The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1870-09-28

Only premisin' that a young cfargy-
man, 'ith more zeal n knowledge, pes
tered me a good deal to make what he
called "a clean breast eff it, He said
eff didn't confess up, he'd no hope
to offer, eyether in this world or the
next. I telled him tibet, as fur as this
world went, hope was about played
out but I sort o. trusted to gittin,' in
the next, what / hadn't got in this-a
fair shake. The minister got miffed
at that, an went away.
"Hangin' was a public entertain
ment int hem days /; an it was fashion
able to ride 10 the gallus on your own
coffin, which / can't say, arter tryin' it,
is a very comfortable mode O. convey
ance. But the music, and the militer-
~, an the crowd nerved me up con-
sid'able, an 1 said to myself, xxi
Bunce,' SEE l, 'bein''s you've got to
die, do it like a mani
81 walked proudly up the gallus
steps atween the sheriff an the mean
est kind of a lookin' cuss, as'd rented
hisself out to hang me. You can't
hardly think how much / felt above
that %critter, as he skunk along at my
side, 'ithout darin'to look me in the
face
"When we got up the steps, the
sheriff read the death warrant, maxim
consid'ab le of a botch of it, arter
which the mean lookin' chap tied my
arms fast, an slipt the moose over my
he'd, an drawed it tight, adjustin' the
knot jest behind my right year. l
felt queer an ticklish about the
neck, an the cold streaks run down
my back, but / KEEP a stiff upper lip.
Then the hangman tux an ugly black
thing outer his pocket, somethin' like
a Dutch smokln' cap, only it hadn't
no tassel on top, an clapt it on my
head.
"Hev you anything to say ?" axed
the sheriff.
"No more'n this" SEE 1; Il die game
an inherent !"
"Don't go 18th a lie in yer mouth !"
SEE the Clergyman, steppin' forbid, in
a bullyin' sort o way.
"That riled me.
Lookee here!" SEE I Il havn't new
er tux that from no man an eff the
she ifn only give me the use o one
arm, an half a minnit's time,' SEE 1,
I'll larn you to insult a gentleman on
der q cloud =
Galore anyone answered somebud-
dy busted through the guards, an
up the steps, hollerin' as he
come, Hold on you tarnal fools Pm
not deadl-nobody ha'n't killed me !
An XII Bunce is the best friend I've
got in all Kaintuck !"
can sure enough, it was Bill Stem
BILE that clasped me in his arms, an
then made a grab to jerk the rope
from my neck.
"Stop thar cried the sheriff
put in your appearance too
late. This warrants got to be dooly
execootcd.'
"But 1 tell you I amt dead! Bill
"No NATTER SEE the sheriff; 'thar's
ben a fair trial, an the law must take
its course. I ha'n't got no discretion.
"Not a blame bit SEE Bill.
allow it mought a eended is morn
kin tell ; but it's my candid opinion
hat jackass 'ud a hung me then an
Tor murderin' a man as was alive an
we'll, eff Squire Kemp hadn't a spoke
up an said there was sech a thing as
~proceedin's by order O the
attorney. The plaintive
this case bein' found, come forrid
md writ somethin', which the sheriff
lxed eff it was his voluntary act and
Iced, which he said it was; an then 1
vas tux back to Jail, it bein' onder-
stood that the hangman wasn't to loose
lis fees; an arter a couple O weeks
a dockyment come from the
5ov'ner, pardonin' me for doin' what
didn't.
Everything was fixed up atween
Bill an Liddy, an they got married
light away. As for me, I preferred
akin the chances out here, to reskin'
t any longer onder the Jaws Of old