Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1866-02-22

t race, and l see you have riddle
0 him to death. Men, tie the rasca
e and let us be off with him."
: 'Stay!' cried Juliet, blushin
: like scarlet-"Colonel Banks,
: will pay you at your own valu'
tion."
"No," exclaimed the other, an
t his features writhed with demonia
rage. 81 understand now VIII,
| you discarded me, and made choic
, of this beggar and thief; but, b,
: heaven, he shall hang!r'
John Fitch was Immediately al
rested and carried away to th,
Jail of Iredell comfy, and the en-
suing week the Sheriff brough
him out for trial. The evidenc,
being all fully presented, the
judge, who happened to be a par
iticnlar friend of the prosecutor
charged strongly that the defence
set up furnished no legal justifca
ton, and the jury returned, accor
dinghy, a verdict of guilty, but
with an urgent recommendation tc
the clemency of the executive.
The court then passed the sen.
tence OF death in torm-for such
was, at that time, the horrible
punishment for horse-stealing-
and, as if to deprive the prisoner
Of all hope, fixed the day of doom
for the following Friday, thus al
lowing insufficient time for appli-
cation to the Governor, in accor-
dance with the wishes of the mer-
citul panel.
The proud and beautiful Juliet
had listened to the whole proceed
ings without any signs of extraor-
dinary emotion, save the death
like paleness of her features; but
as soop as the final and fatal re-
suit had been announced, she dis
patched a trusty messenger to the
capital of the State, with certi-
fed copy of the verdict, and
powerful petition, signed by all
the members of the bar and most
influential citizens, entreating for
the pardon Of the juvenile convict,
although it seemed nearly impos-
sible that response could be OBJ
tanned in season to prevent the eX-
ecution.
Still onward, as ever, rolled the
triumphal car of all-conquering
Time, moving on those viewless
wheels of irresistible destiny, 81
lent as the sepulchre, soft as the
fall of rose-leaf, and yet strong
enough to crush all hearts, and
crumble into dust the granite of I
The day of doom arrived, and
long before the appointed hour, an
multitude collected to
witness the CHASTITY spectacle
Early in the morning, a strange
scene had been enacted in the
prison. The young lovers-the
poor ielon and the wealthy heiress
were welded indissolubly for
life; but oh! how brief must be
that life for one, when the last
light of evening would shine on
his grave! 1t was remarked by
the holy minister who oficiated at
The mournfnl ceremony, that when
the bride uttered her assent, she
added to the usual laconic re-
sponse, in tones of the deepest
ervor-"Forever and ever, here
md hereafter"
At length, the crowd of thou
sands swayed to and fro, and mur-
nured like a sea swept by a strong
wind. The Sheriff ffappeared, with
he convict, on the scaffold, while
he weeping Juliet, fated to be a
widow almost as soon as a wife,
ook her place in a covered carriage
lear by. 1t wouldb be a species of
,rofanation toimagine herfeelings,
much more to describe them i'm
he weak words of human Ian
,uage.
The prisoner, standing erect, i.
irm, and fearless as some mighty I
warrior in the crisis of a great !
,attle, offered a brief address, rep {
esenting the sorrowful story of
lis misfortunes rather than crime,
With pathos and eloquenee that
from every virtuous eye,
nd filled the hearts with fury at
he cruel spirit of his prosecutors. s
Finally the signal was given, |
nd John Fitch hung vibrating, a
hing of horror, in the golden :