The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-12-16
NOW JOE WEAKENED
His Last Glance nj tho Grassy Prairie, The
sun, the Birds, and che AnteIopes.

Il
| In that great horseshoe bend OF tho JjttJe
Bear-Pnw Mountain which catches great flood
Of sunshine atnoonday. sixty strong and sturdy
| men were digging into the base OF tho black-
topped mountain in search of silver.
wa MS , Mere not in luck and though each man
cysc for murder. Wo had banded together 10
en na nnu share alike. and fortune smiled on
one night when the days toll OF flfty-sevcn
mon Yielded an estimate Of only &C. tho minors
cursed npd swore and felt like striking each
o,nrr. we We're short OF provisions new tools
were needed and the men turned in forthc nigK
with determination to strike for some otfer
I21cnll,y r VI tne next days work should oxhibit
At midnight there was grent outerv. II was
n2t an indian attack. as each miner anticipated
Whrh ne rushed out, hut a horrible murder had
been committed. and the murderer captured Nv
one OF ihe sentinels. miner named Joseph
oWain. but hardly known in camp 10y any other
mHl , nun joe occupied tent In company
wi WIN ban an old man named Arnold Tho two wers
Swain hadn't Q, dollar outside Of thc common
fund. The gold was buried in tho earth under
The bed on which thc two slept, and swain could Gould
noI ESI AZ 4 by plight without arousine his com:
pn nd m had me- secured il during the day and
quickly. and his punishment nothing less than
hanging. II could be no. moro II he added MUIR
ict 50 bitter against luck, and when partners
iei 50 much like strik ing ench other, loo Swain
ldortd the man who had done the most for
him. He was getting away with the gold when
halted. and though he mndc sharp ngh for
,,,t,t,s Nv eMHs licu nand ana loot within live
Arnold was dead, sta6bcd in three or four
places and the gold was found in .Joes bolt.
could no, even, plead impulse or heat Of pas
sion, Indeed. no was. not the ono to seek to
tic eet St he had dd nSf IsemSn,
AMI robbed the good old man. and added:
over this matter Put guard over me and the
rest OF YOU 20 back to your sleep You'Il hang
me. OF course. and when morning comes sbai
UNN' n request 10 mike. i glnut frv D., COT
,h way Ss an h,, I'm not going to play the baby when
man; lie hnd fought Mexicans trailed Indians.
anu Killed three OF four white ruillans who rad
Armed with his bowie knife he CIV wo n3' b"ys
been match for any four of u.s. and il was
else that our village was not troubled with the
toH ,i ana gamblers who attached themselves
Murder wns n crime that could not bc palli.
hied IN a mining camp. Had IL been anything
ssiss majority Of tho men would have been in
inPor OF letting Joe Jump tn diggings and 70
unpunishcd But when they looked i'm On Tie
S,dl i1ced and blood stained corpse oil the
OF them. each heart hardened against tho muir.
us,Ifr, r., an M, gach man said 10 he other:
r1I pe swain must hang Tor thisl"
Ihere was No need Of n trial When he waa
Drought ontaiier breakfast b. said:
tif2Gs1', H. on want any fuss over this thing.
ss S aal ne up po to IiTb knew what was nq
coudnt ga E1Iw IA haye to stIoi n rope ~
and fhan't look for any sympathy. Tho re-.
d n' q l want f. make is that YOU won't Lang ma
niilirs hanging around camp all day. but vet Il
wy make no great difference 10 you rs long
me- say nyew "s
Those opposed will say mol"
Al voice was heard.
IIhs rn oy,s hayeG il. qnl an to be hung a,
nan dozen letters. sleep for two or threo
y irs' anu nope you won't crowd in on mo.
thr time comes IN b. on hand
Indians. and was 10 he burned nj thn e,oho 'i ~
sundown, every miner would have wagered his
outhl mat Swain would have died game. In this
cas-; whore he WIS to meet ds.raccfu death
~ the hands 81 mon who had worked and
1ought beside him for months. most OF the
miners thought he'd take the moose without tho
gHivrr 81 muscle. but there were two or three
L. He IS BRAY, man, but when no takes his
bci2re the day was Tour hours old there was
strhng" wager between two ~ our men Ii was
riiie against rillle that Joe Swain would show
woman 5 heaii before lie swung oil.
Ihe doomed man was left ~ himself all day
long, strong guard was placed around lila
tenl' nut no one entered it to Interrupt the work
81 hi7 last hours. = lle corpse of His victim was
buried at the foot OF the lone tree on which i"e
UyfJ rhNiF .aAl 9S~the..siM \. uer. carryingtha
respect tor the dead. Ie wrote 1ye letters.
drew mp briei will, ate 4 full meal about mid
he was ready, Before starting for tho tree hs
.sraid Alter ! am gone you will lind, my will.
as convenient. This Is n shabby old suit of
clothes to be hung IN. but it's AL had. and
couldn't 70 round borrowing. Have you gol
the rope and the barrel rcadyY'
Yes. everything is all ready" replied
That's right" said Joe. Now. then. form
IN procession; give me- u conspicuous place.
md we'll march along
The man wasn't smiling. His fnco was pale;
ms eyes A.id an ANXIOUS look. and il was plain
enough that ne renn,zed the grlmness Of his last
and Joe marched away Tor the troo as stcadilv
~ a solder on parade. us hands and leet
REL. win the moose dangling above his head he
. Boys. tic my arms behind my back and
inter YOU llit inc up. tic my feet together II
you make n hungle OF this, you IL yet bad namo
al trough The diggings.
When Joe stood on the barrel tho moose
around his neck the men fell back little, He
IG,9Scd from ,n To- man Win steady eve:
Inc hcnds of the men ont upon the green urai-
rie. The sinking sun had nlloi the grass with
millions OF sparkling Jewels. A score Of ante
birds were sailing toward the R@ekies Win lazy
VIM me tlowcrs never seemed 50 thick and
For minute we all looked southwark. and
there was something il the vision that soilcnod
every heart. -
When We looked up nt Joe acoin wo bord,,
know him All the hard limos had melted ous
y! ms face. his Dyes We're full of tears and there
"A
D9nt blame mo- boys-t is my last look ON
earth Now DO your luiy!"
Mot n man moved not a man could move
Taking a swift glance over tho prairie and
mother MP the mountain side. Joe softly said:
COD forgive me that | was not Il bcttor
lie fell forward of tho barrel his own eyocu-
Toner. and no man darad look up until the
body hung limp and lifcess
80. mai wegkrned, and those who had bot on
ais game had lost. Yet. when We ttlkrd IL
lvrr IN low voices AZ the camp nre We agreed
Nat brave DOE ; braNcst act 81 a HE time was
'hpWn whrn tho tenderness was allowed IL
'rn"p INTO his heart. and his eyes 10 mi with
eaf5-Whcn he proved 60 us that he had a soul.
Aunt Liza Gone Home.
Fon n, N.ssroi Bnmurike.
Doctor, Is got togoY"
Amt 'lA.1. there mo- hone for Won