Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-11-20


1t was those words that came to my
mothers mind, and to the minds of all
of us, that November night, when We
learned that the murderer was again 1T
large.
One would think that we should not
hove cared to talk about this terrible
threat after father had gone out; but we
did talk about it and gradually worked
ourselves into state of nervous appre-
hension that could hardly have been
greater had we really known of the great
danger that father wss in.
Every once in while l noticed that
Pentateuch was listening intently to what
was said, and rolling his eyes about IN
wondering awe.
The old-tashioned clock in the corner
struck eight and then nine. We did not
expect father back much before ten.
About nine Pentateuch arose and stood
a moment, yawning and swinging his
srms about.
81 guess I'll go ter bed," said he.
"Dis chile's precious sleepy"
II wish, Pentateuch," said my moth
CT, "that you would sit up until John
comes home"
Pentateuch, however, only gave another
frightful yawn and replied:
Couldn't link of it, Missus Morris
My eyes dey keeps slammin' themselves
too hard every mint. Couldn keep UNI
open any longer to save me from. d'struc-
tion."
And as he always did just as he pleas
ed, in spite Of any of us, he was permit
ted to depart
And now I shall tell you of everything
that followed, just as I believe 1t must
happened, though I did not know Of all
the circumstances until sometime later
Pentateuch did not go to bed, rs he
said he should. He had no sooner closed
the door behind him. than without even
stopping for his hat, he stole out OF the
back door, down the path to the gate,
and then set of at the top OF his speed
toward the meeting house.
He had put what he had just heard
side by side with the faces of two mon he
had seen near the house that afternoon,
and he feared that their appearance had
something to do with the escape Of Ellis
from prison.
Arrived at the meeting house corner,
Pentateuch stepped moment undecided.
There was dark, narrow crossroad that
turned off here, and ran down through a
bit of woods to the the house Of the
Widow Ellis.
Gould my father have come up yet, or
| was he still at the house2
That was the question that Pentateuch
stood asking himself, when he saw a
faint light appear and disappear some
distance down the road.
Without farther hesitation, he started
on again quite cautiously.
Just at the edge of the wood his ear
caught the sound Of voices only short
distance before him.
He had hardly time to drop on his
knees in the bushes beside the road,
when those who were speaking passed
by. Two dusky, stalwart forms were
bearing an unconscious burden between
them, which Pcntateuch thought was the
body of my father.
4 sudden rage filed the devoted lads
soul, and he would have confronted the
men, but a few words spoken by one of
them made him think that his kind
friend was not seriously hurt, and he
sank back IN silence. :,
"This will last him until we get to the
church, I guess,'-these we're the words.
If he ever comes to himself, he'll find
that hanging near luis own pulpit isn't so
pleasant as to spread himself in his Sun
day sermons there. He'll never testify
| against me anymorew
They passed on with their burden, and
Pentateuch, startled and confused by
what he had seen and heard, followed
cautiously on the lonely road, not yet
compromising the terrible purpose they
had in mind.
It never occurred to Pentateuch to go
for assistance. He just followed the men
up the road again to the door of the
church. Then waiting outside moment
after they had disappeared within, he
crept stealthily in, and up the stairs after
them, into the body of the church.
And there crouching down behind one
Of the back pews, and watching the men
as we'll as he could In the darkness, he all
at once understood what they ment to do.
I do rot care to dwell on their purpose.
l shudder always when think of it..
You will understand. of course, that they
meant, after stunning my father with a
blow, to kill him in barbarous manner
by hanging him from the gallery
near the pulpit OF the church.
And Pentateuch realized this fully as
he heard them making ready q rope,
and fastening it to one of the gallery
posts.
Then for the first time 1t seemed to &C.
cur to him that he was there for some
thing else than listening in terror; that
something must be done and that he must
do it!
He turned away softly, and crept out
OF the door again into the vestibule of
the church. He was still very much
frightened and bewiIdered; but while in
the entry, cropping along the wall to find
the door again, he encountered rope
hanging down from the ceiling.
Possessed by sudden impulse
scarcely knowing what he did or why he
did THE seized the rope eagerly, and
then leaping up and grasping it firmly,
he threw his whole weight violently up
on it.
The result, even though be must to a
certain extent have anticipated it, sur,
prised and startled him, while it filled
him with exultant joy.
For far up overhead, in the belfry Of
the tall church steeple, the old bell that
had called the people together 50 many
times, to listen to the holy words Of the
innocent old man, whose life was now In
such mortal peril, rang out fercely upon
the cold night air, calling them to hi
aid. :.
And the angry sound falling upon the
ears OF the men into whose hands m,
father had fallen, struck to their souls
like Q knell Of DOOM. It must havt
seemed to them that God alone could
have uttered that fearful warning. The,
did not dare to return by the way they
entered the church, for they could no
tell who or how many men they might
encounter. They rushed to one of til,
church windows, opened it, and thus es
Icaped.
And Pentateuch did not stop ringing
Again and again he threw his weight Of
the rope, and again and again the note
Of alarm pealed forth from the belfty,
until men came running In to demani
In wondering and excited tones the cans,
OF the tumult. z al =. $3.50. !.
Then he led them into the church. ant
they found my father lying on the foo
in the alsle, still insensible from the 81
fleets OF the hlOw hA had rocoivad