Arkansas weekly mansion., 1884-04-19
foddered the animal. while she prepared
bis frugal meal. which he insisted on

fOddered the animal while she prepared
bis frugal meal. which he insisted on
I her sh iny
| When lie was refreshed and warmed,
! she gave him up her bed, saying she
would sleep by the fire. and he unwil-
ling consented to deprive her o! her
couch.
He retired, and his regular breathing
soon announced he sept. She resumed
her pl &C by the hearth.
l know not if it was then or at the
first sight Of the god that temptation to
the blacklist trcachery entered her mind
It. eacherT that she now lrOOdlngly
| matured. 1t is painful to dIssect mind
like hcrs-cold, callous, covetous, soured
by 4 hard life and disappointment. long
ing for the ease from daily toll that
money alone could bring. without NOR
| al sense or fear-save of death, SO let
me pass as quickly as may be this
most shocking part of a true story: she
! resolved to do away with the unknown
traveller.
AS far rs she could Judge he was not
an ir, ,shman certainly not a native OF
koscommon: none had seen him enter
her cabin: she could unfasten the horse
and dri c it forth before morning. The
money she had spent in fDod could lie
easily accounted Tor by pretended
letter from America. She had seen the
purse filled to Eur~ting with god, in
short, she argued with herself there was
everything to gain and little or no risk.
sIhc won an who deliberatc> is lost,
says Ros>cau, and so it pro, ell in this
instance. She murdered the unhappy
man as he slept. pOss' ssci herself ot his
papers and yalua' les, set the horse free,
and sat by the dim rushlio hit to examine
the treasure.
1t was now nearly sunrise. Was it
the cod wind that blows before dawn
that chilled her to the bone. and made
her shiver rs if in an Hgie titP-or-
what did those papers contain? Tn
happy, wrciched mother, she had
slain her son.
He had come back, successful, rich
beyond his expectations, to take her by
surprise. to IN Ike her sharer III his
good fortune. She did not recognize in
the dark BEARDED man the slender youth
of years gone h:. The temptation was
irresistible To his laughter-lov, dis
position. He would pass h mscl. oil as
a grand gentle mar until morning, then
how they would lauch together when
she knew all; reveal himself, Alas
the morning never dawned for him.
The woman mind was uhhinaed ht
and laughed aloud like maniac. Then
rushed wildly out into the cold, gray
light. by her awful cries drew terrified
neighbors round her, to whom she
yelled she was a murdereSs, ha killed
her only child. They thought she was
mad or possessed of Il devil: nut one
boldrr than the rest having Ventured to
enter her cottage. rushed back horror
stricken To confirm her broken utter
ance>. She was secured, tried, found gull
y. and condemned. Ros COMMON was fix
ed for he execution. These were the good
old DAYS, when it was death to steal a
sacep or forge a signature, TO rob Il
coach or take Il horse. SO the cart that
drew Betty TO the gallows conta;ne
go dlv number of wretchcs. all he: in
feriors in guilt. Every available foot
of ground was thrunged by yelling,
hooting crowd; every window looking
on the mil was filled with sightseers.
joking, laughing. chatte ing. but when
the tumbrit stopped at the gallows foot
silence Tell like pail. and tie multi
tude held their hreai h. There was
long pause; official. hurried to- and fro.
There We're h.spered consultations
what had happenedP The news soon
spread The executioner was absent,
was taken suddenly i'll. and had sent
confusion. 1t was the Si.er frs duty to
carry out the senten e, but that gentle
man fatty refused, SAYING re would
forfeit all he possessed first. What
was to be done? Even the criminals
raised their heads, a kind of d IL
hope dawning within them, and got
more or less animated. Suddenly from
their cart broke a woman 5 voice, shrill
and harsh. ''Spare me life, yer h nor.
spare me life, an I'll hang them all"
I he Sheriff grasp2d at e unexpected
offer. Betsy was unbound by a warler,
deS ended from the tum' ril am Il
murmur of horror and with aw.ul cal
lousness proceeded to her task. Never
was an exc ution better performed. In
a few minutes she stood the only living
being on the ST a.iiold. while round her
hung the ghastlv bodies of her late
companions. The hangman died. She
was nominated his successor at yearly
salary, served alone, generally detested,
and exercised her avocation for many
wears till her death. One of her habits
was to draw with charred stick on the
walls of her cabin portraits of all the
criminals she executed. | failed to Get
either a certain date for her death or
particulars as to its manner. but think
that she went ts her account during the
first decade of the present century
IJuI,