Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-04-02


here"
Tn TO this time had been vainly
looking to find some preparation for the
fatal scene, hut the only thing visible
was an enclosure about forty feet square,
FIVE feet high, made of rails laid in the
fashion Of worn fence, and resem-
bling suspicious pig pen more than
anything else In the centre of the en-
closure stood pole Of black jack,
forked at the top, and lying beside it was
another pole, about twelve feet long,
peeled of its bark
. Mr.. Sheriff" said |, are not these
proceedings rather irregular !? The law
saws an execution must take place
within an enclosure, and
well, amt that an enclosure, sa-ay
The law don { say I'm to build stone
wall, nor t I've gotter chunk mp the
cracks, nuther!
Where is the gallows?' I ventured
TO ask.
Squire" said the sherifi,with impress
sive dignity, squire, don't you fret yer
gizzard | know my bizness, and you'll
oblige me by tendin to yourn. Hold yer
hosses and you'll see. | haint been
sheriff of " county twenty-five years
for nuthin'."
Enter Bill Simmons with Tolley. He
had tied the bit of clothes-line round
the culprit neck, and was leading him
along as YOU would horse 10 water.
Tolley was almost as short in stature s
the sheriff, very stoutly built, and had
sulky, don t-cart- -,uss sort OF look on
his stold face. He was quite compla-
Gently chewing bit of wheat straw. He
nodded familiarly to all hands, spoke to
two or three in the party, and asked me
for chew Of tobacco, informing me at
the same time that he was dry as
Westinghouse. / carry two kinds
one for myself, and the other for tobacco
beggars, but thinking it a shame to send
a man into eternity with wad of niger
head in his mouth, pulled out my choice
honey-dew and handed it over That
was the last / saw of it. Tolley depos-
tied an enormous quid in his cheek,
and coolly handed the plug to the little
pot-bellied dirt eater, and it went from one
to another as long as it lasted. Lord !
George, to think Of a man with one foot
in the grave should be capable OF an act
of ingratitnde and downright robbery
The sheriff now read document to
Tolley, informing him that he was to lie
hung by the neck, etc ETC., winding up
with the addition:
And now, Tolley, you re a burned
pretty looking skunk, ain't yoaY III
teach you, darn you, to set gentleman
house afre, and be guilty of arson.
Come along here and be took the rope
from the deputy's hand and led Tolley,
who followed him like lamb to the
slaughter, into the inclosure. Old
Bob whispered to me" Frank give the
poor devil drink" but the fate of my
honeydew steeled my heart against the
appeal. .a
ordered the doomed man to set down
thar" which he did The end of the
rope was then tied around the peeled
sapling on the ground.
Now, Tolley, git up" and Tolley,
with apparently stolid Indifference,
slowly rose to his feet The sheriff then
put one end of the saplng into the fork
of the upright, and pulling out his watch
handed it 70 Bill Simmons, saying
Now, depty, you time i'm, while hold
i'm upl'
Judge of my horror, George, when l
saw this old devil thus coolly preparing
to choke the wretch to death, with no
more compunction than if drowning a
blind puppy. / begged Uncle Bob to
interfere, but he declined doing so.
"All ready Now, Bill Simmons, you
time i'm edzackly; mind you, nary mint
more nor less.
With this he mounted low stump,
and with herculean effort raised the
small;end of the sapling at arm $ length
over his head. The tension of the rope
Just raised Tolley to his tip-toes, and
didn't seem to inconvenience him much
but the sheriff ff-you should have seen
him. At the end of about the second
minute he was livid, absolutely purple
in the face.
"Bill Simmons" he gasped, how
longs e bin hangn '-aint time upY
Two minits.
"Durn it T. painted the sheriff.
Here | ventured 10 remark Mr.
Sheriff, the law says the criminal must
be hanged by the neck until he is dead,
no matter how long it takes
This barbarous suggestion met with
"Cuss YOU, Frank - Who the =
asked for your burned lip2 l know
what the law says 1t says arter a gem
tleman been hanging a certain time
and think FIVE minits is the time-hes
got a right to live if he kin stan 1t, aud
think he orter.
Tolley was still dancing on his toes,
and his face was fast becoming as purple
as that of the sheriff. :,
Times up, shouted the deputy, and
the sheriff flung the pole from him with
vim that jerked the pendant Iolley
sprawhng upon the ground: he picked
himself up, and the sheriff united the
clothes-line from his neck then cram
ming Tolley's hat over has eyes, he ad-
dressed him.
Now. Eph. Tolley. you've scaped
hanging by kibble Of the law but II
YOU know what's good for you, You II
ave this county mighty suddint, saying
which he applied to Tolley, posferiori,
a tremendous thwack ofhis No. IL pegged
boot, calculating with each kick, durn
you, scoot, seoot I'll teach you TO COM
NIT arson and set man house ahrei
and ef ketch you in these diggins again.
I'll shoot you, you cussed scalliwagf
With one final kick and scoot ne
turned Tolley loose, and invited the
whole party to " Ticker.
We did so. and l instantly recognized
the bottle. Old Bob, regardless Of the
ties of consanguinity, had stolen it from
my saddle-bags and presented it 10 the
sheriff as a reward for his humanity and
faithful Discharge Of duty. q. WI. S