The Osceola times., 1883-11-24
THE BURDEN OF GUILT
BY MARK TWAIN.

Do you remember when Jimmy Finn,
the town drunkard, was burned TO death
in the calaboose? The caboose victim
was not citizen he was poor stranger,
a harmless whisky-sodden tramp. l
knew more about his case than anybody
else knew too much Of it in that by.
gone day to relish speaking of it. That
tramp was wandering about the streets
one chilly evening, with a pipe in his
mouth, begging for match. He got
neither matches nor courtesy on the
contrary troop of bad little boys fol-
lowed him around and amused them
selves with nagging and annoying him !;
assisted. But at last some appeal which
the wayfarer made for forbearanee. ac-
companying it with pathetic reference
to his forlorn and friendless condition.
touched such sense of shame and rem
nant of right feeling as were left in me,
and | went away and got him some
matches, and then hied me home and
went to bed. heavily weighted AS to con-
science and unboyant in spirit. An
hour or two afterward the man was ar
rested and locked up in the calaboose by
the Marshall-large name for constables
but that was his title.
AT two in the morning the church
bells rang for fire, and everybody turned
out, of course-I with the rest. The
tramp had used his matches disastrously;
had set his straw bed on fire and the
oaken sheating Of the room had caught
When reached the ground, two hund-
red men, women and children stood
massed together transfixed with horror,
and staring at the grated window of the
Jail. Behind the iron lars and tugging
frantically at them and screaming for
help, stood the tramp. He seemed like
black object against sun, 20 white and
intense was the light at his back.
The marshall could not be found, and
he had the only key. A battering ram
was quickly improvised, and the thunder
Of its blows upon the door had so en-
couraging a sound that the spectators
broke into wild cheering, and believed
the merciful battle won. But it was not
30. The tinbers were too strong; they
did not yield 1t was said that the man 5
death grip still held on to the bars when
he was dead, and that in this position
the fires wrapped him about and con-
sumed him. As 10 this do not know.
What was seen after ] recognized the
face that was pleading through the bars
was seen by others and not by me.
! saw that face, 70 situated, every night
for long time afterward; and believed
myself as guilty of the mans death as if
/ had given him the matches purposely
that he might burn himself up with
them. ] had not doubt that should
be hanged If my connection with this
tragedy were found out. The happen
ines snd the impressions Of that time are
burned into my memory, and the study
Of them enterains me as much as they
themselves distressed me then. II any
body spoke Of that grizzly matter was
all ears in moment, and alert TO hear
what might be said, for | was always
dreading and expecting to find out that
/ vas suspected and 10 fine and SO deli
cate was the perception Of my guilty con-
science that it often detected suspicion
in the most purposeless remarks, and in
looks, gestures glances Of the eye, which
had no significance, but which sent me
shivedng away in panic of fright, just
the same. And how sick il made me
when somebody dropped, howsoever
nrelessly and barren Of intent, the re-
marx that murder viii out" For q boy