The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-01-02
all in favor Of waiting till sunset to hang
me, say aye!n
, aAye" shouted every man around

| all in favor Of waiting till sunset to hang
me, say ayer'
1 "Ayen shouted every man around
him.
/ 9Those opposed will say no!n
Not voice was heard.
The ayes have it, and am to be hung
/ at shutdown" continued joe 81 want to
write half dozen letters, sleep for two
or three hours and hope you won't crowd
in on me, Select your tree, Get vour
rope ready, and when the time comes I'u
| be on hand.n
II Joe had been a captive in the hands
of the Indians, and was to be burned Al
the stake at shutdown, every miner would
| have wagered his outfit that Swain would
| have died game. In this case, where he
was to meet q disgraceful death at the
| hands Of men who had worked and fought
beside him for months, most of the miners
| thought he'd take the moose without a
muscle, but there were two or three who
| said:
"He's brave man, but when he takes
his last look around he ewiIlweaken."
But before the day was four hours old
there was strange wager between two of
our men. 1t was rife against rifle that
Joe Swain would show a woman'a heart
before he swung off, ny
! The doomed man was left to himself all
day long. A strong guard was placed
around his tent, but ne one entered it to
/ interrupt the work of bis last hours. The
! corpse OF his victim was buried at the
foot Of the lone tree on which Jones was
| to swing, and as the six men carving the
| body passed near his tent the murderer
came out and stood with uncovered head
| to show his respect for the dead. He
wrote five letters, drew up brief will,
ate full meal about mid afternoon, and
halt an hour before sandown he was
ready. Before starting for the tree he
SAID: AFTER am gone you will find
my will. The letters in there are to be
forwarded as soon as convenient. This is
/ a shabby old suit of clothes to be hung
/ in, but it's all had, and couldn't 20
| around borrowing. Have you got the
| rope and the barrel ready?"
/ Yes, everything is all ready replied
a voice.
''That's right" said Joe ''Now, then,
form the procession; give me conspic-
uous PLACE, and we'u march along"
The man wasn't smiling. His face was
pale his eyes had an anxious look; and
it was plain enough that he realized the
grimness of his last hour on earth. The
procession was formed and Joe marched
away for the tree as steadily as g. soldier
on parade. His hands and feet were free
but as he hailed beside the old barrel with
the moose dangling above his head, he
said: I5~ s
"Boys, tie my arms behind my back,
and after you lift me UP tie my feet to-
gether. If you make a bungle- of this,
you'll get bad name all through the
diggings."
When Joe stood on the barrel, the moose
around his neck, the men fell back q lit
tie. He looked from man to man with
steady eye, glanced up at the limb, and
then looked over the heads Of the men
out upon the green prairies. The sinking
sun had filed the grass with millions OF
sparkling jewels. A score of antelope
were trotting along mile away; great
birds were sailing toward the Rockies
with lazy wing; the flowers never seemed
SO thick and beautiful as then.
For minute we all looked southwark,
and there was something in the vision
that softened every heart.
When we looked up at Joe again We
/ hardly knew him. All the hard lines
had melted out of his face, his eyes were
/ full Of tears, and there was sob in his
throat as he turned and whispered:
| Don't blame me, boys; it is my last
look on earth! Now do your dutyl'
Not man moved-net man could
move.
Taking q swift glance over the prairie
and another up the mountain side. Joe
softly said: God forgive me that I was
mo- better man--n'
He fell forward off the barrel, his own
executionei, and no man dared look up
until the body hung limp and lifeless.
Joe had weakened, and those
who had bet on his ''game" had lost
Yet when we talk it over in low voices
at the campfire we agreed that brave
Joe's bravest act Of life time was shown
when the tenderness was. aIiowd to
creep into bis heart and his eyes To i'll
With tears-when he proved to us that he
had soul.