The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1878-01-03
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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 al disgraceful death at the
hands Of men who had worked and fought
beside him for, months, most ofthe miners
thought he'd: take the moose without, q
muscle, but there were two or three who
| said: - 49,
"He's q brave man, but when he takes
his last;lo around he will weaken" :i;.~
But before'the day was four hours old
there was strange wager between two Of
j our men: 1twas rifle against rifle that
Joe Swain would show a wonlan'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 Jones was
to swing, and as the six men carrying 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,
"AO q AuAA AAC<11 oOVut uA1U dllCTuOOus anu
half an hour before sundown he was
ready. Before starting for the tree he
said: "After I 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 I had, and I couldn't 20
around borrowing. Have you got the
rope and the barrel ready2''
eyes, everything is all ready" replied
a voice.
''That's right" said Joe. "Now, then,
form the procession; give me a conspic-
uous 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 hailed 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 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 lit
tie. He looked from man ta 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 duty!'
| Not man moved-not man could
move.
Taking a swift glance over the prairie
and another up the mountain side, Joe
soft softly said. said "aod forgive me that was
He fell forward off the barrel, his own
executioner, 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 allowd to
creep into his heart and his eyes to fill
with tears-when he proved to US that he
had q s0nl