Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1877-06-14
A Broken Heart.
BY NJ. QUAD.


Ha BY NJ. QUAD. - 4
A hundred men we're digging gold,
and they had named the place "JOe
Whites Dream"
Singular name, but they were singu-
lar men; brawny, rough, grizzled, and
some of them wicked. They were
men from the East, digging, delving,
in sort OF mad frenzy, for the golden
wealth of California. On this day all
work had ceased. The men formed in
4 circle on the grass, and in the centre
was Jack Bullet. His hands were tied
behind him; there was an old blood
stain on his face. and from his woltisb
eyes he sent murderous glances from
one face to another, and at last called
out: .EEar s Fisst, -rrhs5fg no
II wish had knitted some of YEP
None of the men replied. Some were
|pale, Others nervous, and none seemed
TO relish the business on hand, which
was the hanging of Jack Bullet.
By and by, meek and humble look
ing man, named Elder Graves by the
boys, entered the circle, and standing
with one hand on the prisoners shoul-
der. he began: - = --
Jack Bullet, this is solemn warn
ing to all. Here is the rope-there is
the limb-and we are gathered TO hang
you. You came to Joe Whites Dream
weeks ago, poor, hungry aud ill. We
fed and nursed you, when you were
well enough to work, a full claim was
staked out for you. How have you
repaid us, Jack Bullet? You have sto-
len dust from the men, brought dis
cord and jealousies among US, melted
rows and riots; last nigh; you were de-
tected when alb ut 10 i;surder your
partner and steal his few hundred dol
| lars. We try to be white in this camp,
and to use all men right, but we call
not turn you loose to prey upon some
other party. The men are going to
hang you.' ss.a--s. = 49, l-.
Let them hang; can't die but once,
sulkily replied the prisoner.
Jack Bullet said the Elder, i am
a praying man, and want to pray
with you before you swing. am scr.
you are to die like dog! Maybe you
have a. mother in the East, or you
May have wife and children. Goo
help tbemP .aHT
The Elder sank down on his knees
befOre the prisoner, and prayed such 8
prayer as the rocks have never echoed
again. Before he had finished there
were big tears in the eyes of hall the
men, and Big Sam went over to Curly
Jim and whispered: -.-,..-.
Now that's what I call religium-
the old bang up religium, sich as We
used to git way back in New Hamp
shiren d. sslsal- i.s.t5sa.
When the prayer had ended new
spirit came to the men. They scan
ned Jack Bullets face and saw it hao
softened, and as Elder Graves stepped
aside the President of the camp Gu
Jacks bonds and said:
we don't want your blood though
tyou sought ours. You are free to go
Jack Bullet, but don't you ever ente
Joe Whites Dream again.
Tine reprieved man moved ava.
without word, nor did he look bacl
as long as he was in view. When III
disappeared from sight the miners re
: turned to their work, each one so bus!
with his thoughts that few words wer'
, spoken. 80 e-. g.-.
That day two weeks man came vi
from Cardboard City and reported
: Jack Bullet had been eaten by a griZ
! ely. Every man in the camp felt glat
, ,tthen that his town had escaped the dis
,, grace of a hanging, and in the after
!. noon we saw Elder Graves shoulder
/, spade and turn down into the valley
lit was beautiful spot, always full O
the melloWest sunshine and pretties
! flowers. ssas1s ssa 80
When the boys had knocked off worl
: that day, they all descended to tn
Iplace, for what reason no one knew
but by sort of common consent. Ii
; the centre ofsthe valley the earth hat
/, been heaped up like grave. AT IT
: head was a board-at its foot wilt
: rose. On the board Elder Graves ha,
cut out with his knife: - t'"
$ JACOB BULLET,
Aged 40,
$ Men may not have given him chance
en FsBUTGoD WHd.sE
You didn't think those rough mel
e had sentiment in their hearts, bu
2 they seen lthro' the Elders motives il
an instant, and the toughest OF the 10
Il stopped down and carefully re-arrans
o1 ed one of the sods. Ff IEFi
II Three weeks more passed by, an
q one evening Jack Bullet came into j Q
j Whites Dream alive and we'll HI
e staods sons thesquare in the centre {
$ town, and he said not word till won
) dering men had gathered, about, him
/ Then he pointed to the grave in tn
: valley, his eyes full. of tears, and b
), chokingly said:
4 Boys, I sneaked back here thi
m0rnin to kill some one in 'revenst
/ but 4 come across that-that gray
/ dOwn-dOwn thar, and
e He held out his hand to the mer
e and the tears blinded him SO that
could not see a face. Elder Grave
E went down on his knees again, ever
): man with him and there were NOR
e tears, and a prayer SO beautiful an
= tender that Jack Bullet Sohhed like
!, child His heart was bzoken, and a
!. 1.-THE Satan in his nature was driven ou
e lin a moment. ---1A tS-~'- 'tiH
+ Los Whites Dream was a minin
r tcamp for many months after that an
!, Jack Bullet was one of the best men j
e lit The head-board grew gray as tn
), train beatsdo wn and the sun shone, an
the wild rose grew tin it covered al
4, the. grave, but no 0a67 disturbed tn
lsod. The grave was q sigma beaco
Hight sasit iWefe-and perhaps miner
: were rigAt when they said of our town
They've had revival up there, an
: lthey are the best chaps and the. hard
: : est workers on the slope.'1
!, A Musical Catechisna.
What is slur9 s rarnork made n,