The Beaufort tribune and Port Royal commercial. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1877-1879, 1877-03-15
Jack Bullets Broken Heart.

A hundred men were dlgglnS Tor gold,
and they had named the place "Joe
Whites Dream.
Singular name, but they were singular
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 circle on the grass, and
in the center was Jack Bullet. His hands
were tied behind him, there was an old
blood stain on his face, and from his
wolfsh eyes he sent murderous glances
from one face to another, and at last
called out:
81 wish I had knitted some of We =
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-bye M ek and humble looking man
named Elder Graves by the boys, entered
the circle, and, standing with one hand
on the prisoners shoulder, he began
"Jack Bullet, this is solemn morn
ing for us all Here is the rope-there
is the imb-and we are gathered to hang
you You came to Joe Whites Dream
weeks ago, poor, hungry and Ill. We
fed and nursed you, and when you were
we'll enough to work full claim was
staked out for you. How have you re-
paid us, Jack Bullet? You have stolen
dust from the men, brought discord and
jealousies among us, melted rows and
riots, and last night you were detected
when about to murder your partner and
steal his few hundred dollars. We try
to be white in this camp, and to use
all men right, but we cannot turn you
lose to prey upon some other party.
The men are going to hang you y
"Let 'em hang-I can't die but oncel"
sulkily replied the prisoner.
"Jack Bullet, said the elder, am
a praying man, and l want to pray with
you before you swing am sorry for
YOU. You are strong man, and you are
to die like dog. Maybe you have a
mother in the East, or you may have a
wife and children. God help them y
The elder sank down on his knees be-
fore the prisoner and prayed such a
PRAYER as the rocks have never echoed
again. Before he had finished there were
tears in the eyes of half the men, and
Big Sam bent over to Curly Jim and
whispered
''Now that's what L call religum-the
real old bang up rehgum such as we used
- git way back in New Hampshire !"
When that prayer had ended new
spirit came to the men. They scanned
Jack Bullets face and saw that it had
softened, and as Elder Graves stepped
aside the president of the camp cut Jack 8
bonds and said:
"We don't want your blood, though
you sought ours. You are free to go.
Jack Bullet, but don't you ever enter Joe
Whites Dream again !"
The reprieved man moved away with
out word, nor did he look back as long
as he was in view. When he had dis
appeared from sight the miners returned
to their work, each one so busy with his
thoughts that but few words were spoken.
That day two weeks man came up from
Cardboard City" and reported that
Jack Bullet had been eaten up by q
grizzly. Every man in camp felt glad
then that his town had escaped the dis
grace Of a hanging, and in the afternoon
we saw Elder Graves shoulder a spade
and turn down into a little valley. 1t
was beautiful spot, always full of the
mellowest sunshine and the prettiest
flowers When the boys had knocked
off work for the day they all descended
into the place, for what reason no one
knew, but by sort of common consent:
In the center of the valley the earth had
been heaped up like grave. At its
head was board-at its foot wild rose.
On the board Elder Graves had cut with
his knife:
JACK BULLET,
AGED FORTY.