The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-07-27

- was waking along une river Dirk,
on the side of the town opposite Spanish
Town road, and just above the falls. l
wouldn't trouble myself, if | were you''
turning to the District Attorney" to
ask what l was walking there for, be-
cause it isn't anybody's business"
Il appeal to the Court screechcd
the little rascal, springing to his feet,
" if I'm to be insulted in this way
"Keep still, win YOU" said His Hon
or, g and let the witness proceed" l
had made favorable impression at the
start, and it gave me confidence. re-
sumed:
" 1t was warm moonlight evening,
and the mist rising above the cataract
was less dense than usual so | could
see tolerably well. Just at the brink
on an overhanging rock, | saw tall,
bent figure in gray clothes, wearing a
SLOUGH hat-a very bad hat; | don't see
more than hundred worse ones in this
ROOM" There was a smile all round,
and then the District-Attorney asked
me if | had known the deceased, Mr..
| Thatcher, in his lifetime. | replied
that had not-had never seen him.
Remember that, gentlemen of the
jury" said he, with conceited smile;
remember witness had never seen or
heard of the deceased. We don mean
to controvert the witness statement on
that point, sir,'' he added, addressing
the counsel for the defense, and smirk-
ing as if he had got hold of a good thing
which he would hold in reserve as a
final crusher."
"Cuss youn 'roared the Judge, keep
your mouth shut, will you? The wit
ness will proceed"
81 approached this person on the
rock" | continued, land said: Good
evening""
50 Bet you five dollars it ain'tn - said
he, turning sharply about.
At this there was general Singer
from the spectators, and Dave Thatch-
ers widow, who sat near, looked up
with sudden hope in her face that
was cheerful to see. Presumed my testi-
mony:
Do you see that oak on the other
bank?' continued the man on the rock,
pointing to Il conspicuous pine.
Il thought the fellow must be ma
Mac, and | did not know just what to
answer; but presently replied that |
was not certain whether | saw it or not
it depended upon circumstances.
"He was silent for some moments;
then he shivered and chartered his
teeth.
go Snow before morning. said he.
Perhaps So said l, non-committally.
seems thickening up, but that may be
an optical Illusion
"Then he wanted to know if | re-
membered what year Gen. Jackson was
elected President wasn't it in '52?' |
told him | did not recollect. After
awhile he said carelessly:
They're talking here at the Bluff
about running Ben, Franklin for next
President
81 made no reply. Then he came up
to me and laid hand on my shoulder.
"''See here, stranger said he, is
there any subject you feel at home on?
Have you got any hobby-any opin-
ions?'
81 am not sure Ireplied, some
people have opinions, and some don't
have any. Some that do have them
don't have them all the time; and those
that have them all the time often forget
them
80 Well, swearn said he, disguised,
I'm going to jump over these falls
bet you five dollars | willn
Il said nothing, and he continued:
| shall be exactly three seconds and a
half getting to the bottom won't |,
nowp
POSSIBLY. Maybe little more than
that-maybe little less-mavbe lust
that. l don't remember jumping over
any cascades myself
''He gave me one look, laid off his
hat, backed up to the brink of the prec-
ipice and dropped himself down, hang
ing on the edge with his hands. Then
he let 90, falling three hundred feet in
to the boiling whirlpool belowH'
"May it please the Court" shrieked
the little District Attorney, lunging for
ward upon his hind feet, 81 want to
put one question to this witness now!
You say, sir, you had never seen the
deceased Mr.. Thatcher up to the mo-
ment you met him on that rock-and
never heard of him--and never heard
of any of his relations Now, sir, on
your oath, on your Bible oath, sir! how
do you know this man you saw 90 over
the falls was Dave Thatcher? How do
you know 1t, sir?'
81 don't know it. 1 know it was
not he. For just before he let 90 the
rock he looked up at me with his nose
above the edge, and said:
"You think I'm Dave Thatcher,
don't youp"
q told him he might be, Or he might
not"
"'Just sor said he desperately, as
his fingers began to slip. Bet you five
doll airs l ain't!'
There was good deal of loose talk
in court after this, but the spectators
would not listen to it, and Bob D
was triumphantly acquitted, being
borne through the town on the Shout
ders of the jury, to the music of brass
band and the cheers of the whole pop
ulation.
But Dave Thatcher's widow persisted
in putting up handsome headstone
over the remains of the unknown dead,
and was going to have it inscribed with
her late husbands name, and what she
still regarded as the manner of his
death, when Bob stopped the proceed
ings by marrying her.
at 400 III Al =. - -