The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-11-08
ONLY IN FUN.
THE SAD FATE OF A YOUNG MAN WH0
POINTED PISTOLS AT PEOPLE.

THE SAD FATE OF A YOUNG MAN WHO
POINTED PISTOLS AT PEOPLE.
''Look out - exclaimed the young man,
scarcely able to control his laughter. 'sI'm
going to shoot "
He pulled the trigger and the harmless
pistol went off. The girl fell, and there
was good deal Of blood in her vicinity.
He rushed to her side, his eyes wild with
apprehension. II didn't mean to! - he
said alphabetically. 'sUpon my soul, l
didn' It know it was loaded..''
Ill cannot believe it % she gasped.
sits heavens own truth - he said with
great earnestness.
81 cannot help it p She said feebly; add
ing with llnmistakable truth. ''No matter, I
shall die just the same"
The jury in the case was ore of the stu
pid ones known all over our beloved coln-
try. The pistol was a harmless one. 1t
could not possibly have loaded itself. The
young man said he didn't load it. Nobody
could tell who loaded it. It was only known
that several persons had killed their alleged
sweethearts under precisely the same cir
cumstances, with the important exception
that the loading of the weapon and all the
attending circumstances were known to the
| jury. 1t was shown beyond question, how
ever, that the pistol had been loaded and
that the facetions young man had fired it
off, previously expressing a determination
to do So 1t was enough for the stupid jury,
and likewise for the Judge. The latter, ir-
deed, seemed to enjoy the proceedings.
''we shall inhct on you slight pleasant
ry," he said, with broad grin. ''The SER
tencc of the court is that you be hanged by
the neck until you are dead. But don't be
alarmed. 1t is only joke"
The sheriff was equally happy He read
the necessary documents to the youth, as
the latter stood with his neck decorated in
the usual fashion, pausing to laugh, and at
times nearly splitting his sides with suppress
ed mirth. 1--WE shall do youup in prime or
DER he said pleasantly. ':Wc shall give
you d something to enjoy to your dying day
There are no breakages to this,'' and he
shook the rope merrily. ''There are no
way stations on this route, my son. You
will go through like CREASED lightning, not
even pausing for refreshments. You will,
perhaps. see some of your friends on your
arrival. Please say a good word for me,
won't your Tell them, if they have any.
thing in my line that needs transacting,
that I'm the man for them. Let me adjust
this conveyance
| His hands shook so with laughter that he
could hardly fix the rope properly; but fl
nalIy the left ear Of the amusing person was
i properly adorned. 6s#M & E#19
Il ''See here !'whimpered the doomed youth,
You act as if you were in earnest. You
wouldn't kill an inn cant man. would you
l think this is carrying the joke too far"
BY no ,neans,'' said the happy sheriff.
winking with irresistible humor. ''Not for
anything in this world, my son. Can you
not place confidence in me? This is joke.
Are you afraid of this scaffold and that little
cord? Foolish boy they are perfectly harm
less"
| He winked at a person in the background
Who was chuckling silently to himself, his
face wreathed with smiles. The latter re-
, sponded in lively manner, Sup she goes "
and the practical joker shot in the air like a
I rocket and came down like stick.
s'Beautiful, beautiful" exclaimed the
sheriff and the bystanders, and a great roar
of laughter followed, even the attending
clergyman putting his head under his, arm.
, in evident fear that otherwise he would
laugh himself to death.
The body was taken down after awhile
ard physician, after slight examination
. pronounced the young man dead-his neck
had been broken.
"What % said the sheriff with start,
ssDead?'' He examined the rope attentive
~ and quickly added, with a look Of pro-
found establishment, II see how it is. Alas
it must have been loaded.;'