Kimball enterprise. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1883, 1883-07-20
Dies Happy With a Silk Um-
brella.

One of the most curious experiences
that ever befell me was during pro-
vincial engagement, when I had Clay
land Jail in Loamshire. The population
were agricultural and uncultivated, and,
of course, the most ignorant as we'll as
the most degraded came my way. One
OF them was woman of6o, murderess.
The Chaplain could do nothing with her
he very seldom can with those who
are condemned to death; they have
something else to listen to than mere
words. Days and even weeks before a
timber has been raised or nail has been
driven in they hear the gallows being
put up. This poor creature, however,
was not troubled in that way; she had
not the Imagination for it. She had not
even the instructive disinclination for
her fate that the dumb animal feels on
the threshold of the slaughter-house.
There were no "good-byes" to make,
for she had neither friend nor relative
in the world; the world she was to leave
on Monday. On the Sunday night she
sent for me. 1t had been pouring day
as most November days in Loamshire
are, and as I entered her cell the sound
of the rain npon the roof heightened
the melancholy effect of the scene to an
extraordinary degree. To those who
knew the circumstances of the case she
was scarcely an object Of pity, for
the murder she had committed was q
most brutal and appalling one; but It
was impossible to Behold her without
sharing her wretchedness. She was
standing under the barred blank win.
dow with her eyes fixed upon it, listen
ing apparently to the splash Of the
storm, but she turned quickly round as
I came in and faced me. iGuv'nor.O .
she said, "is it true that 1 am to be
hung tomorrow" 1t was not easy to
reply to such question in words, and /
only. inclined my head gravely. "ls it
far from here I mean the gallows?"
"About so yards; in front Of the jail
gates" "Aye, aye; l mind the place
well; I saw John Norris hung there
one will walk to i.
won't one?" There was touch of dis.
appointment in her tone which could
not understand, though I guessed the
reason of il afterward. Eyes we shall
all walk" every good! I've been
thinking of summat as l should like to
do. Will you grant me a last favor,
GuvnorF told her, of course, that
anything that lay in my power, and
which my duty permitted me to do,
would be done for her. "Well, to-mor-
row will be wet, you see that's certain.
Now. never in all my life has it hap
pened to me to walk under silk UNI
brella: Will you let me do it just this
once?" gave her, of course, the re-
quired assurance, and. herlwarders repor-
ted afterward that she went to bed in
good spirits and passed an excellent
night. Her first words on being awak-
ened in the morning were to inquire il
il rained. and on being informed that it
did she expressed her satisfaction. The
rest Of the sad ceremony seemed to in-
terest her very little, but never shall
forget how her dull hard face frightened
up at the sight of the new silk umbrella
that was presented to her. She held it
over her head to the gal'ows foot with a
hand which, if it trembled at all, did so
with conscious pride.-James Payn, in
IOnpman's Mapazina