Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-03-21
Jedediah Lapstone stood aghast.

N0VOI DclOIc udu u0 uOdIu 81 voice SO
deep, nor had he ever before stood in
the presence of so awful q man. His
knees shook, and his tongue Glove to
the roof of his mouth.
Meanwhile, Captain Anterior DELHI.
erately unbuttoned his overcoat. and
took from his bosom two huge pistols.
"Jedediah Lapstone," he pronounce
ed, in tone that seemed to accord
perfectly with the mournful wind that
sighed through the tree-tops, "you have
slandered my character most cruelty,
and past redemption, and blood is the
only thing that can wash the crime
away! But / will not murder you.
Here, take this pistol, and at the given
word you shall fire. Take it, l say p
| "Ol Mercy mer-r-cyp gasped the
terrified man, sinking upon his knees,
and clasping his hands.
"Mercy r repeated the gigantic aveng-
er, in tone of such bitter scorn that
Jed's hair fairly started up on end.
"How dare you profane that sacred
word? What mercy had you when
you murdered my character? when you
deliberately asserted that / had been 8
pirate? Yes, sir, a pirate, you said!
By all the powers On earth, no man can
live who let such words drop from his
| lips +! Come, take the pistol, for you
must die |"
go, don't, don't O, dear captain, I
didn't mean it I wont never do SO
again, wont, wont /"
"Take the pistol, 1 say !"
"O-h-hl I've got wife, and-a-a-nd
three innocent children p
"You did not think Of my wife and
children when you stabbed the very
soul of their protectors honor. Take
the pistol There, now you have just
five minutes to live Mind, 1 never
miss my man In five minutes you
die! Pray, if you have anything to
pray for"
Poor Jed took the pistol by the muz-
zle, and this held it until it dropped
from his nerveless grasp. He was still
upon his knees, and his hands were
once more clasped. He shook like an
aspen, his face was livid with terror,
and his eyes seemed starting from their
sockets. Like all low slanderers, he
was s. perfect coward.
go, for mercy's sake |" he gasped.
Salvatio and Israel Jerusalem and
Pentecost, and the saints, have mercy
on me ! 0, / wont never agin speak q
word agin We! | wont SO help me
Heaven! o, spare me! noble man,
spare me !"
Four minutes Of the five are
gone " calmly spoke Anterior, hold
ing his watch in his hand, and at the
same time deliberately cooking his pis-
toll. f.r
The terrified man gazed one mo.
ment into the avenger's face, and then
he burst into tears. He cried like q
great school-boy, and the words he tried
to utter were lost amid sobs and groans.
Anterior saw that his victims face was
becoming deathly, and that his reason
was leaving him; and he feared that if
he kept up the farce much longer, the
mans brain might be turned forever.
"Jedediah Lapstone," he said, for
the sake of your wife and children, |
might spare you'll l thoughtyou would
commence a new life"
Holy angels and Absalom :" cried
Jed; "Pll do anything you say-any-
thing, everything-I will"
81 don't know how to trust you. If
I could feel sure you would never, new
er speak one false word about q living
thing again, might spare you know"
salvation and Jerusalem I wont
never, never agin say one word about
anybody. o, wont, jest as true as
Absalom, WON'T"
CHOW, mark me-" said Atherton,
slowly and solemnly. off let you off
this time, remember that only do so
on condition that you remain true to
your promise. [ shall keep these two
pistols loaded, and the moment I hear
of one slandejbus word from your lips
touching the character of anybody,
shall come to you again, but never
again will | spare you. I shall watch
you narrowly, and others will watch
you for me. Remember now, your life
is mine. claim it, and only lend it to
you while you remain true. Farewell.
You can live, if you WISH"
The dark map stopped and picked
up the dropped pistol, and then walked
quickly away from the place. The sun
was already down, and the dew was
falling fast. Pale, cold ,gand shivering,
Jedediah Lapstone started for home,
| oAAN "AASA dS VeSo SOhO, CO1AC ur1l1 OOAcu
of his acq uaintances came out from the
ash trees, one of whom was old Stew
ard. They smiled as they saw Jed on
his homeward way.
Mrs. Lapstone was frightened when
she saw how pale and haggard her hus.
band looked, and he had to drink q
pint of herb tea, have his feet soaked
in hot water, and toasted onions ap-
piled, ere he could pacify her.
On the following morning he went to
work as usual in his shop, but he was
thought u and taciturn. Towards noon
some of his friends dropped in.
"I was into Captn Atherton's house
last night" said Stewart, and he came
home after ] got there. My conscience
] never saw a man look so terrible as
he did, He took two great pistols out
of his bosom, and laid 'em back in his
desk; and I heard him tel his wife not
to touch 'em on any account; for
said he, they're both loaded, and I
may have to use 'em. At all events
says he, I'm goin' to protect our
people agin a brute that does a good
0oaY M ORC roiaohiof fhan robhor IT,