The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1883-10-18

! QerSulp Will s'A dCqus1ihsS'1iNe
made, l purchased claim for 915C
For a month we found next to
nothing, then success crowned our
work, and within six months OF
leaving England ] was worth e.
600. l returned to Cape Town,
but could not make up my mind
to cross the ocean home, 80 | took
rooms at a crack hotel and began
to enjoy myself. Those who find
fortune easily spend freely; in a
short time gambling and drink left
me with just cash enough to return
to the fields. Phis time l had no
| money to buy claim, SO l had to
work for percentage. Luck fay'
ored me, and again | was the pos
SCISSOR of several hundreds, suffi.
cient to join q company Of ten in
the purchase of large claim.
There was an old Dutchman who
had daughter, handsome girl,
the only young woman for hundreds
of miles. She and / became init
/ mate. The Dutchman did not ap-
prove of my attentions to his
daughter, and the way in which she
favored me aroused the jealousy Of
my companions. The Dutchman
determined to get rid of me. One
day he accused me of robbing him.,
and certainly package of loose
stones, belonging to him, were
found in my coat pocket. l had
been talking to Gretchen and had
thrown off my coat because of the
heat, and the Dutchman placed the
plant on me. There is not much
Justice in a mining camp. AS |
said, I was disliked because Of
Gretchen's preferences, and my
partners, no doubt, were willing to
have my share of the claim to di-
vide among them; so was tried
and condemned to be hanged in
less than an hour of the old mans
accusation, by a lynch jury. was
allowed two hours to prepare for
death, and then taken to the nearest
tree, where rope was placed
around my neck and ] was jerked
by a dozen willing hands into the
air. But before strangulation en-
sued l fell to the ground with q
thump. Gretchen had not been
idle. Her entreaties brought an
opposition crowd Of diggers to my
assistance. The tide turned in my
favor, and 1 believe the old william
would have been burned in his shan
ty but for MY intercession and his
daughters tt ars. Gretchen Tilted
me, nevertheless, shortly afterward,
and, as I had next to no luck in my
search for diamonds, l left the
fields again for Cape Town, this
time with only two or three hundred
pounds in my pocket. I found a
letter awaiting me at the post.office,
from a friensl in Falmouth, telling
me my father was dying.
FOURTH AND LAST HANGING.
After again enduring the miseries
of sea voyage, i arrived in Eng
land only to find my father dead
and buried. lie left me a small
sum of money a7d his business.
There was no I nee for me in my
native city, how, ser; blood was on
nv hands and cci lness met me on
ali sides. l sod my fathers
effects at public auction and journ-
ed to London, where my identity
was soon lost among the many mil
lions. But the brand of Cain fol-
lowed me. 1 tried several kinds of
business and employment, but no
luck was mine. I took TO drink
again, and Q fight with policeman
landed me once more IN a prison
cell. I was committed to hard
labor for fourteen days. Despair
seized me, ] twisted rope out of
the strands ] was given to convert
into oakum, made moose for my
neck, secured the other end to the
bars OF the window, kicked away
the stool and lost consciousness.
To my dying day shall remember
the sensations Of my last hanging.
1 was transported to a beautiful
paradise Of meadows and flowers;
where lovely forms of children
greeted me and delicious music
sounded in my ears. 1t seemed to
last for an age, but it could only
have been a lapse Of a few mo-
ments, for gruff voices succeeded
the delicious music and the faces
of the angelic Children faded into
the stern features of a pair of pris,
on wardens, who had cut me down
just in time. l was sentenced to
three months longer for the attempt
at self-destrlction, and watched
night and day tc prevent a repeti,
ton. I had, however, no wish to
end my life again; on the contrary,
the desire for new scenes and fresh
adventure was full on me when my
release from prison arrived. ! still
possessed little money, SO / par'
chased a ticket Tor Colorado. In
the far West, with q new name,
new associations and clean shave,
for 1 am younger than / look, Prov
idence may yet send me happiness
and tune.-Philadelphia Press,
She went into shop to buy
some toilet soap, and while the