The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1883-02-15
MAGNOLIA MISSISSIPPI THURSDAY, FEBRUARY l5 1883.

that men were only lynched for fearful
crimes; but I had 4 woman's heart.
Whatever he had done, he asked my
help.
@Yet where could he hidep There
were five rooms in the house; each had
small cupboard. There was no exit
furniture, and | heard them coming.
Suddenly thought struck me.
''Go into that room, / said, "Do
not shut the door Get into the bed
you see there, and tie the handkerchief
on the bedpost over your head. Turn
your face TO the wall. It's your only
chance.n
He obeyed me. I sat down by the
table, dragged my work basket toward
me, and began to sew and sing. l heard
many steps upon the road. The gate
changed. | knew that men came up the
path and peeped in at the window Then
the door was opened. Arough face was
thrust in. One man entered-another
and another. knew them all by sight.
Excuse me, Miss Becky said the
leader; "but we're after mana
stranger in these parts-that has done
murder. We saw him come this way.
We rather reckoned he'd got you to
hide him by some lie. Have you seen
him? Where's the deacon|'
"Try not TO wake grandfather" l
said He's not well. You can look
under his bed, if you choose. There's
no other place to hide in in that room,
as you see"
One of the men went on tiptoe into
the room, and looked under the bed,
laughed softly, and came out.
''You may 90 over the house, if you
like said |, "and see if you can find
the fugitive"
He can't get away if he's anywhere
about said the man. "The house is
surrounded.
They took some candles which gave
them and went through the house.
They went to the stable, fortunately
padlocked on the outside, so that they
did not see that it was empty. They
beat the bushes, and peeped into the
chicken-coop, and went oil together,
furious at their disappointment, and
was left alone with the man they had
/ spoken of as that fearful thing, a muir
derer. shut the shutters and drew
down the blinds, and he came from his
hiding place, pale but calm, and stood
looking at me n moment.
t'You will hear the whole story to-
morrow he said. "Don't believe me
guilty. / should have been black
;. hearted brute, indeed, if had commit
ted the crime they charge me with, but
/ am innocent. God bless you for YOU
mercy. | can save myself now."
n He opened the door and darted OH
into the night. A little later Sally
came home. Later, my grandfather
/ who had heard a horrible story of {
woman murdered in the settlement be
yond.
, / told neither of them anything.
| kept the adventure to myself for few
days after the truth was discovered, ant
it was known that another woman, anC
no man at all, had committed thu
murder, and then told grandfather.
. A year after a package came to mi
by express. 1t was from California;
! little box Of gold nuggets and letter
} The sender, it said, was the inn ocen
J man had saved from Judge Lynch
: He had become miner, had prospered
and was happily married, and begged
me to accept the little present ofere'
by one who would be ever grateful
There was no signature, but | was glat
) to hear again from one had never for
! gotten, and never shall. -Marg hyt
Dallas, in NtSo York Ledger.