River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-06-05
Jack Bullets Broken Heart.
BY NJ QuAp.

BY NJ QUAD
A hundred men were digging for gold,
and they had named the place Joe
Whites Dream
Singular name, but they were singular
men, brawny, rough, grizzled, and some
of them wicked. They were men from the
East, digging, delyiug, in a sort of frenzy,
for the wealth of California.
On this day all work had ceased. The
men formed a circle, on the grass, and in
the centre was Jack Bullet. His hands
were tied behind lum, there was an old
blood-stain on his face, and from his
wolfish eyes he sent murderous chances
| from one face tG Smother, and at last
called out, II wish I.had knitted some Of
VET
None of the men teplied. Some were
pale, others nervous, ,and none seemed to
relish the business Oh had, which was the
hanging Of Jack BulIct. Byand-by
meek and humblc-lnolIing man, named
Elder Graves by the boys, entered the
circle, and, standing with one hand on
the prisoners shoulder, he began
'Jack Bullet, this is a solemn morning
| fol us all! Here il thc ropo-there is the
| limb-and we are All gathered to hang
vou You came 10 Hoe Whites dream
weeks ago, poor, hungry and i'll. We fed
and nursed you, and when you We're well
enough to work, full claim was staked
out for YOU. How have you repaid us,
| Jack Bullet! You haze stolen dust from
the men. bought discords among us, eX-
cited rows and riots, and last night you
were detected when about to murder your
partner and steal his few hundred dollars.
! We try To be white in this camp, and use
all men right, but we cannot turn you
/ loose to prey upon some other party The
men are going 10 hang you"
| Let EN- hang. can't die but once
sukily replied the prisoner,
Jack Bullet," said the Elder, II am
praying man, and want to pray with
| you You are strong man, and you are
to die like "A dog. Maybe you have
mother in the East, ~ you may have
wife and children God help them"
The elder sank down on his knees be-
fore the prisoner, aud prayed such a pray
er as the rocks have never echoed again.
Before he had finished there were tears
in the ewes Of half the men, and Big Sam
bent over to Curlcy Jim and whispered
"Now that's what call religlum the
! ittl pltl lfbliG "a ~ i'rl'rAN GO W" hpN' "
Git WAY back in New Hampshire !"
When the prayer had ended new
spirit came TO the men. They scanned
Jack Bullets face, ard saw that it had
softened, and as Elder Graves stepped
aside, the president OF the camp cut Jacks
! bonds, and said;
| 1--WE don't want your blood, though you
sought ours. Gou are free to go, Jack
Bullet, but dontyo ever enter Joe
Whites Dr. am again,'
The reprieved nan moved awIy with
out a word, nor did he look back as long
as he was in view When he had disap-
peared from sight. the miners returned
| to their work, each one so busy with his
| thoughts that but few words were spoken.
| That day two weeks man came up from
Cardboard CITY" aud reported that Jack
| Bullet had been eaten up by grizzly.
/ Every man in the camp felt glad then
| that his town had escaped the disgrace OF
hanging, and in thG afternoon we saw
! Elder Graves shoulder spade and turn
down into a little valley. 1t was 3 beau
tiful spot, always full Of mcllowest sun
shine and the prcttIcst fiowesrs. When
the boys had knock 81 of work for the day,
they all descended into the place, for
what reason no one knew, but by q com
mon consent In the centre Of the valley
the earth had been llcapcd up like n grave.
| At its heed was Il board--at its foot
wild rose. On the board Elder Graves
had cut with his kuile:
JACK.B ULLET,
AGED FORTY.
Men mas not have @iven him Il chance,
BUroop WILL,
You wouldn't think that these rough
men had sentiment iii their hearts, but
they saw through the Elders's motives in
an instant, and the rolghest man in the
lot stopped down aid carefully rear
ranged one of the sads
Three weeks more went by, and one
evening Jack Ballet cgmc into Joe White
Dream, alive and uclE He stood on the
little square in the centre of the town,
and said not q word f1ll the wondering
men gathered about him. Then he point
ed 10 the grave in IN: valley, his eyes
filed With tears, and Be chokingly said:
Boys sneaked ba:ek here this morn
ing to kin some oue - revenge, but
cum across that--that:Erave down-thar,
and-and--'
He held out his hand TO the men, and
the tears blinded him Sd that he could
not see q face Elder Graves went down
on his knees again every man with him,
and there were tears, and a prayer 80
beautiful and tender and true that Jack
Bullet solhed like q child. His heart
was broker. aud al the satan in his ma
ture was driven ont in a moment.
Joe Whites Dream was a mining camp
many months after that, and that Jack
Bullet was one Of thc best men IN it.
The head board grew gray as the rain
beat down and the sun shone, and the
beautiful Wild rose grcu till II covered
all the grave. but no ono disturbed a sod
The grave was sign a beacon light, as
it were. and perhaps miners acre right
when they said Of our town
They've had a revival up thar, an
they are the best chaps an the hardest
workers OF the slope