatever it may be, you did
strike me-not hard; mere touch, in fact;
but never forgave it; die with only one
regret; it is that the blow must remain an un-
settled account between us. was never
struck before; was never criminal, till
the starvation of my mother led me to take
the sheep; never stole the clothes for which
am now about to die; and if were repriev-
ed this moment, you should repent that blow
with your latest sigh
sWell sir,' continued DR.. Homer, "after
such declaration | could not be expected
to feel any very violent regret at the execu-
ton of SO determined an enemy. / even ex-
planned to my brother, the sheriff, that he in
Cured serious penalties by any longer
neglecting to fulfill the sentence.
"Street was blindfolded, pinioned, placed
on the drop, and, at a signal from the sheriff,
Git was not thirteen minutes after twelve }
dangled in the air.
'sJust then cry was heard from the
far end of the market place. 1t was indis-
tinct at first but gradually gathered clear.
ness.
"a reprieye! a repreve. reprieve"
shouted the populace. "Cut him down! cut
him aoun: why don't yout'
sThe sheriff was about to use his knife on
the rope.'
"My dear BROTHER" said, take care what
you do This is common trick on such oc-
casions, and one which may even cause you
the loss of your liberty if you are 'duped by
it. You cannot hang a man twice, and it
any of Streets accomplices, by this cry, in
duce you to cut him down, he will escape
for certain but the law condemns the sheriff To
take his place.
MY brother paused.
.Cut him DOWN." shouted the rash mob un-
derneath us.
ha ho
prison gates and was admitted. He had,
indeed, a reprieve, regularly signed, Georg-
ius Rex; his horse had lost a shoe on the
far side Of Leighton Hill, and had stumbled
head foremost coming down it. The rider,
therefore lost time in trying to revive him,
and had to run the remainder of the distance
afoot, which, as he was an elderly man, had
caused delay very dangerous at least to
Thomas Streets health
However, we had the reprieve, and there.
fore, Street having been suspended about five
minutes was cut down.
The doctor paused, and took pinch of snuff
very slowly.
well doctor, did he recover! we inquired.
Did you bring him round, and what was the
up shot of the business
'To tell the truth sir, did not feel well
at the moment; was SO i'll, in fact, that !
could not personally attend to his restora-
ton. | Just ordered some common remedies
which, not being IN The prison laboratory, had
to be sent for across the town, this delay vas
bad. The result was"
DR.. Homer spoke very slowly indeed.
well, What was the result! do tell us, doc
tor
II
"Why, my dear young friend" added the
doctor, sententiously; how impatient you are
Thomas Street revived little, Uery lit
tie, lust enough to breathe once or twice.
but although | ordered cold applications to
his head and stomach, he never recover
ed"
"CoM applications, doctor! Would not
hot brandy, hot blankets, hot air, and
warm restoratives, have suited his condition
besti"
"No, sir" said the doctor, emphatically;-
"neither his condition nor my peace! | am
aware that such is the course usually follow
ed; and, indeed, | was much blamed by my
professional brethren for the failure OF the
experiment made OH Thomas Street--it was
merely an experiment. Some there were
who went so far as to petition the country
magistrate to dismiss me from the post VI
prison attendant Nevertheless, had uset
my Judgment, and the course pursued was
the best possible one, under the circumstan
ces, for Thomas Street"
Say, rather, doctor, the best course to bt
pursued, under the circumstances, for DocToF