The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-02-16

had the mellowness of the true Indian sum-
mer, and the skies were soft and beautiful
overhead. | used to wander iuto the grove
on Sabbath afternoons; but my visits ceased
suddenly. One day happened to cast my
eyes towards the jail, which was visible
from the place | occupied. and behold
saw pale face at the window of john Up
shots cell. The condemned man seemed
to be looking at me, who had been com
missioned to launch him into eternity. His
eyes seemed full of mute pleading and
burned into my very heart. | could not
stand that awful look. aud made my way
back to town, unnerved for the first time
since his conviction.
81 did not return TO that spot until the
night prior to the day set apart for the
ecution. The town was becoming filled
with people, for the few executions that
had taken place i'll the county had beer
public, and the precedent was to he adhered
to III Upshot's case. My programme had
been carefully studied, and, weaIied with
tile matter. | concluded to seek the cool
grove aud find little rest For several
days and nights the prisoner had paced his
cell with thai terrible tread which rings i'll
my ears to-day, and wantedto get beyond
es,rshot of the awful sounds
The night was lovely. A full moon was
in the sky, aud her light fell directly upon
! the jail. The white walls had "A ghost like
look from the grove, aud the winds that
| rustled the leaves around me seemed to
sing the requiem of the doomed man. l
found relief among the trees but all a.
once | was wishing that | had not left my
house.
| "A face white and wan as death appeared
suddenly at one of he barred windows. L
/ knew that it was John Upshot's. The APP
: aItion startled me, aud | was my feet
! i'll m instant, staing at the window. He
seemed To bc taking his last loJk at the
/ beautiful earth unfoldcd to- his gaze 10y the
! noon, and a longing hook it seemed to me.
| | could see that hIS face was pressed against
/ the bais. and when [ recullected that the
1 man must be standing on the very tips of
! his toes ia Oruer 10 maintain his position.
! | fell bis eagerness. For many minutes |
/ watched that white face, and II pi,ied its
guilty owner III that moment of hIs PAIN, l
am sure, gentlemen. you viii pardon me.
Il was thus gazing ut John Upshot when
! the loud report of a gun caused the to start
aud whil quickly in my tracks.
/ "Ihe Neapon seemed to have been dis
/ charged within few PAGES of my position: !:
| but / could not living soul besices
myself III the grove. My first impression
| was that an attempt had oeen made upon
my own life but had not felt the whistle
| of the ball and was quite certain that IL
had not penetrated my person. But, in
order to he prepared for another shot,
y
pected position of the assassin. My search
| proved fruitiesS bu5 as the trees were
throwing long shadows. | knew that any
person could easily ehIde me. The shot
! worked me up To 40 little pitch of excite
meut aud as turned my head towards the
town. happened to glance at the Jail.
''.Iohu Upshot's face was no longer at the
| window!
Il returned home mystified by the shot.
| hut rpSnly IN discover rs antltnr Mx
wife met me at the door with a white face,
and said that she feared that UpsltOt had
taken his life as she had heard the fall of
| a heavy body in the direction Of his cell.
"A minute later | flung wide the cell
door. anu to my horror found John Upshot
lying on the floor with the moonlight fall
ing upon the blood lest face that have ever
beheld. OF course my first thought was
one OF suicide; but the rigid hand gra>ped
no revolver, though there was "a ghaslly
bullet wound between the eyes. | lifted
the man, but he was dead, and | knew
would not hang him on the coming day.
OF couIse ! was not long in as>ociating the
shot ih the grove with the criminals death
aud an observation taken on the foloVNing .
night convinced me of the fact. The affail
is still involved in mystery to the people o
Usage but to me it. has been made clear
~ year after this thrilling event | wa'
summoned to the deathbcd of Lillian Blake
the beautiful daughter Of Upshot's victim
She WAS near the grave. bpt she told me +;
strange story, and before left the room.
knew that the fair gi,l had avenged he
fathers death by Staying his murderer %,
the night before the day of legal execution
A SAGACIoUs COw.-1 can avouch 70
| the truth of the story, as II was told to mt
| 10y the gentleman who sold the COW, ant
who;u I have known from boyhood. Ii,
moved from Kenncbeck county. Maine, t,
Wisconsin, several years ago settling, in
srcticn at that time but sparsely populated
IN time friend of his came, with Isl
family, and took up iann in Minnesota
[ over two huudred miles distant. Th
: fiiend. while he went on to look UP Iii
/ Claim. aud put mp hut, left his fanil,
( with his old tow unsman, and when he wa
finally ready to push on bag aud baggage
he bought of his host a fiue COW. which Ia
Z knew he should wantethe first thing upo
his arrival as lie had several young chill
T.. dten. 1t was n new mich cow. having
E calf Just old enough To wean. lie nigh
Z have found cows his Minnesota ioca
: tiun but it vas douhtful if he could l;.v
[ ! fnu,id one of So good a breed for milk, and
+ more especially, one IN fun milk.
I AT the exl,ir;.fion Of two weeks from th
: dale of his friends departure our WiscoI
sin farmer received letter from him, wri
e ten when within ry's journey of his de.
& tinatiun-wriiten because lac Lad met q
e his way and topped with over night, tli,'
: e.er going cast.
Il Il have more than once almost wiShe
4 that had not bon n!ht old Snow'ace,' III
t writer said. speaking of the cow. ''ior sh
q has given us an immense amount oftroubl'
4 She misses her calf. and wish L had take
it as you prssrosed but Ne are almm
. there, and guess good rest aud GOO
il feed will soon quiet her.
MIR. Locke (iIe viii pardon me for tcllin
Is his uame) received Tins letter on Saturda
1t evening. That night his wife aroused hi
and Informed him that ''old Suowface
1t was at the gate. crying To come in Il
,, listened, and heard the lowing oi a COZ
Il and the answering cry at the calf IN u
| barn. Arising and lighting lantern,
:. went out to ihe gate, where. sure cnong
" aud to his great surprise, he found ihe CO
e .i1.i, La. l..,d sA.ll AxrtlSS htflrt