Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1880-07-19

told me that day what he wanted to do,
/ felt just as though my life was goin'
out of me.
II tried ter argue with him, but
twas no use. | see that, at the first
so l give him five hundred dollars, and
told him ter come back in six months {;
cause, you see, l didn't want him ter
think | was afeared to trust him alone
anywhere.
81 rode out on the road piece with
him the day he started, and when l
came ter bid him good-by. [ told him
ter steer clear of keerds and whisky
and lynn; never ter do mean thing,
and if ne ever got into trouble ter send
for me.
81 sot on my hoss and watched him
on the hill as far as l could see.
went back ter the old ranch with sad
heart, l tell yer. Twas jest like shet-
tin all the sunlight out of my life for
ever an ever.
"Well. squire, l waited and waited
ter hear from Rob. The six months
went past, and never word came; and
all the time my heart achin' till it SEEM
ed sometimes as though it would bust
cat last, more'n year after he went
away, got letter from him, wantin'
me to- send him some money. Send him
money AS though he didn't know I'd
60 and take it myself! Why, l didn't
even wait till mornin', but started that
night for San Antoine and when l got
there, where do you s'pose l found him,
squire I?
ain saloon, drunk How could l
bear it My Rob drunk
IL tried ter get him ter 60 home with
me, but he only laughed and swore at
me. and wanted the money I'd brung
him.
"Well, I'd brought it for him, and so
l gin it to him, and then I went back
to the ranch alone.
"I've been sorry since that I give
him that money. but, you see, didn't
know. | went back to the ranch and
stood it awhile alone; but l had no
heart, and after a time sold the ranch
and then l went and joined Jack Hayess
Rangers.
"Wal, / hadn't heerd from him for
nigh about four years, and then heerd
that Rob Thorpe was in Jail down at
Houston for KILN man. 1 didn't
think at fust that twas my Rob. But,
somehow, the idee kept CROWN on me,
and last week 1 went down there to
see.
esquire, it was my Rob. Yes, my
Rob In Jail for KILN man.
"He was gamblin' one night, and
thought the feller he was gamblin' with
cheated him. Wal, Rob was drunk,
squire. mind that He was drunk the
next mornin' and went and shot him.
But he didn't know nothin' what he was
doin'. They can't hang a man if he
didn't know what he was doin', you
know, squire?
II want you to 60 down to Houston
and get Rob off, 1 hain't got much
money, but I'll pay you well, squire.
l listened patiently to Bills sad story
with heart full of sympathy for him,
and I would gladly have spared him the
anguish that knew my words would
cause him. But was obliged to tell
him that his brothers being drunk at
the time of shooting the man would be
no defence upon his trial for murder.
"No defence ' exclaimed Bill. "Why
Rob didn't know what he was doin' no
more'n a child. He was drunk, dye
see ?"
"Yes, I understand it; but in the
eye of the law, that will be no defence
for him."
"No defence |" responded Bill, in an
absent, preoccupied manner. mo de-
fencel Then you mean to say there
aint no hope for Rob?
"No," was my reply; "there may be
mitigating circumstances that we don't
know, and as long as there's life, there's
; hope"
For few moments, Bill sat staring
me in the face as though half-dazed
Then he said: "Say it again, squire
There's no hope for Rob, is there p
l replied: "You must prepare your
self for the worst, Bill, if you have told
me Rob's whole case"
"The worst ? That's hanging p NUT
tered Bill; and the strong man, who
had faced death hundred times with
out fear, bowed his head upon the desl
and wept as only strong man car
weep.
He made no effort to conceal his tears
no attempt to hide his grief. The hope
to which he had heretofore clung hat
forsaken him, and at last he fully real
lied the extent of his brothers crime
} For a full half-hour he sobbed ant
moaned like one bereft of all hope.
Grief is sacred, and / did not ventur
to offer the least consolation, for l know
kbok IL oo,,1I - L;xo