Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-01-16

he'd take the moose without the culver
of muscle, but there were two or three
who said:
"He is a brave man, but when he
takes his last look around, he will
weaken"
Before the day was four hours old,
there was strange wager between two
of our men, 1t was rifle against rifle
that Joe Swain would show Il woman's
heart before he swung Off
The doomed man was left to himself
all day long. A strong guard was placed
around his tent, but no one entered it
to interrupt the work of his last hours.
The corpse of his victim was buried at
the foot Of the lone tree on which Joe
was to swing, and as the SIX men carry
ing the body passed near his tent, the
murderer came out and stood with I'M
covered head to show his respect for the
dead He wrote five letters, drew up
brief will, ate full meal about mid
afternoon, and half an hour before sun
down 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 for
warded as soon as convenient. This is
shabby old suit of clothes to be hung
in, but it's all | had, and I couldn't go
round borrowing Have you got the
rope and the barrel ready?"
Yes, every thing is all ready re
piled a voice.
"That's right, said joe CHOW, then,
form in procession, give me a conspicu
Gus place, and We'll 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 a soldier on parade His hands and
feet were free, but as he halted beside
the old barrel, with the moose dangling
above his head he said !:
"Boys, tie my arms behind my back,
and after you lift me up tie my feet to-
gether. If you make bungle Of this,
you'll get a bad name all through the
diggings."
When Joe stood on the barrel, the
moose around his neck, the men fell
back a little. 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 prairie.
The sinking sun had filled the grass
with millions of sparkling jewels. A
score of antelope were trotting along a
mile away; great birds were sailing
toward the Rockies with lazy wing; the
flowers never seemed so thick and beau
tiful as then
wi
and there was something in the vision
that softened every heart
When we looked up at Joe again. we
hardly knew him. Ali 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 whis-
pered:
"Don't blame me, boys-it is my last
look on earth Now do your duty p
Not man moved-not man could
move.
Taking a swift glance over the prai-
RE, and another up the mountain side,
Joe softly said, God forgive me that l
was not a better man"
He fell forward off the barrel, his own
executioner, and no man dared look
up, until the body hung limp and life
less.
Joe had weakened, and those who
had bet on his game" had lost. Yet.
when we talked it over in low voices at
the camp fire, we agreed that brave
Joes bravest act of lifetime was
shown when the tenderness was allowed
to creep into his heart, and his eyes to
fill with tears-when he proved to us
that he had q souI f4