The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1878-11-28
little rascal, spriDging to his feet, "if I'm

to be insulted in this way"
Keep still, will you," said his Honor,
"and let the witness proceed" [ had
made favorable impression at the start,
and it gave me confidence. l resumed
ut was a warm moonlight evening,
and the mist rising above the cataract was
less dense than usual; so I could see tol-
erably we'll. Just at the brink, on an
overhanging rock, saw a tail bent figure
in gray clothes, wearing slouch hat-a
very bad hat; don't see more than a
hundred worse ones in the room" There
was a smile all around, and then the Dis
trict Attorney asked me if l had known
the deceased, Mr.. Thatcher, in his life
time. replied that had not-had nev-
er seen him.
Remember that, gentlemen Of the
Jury" said be, with a conceited smile:
remember the witness had Lever seen
nor heard of the deceased We don't
mean to controvert the witnesss state
ment on that point SIR" he added. ad-
dressing the counsel for the defence, and
smirking as if he had got hold of a good
thing which he would hold in reserve as
q final crusher."
"Cuss you" roared the Judge, ''ke !
your mouth shut, will you? The wit1cs.
viii proceed
81 approached this person on the rock
I continued, sand said, Cool evening.
"'Bet you five dollars it aintI' " said
he, turning sharply about.
At this there was general snigger
from the spectators, and Dave Thatchers )
widow, who sat near, looked up with q
sudden hope in her face that was cheerful
to see. / resumed my testimony:
"'Do you see that oak on the other
bank?" continued the man on the rock,
pointing to conspicuous pine.
Il thought the fellow must be a mani
&C. and | did not know just what to ans
wer; but presently replied that / was not
certain whether | saw it or Mott depend
ed upon circumstances.
'He was silent for some moments; then
he shivered and chartered his teeth.
"'Snow before morning. said he. per
haps So said 1, non-committally; seems
thickenlng up, but that may be an opti-
cal illusion
Then he wanted to know if I remem-
bered what year General Jackson was
elected President-'wasn't it in SEP l
told him I did not recollect After a
while he said carelessly:
"'Theyre talking, here at the Bluff,
about running Ben. Franklin for next
President
q 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 on2 Have
you got any hobby-any opinions2'
81 am not sure replied; some peo-
pie 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"
"'Wcil, swear" said he, disguised,
I'm going to Jump over these falls-bet
you five dollars l Wilt
Il SAID nothing and lie continued: 4
shall be exactly thIeU seconds ana Il naII
getting to the bottom-won't l, now9
"sPossibly. Maybe a little more than
that-mavbe a little less-maybe just
that. I don't remember jumping over any
cascades myself
"He gave me one look, laid off his hat,
backed up to the brink of the precipice,
and dropped himself down, hanging on to
the edge with his hands. Then he let go,
falling three hundred feet into the boiling
whirlpool below"
"NIay it please the court" shrieked the
little District Attorney, lunging forward
upon his hind feet, 81 want to put one
question to this witness now! You say,
sir, you had never seen the deceased MIR.
Thatcher up to the moment you met hlm
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 that this man
you saw 90 over the falls was Dave
Thatcher2 How do you know it, sir?'
II don't know it. / know it was not
he. For Just before he let go the rock h.
looked mp at me, with his nose above the
edge, and said:
"'You think I'm Dave Thatcher, don't
youP
Il told him he might be, or he might
not.
"'Just sor said he, desperately, as hi
fingers began to slip. Bet you five dol
lars | amt
There was a good deal of loose talk il
court after this, bnt the spectators would
not listen to it, and Bob D was tri
lmphantly acquitted, being borne throug
The town on the shoulders of the jury, to
the music Of brass band and the cheers
of the whole population.
But Dave Thatchers widow persisted
il putting up handsome headstone ovel
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 proceedings by marry
ing her.
Il don't see what all this has to do with
the question of the advisability of swear
ihg witnesses in court said l, when John
had finished his yarn.
'Dont, eh2 It's got this to do with il.
There wasn't prison in the State which
| had not broken out of thousand times.
If hadd't been pnt upon my Bible oath
what was to prevent my telling lie?'