St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1873-08-22
VOLUME 37---NUMBER 1882.

1t and opened the lOckct. There was
a beautiful face in one side and lock
of duSky brown hair, like sunbeams
shining through Il window into IA dusty
room. iii the other. The men gathered
about the fellow who had the lOcket-
these savage men whose ears would
have been deaf and whose bosoms as
flint against any appeal of eloquence or
the pathoS of words. They held the
locket up in the moonlight and the face
seemed to take Il weird life in it. and
locked Az though it would beseech them.
Meanwhile sam Atwood stood upon the
barrel without amy more sign of finch
ing than if he had been creation of
PraNitclcS and that barrel the pedestal.
what is this? What does it meant"
asked old Ben Wright, strange hmski
ness i'll his deep utterance and Il curious
sympathy struggling to give itself voice
i'll his rude manner.
1T makes no difference said At
wood; Twill you give it To meP'
"Iell and damnation.' suddenly
broke out Mckeogh. what is all this
tooliSme~s about! Out of the way; let
me kick that barrel out from under
him. and he took step toward the
barrel that Atwood stood on. Harris
put his hand against McKeogh's breast
and pushed him back.
Let me fix that rope Il little better"
said Harris. mounting the barrel which
still stood beside Atwood'S. Harris's
bowie glitteIed Il second. and the next
second part of the rope dangled harm
lc>>ly from the tree while the other
part fell down on AtwoudS bosom.
You can kick the barrel now and he
ID to You. Mac" said Harris. but
before this thing goes any further |
want To say Il word myself. You all
know me. Iou know | don't make no
fuss about things generally; but this is
il case that I'm Interested in. know
more about this case and about Sam
Atwood than any Of You do. and all I've
got to say is that before YOU hang him
you've some of You got to git away with
me. and You may a> well begin now if
that's what you're up to-.
This WAS Il thunderbolt. If any man
had the respect and esteem OF the men
in that crowd il WAS Harris. The only
man in the crowd who did not like him
was Frank Mckeogh. and Harris had
addressed his defiance in general way
To the crowd. all the time hoping that
Mac would take it up. Harris had long
wanted To get clatter at McKeogh,
and he wasn't particular as to the cir
cum>tancr> 50 only he could get Il rea-
>omahll fair shake. But Mckcogh didn't
take it up.
Ben Wright asked Harris what he
meant.
"Ill tell you what | mean. | mean
that the hanging of sam Atwood would
be Il murder. and skulking murder at
that. He had Just a> good Il right to kill
John Oldham as had I" kill Dick Nc
Culmick. John Oldham was dirty
hound and disgrace to this committee
as long as be belonged to it. Now you
have all got >upcrstitious suspicion
about sam Atwood that You cant eX-
plain. only that there is Il mystery
about the WAY he has always minded
his own business. Sam Atwood is a
heart broken fellow who is trying to for
get something. don't know as I'm do
ing him any great favor i'll saving his
life. But hc that as it may, this crowd
amt a-goimg To take it till they take
mine first. Now listen: \ vigilance
committee never did vet hang an inno-
cent man. and wonder if YOU are going
t" hc the first set OF regulators that was
ever kmuwcd To murder a man and then
call it poplar iustice?"
This argument settled the matter.
You couldn't have induced man i'll
that crowd to kick barrel ont from
under Sam Atwood. after that speech
of HarriS'S. though You had offered him
Il title deed III fee simple to Cathay for
his reward. There Was ii moment of 81
lcnrc. and then old Ben Wright's voice
WAS heard. "Di~perSe. boys. he said:
"llarri> and me will tend to this man"
There was discipline ut least i'll the
/ Committee OF safety. and i'll five minutes
all were gone save Atwood. old Ben
Harris. and iarriS's partner.
Il rcckin we come powerful near
duin' YOU dirt. Atwood" began old Ben,
''amd I'm glad IaIiS spoke up when he
| did. lIowSomcver, it strikes me like
you'd better cit away from Cheyenne,
/ fun thar'> no tclln' what them boys II
take into their heads eff they git on a
/ bender. don't rcckin amy on 'em II
want To- hang YOU amy more. but
they may act diagrceahIe. specially
/ Frank Mckcogh. cf he happens to strike
you sometime when he's drunk
"Thrn. sir" replied Atwood, IF
YOU II S,i' NV ,,,,'. ,h;S III 3" up nd ~ ! mS
',"'I, '''Ir mi ,',o ,"' S
'i''nts : :. Il '''''' ''"' "''"'" '"''''
ii'lll,trN' .,1.1 u, pou
., IN 'iS''' .'l"','a'i ~ WV IL
Itl Sll'hr-"Ti ,,I YOU, i,"n'ta nus II ',eui i
'"'h i"''i'" a''', l II GU. EN- iH'Se, anu an.
now my ""\; neNh II" i''Iu leei'Il
aG'n \"'i on the lace "i Inr airth' an" i
M"h want N"" I" 'iil'lh il'ro o' "l"
Ben:
lhcN shook hands ana on ben' tell