The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-04-16

a rule, peaceable and law-abiding citizens.
But they had suffered often in this way be-
| fore; and just as often as the law had failed
/ to protect their property, just so often had
] it failed to punish the thieves who robbed
| them.
'This time, however, they were sure of
| their man-as they thought-and had de-
termined to take the law into their OWL
hands. But had hardly minute to thinE
before the spokesman addressed me again
"'Young man. said he, you've heard
our decision. If you have any prepare
| ton TO make, be about it, for you have only
ten minutes to live" and he took ont his
watch and noted the time.
what did do: l didn't do ANYTHING
only think. What else could I do? If YOU
want to know how l felt, l can't tell you
If you have never stood face to face with
the grim monster, as did then, you cant
| imagine it, either. tell you, 1 have been
in some tight places. and had more than
| one close call since then, but never any
| thing that took the stiffening so completely
out OF me as that did.
Il was limp as a rag. You NAV think
| what YOU please-call me cowardly and
| unmanly, if you will-but was thoroughly
frightened. opened my mouth and tried
| to speak, but the words died in my throat.
| grew sick and dizzy, and l solemnly be-
| ieve | should have tainted dead away be-
fore the ten minutes were up, il there had
not appeared upon the scene. in the mean
time, an unexpected deliverer.
He was a gh-lOoking old fellow. but
| could easily overlook that in considera-
ton OF the service he rendered me. He
lived near by, and. as l afterwards learned,
was well acquainted with most OF my
would-be executioners. Joining the crowd
- m IN ma fal nd
my story, he had, up to this time, remained
| n silent spectator; but now he elbowed his
way to the center of the crowd and said to
me:
eyer name is Thomas Watson. is it?'
eyes, SIR said l, for there was some
thing in his manner that gave me hope and
revived me wonderfully.
whats yer fathers name" was the
next question.
abraham Watson replied.
"1 thought 50. most knowed it, said
he. But did We ever hear the old man
speak o. Bill PRICE,
Yes said [. Il have heard him tell of
saving the life of man by that name,
while rafting logs on the Allegheny River
"'That's 'nough, that man was me" ex-
claimed the old fellow, sententiouSly. An
now, Thomas, reckon I'll never git bet
ter chance to square up that account than
right now, fur | see you're in mighty bad
perdlcament, mighty bad.
"'An' now, neighbors,' he said, turning
to the astonished and impatient crowd, 'Pm
sorry to disaDpint We, but I'll hev to do it
this time. Ye mustn't hang that boy |.
I've knowed his father ever Sence | kin
remember-lived right 'longside of him
half my life-an' l never yet knowed him
to be guilty of a mean trick, an it don't
stan to reason that he'd bring up his boys
to be hoss-thieves and liars, does il now?
I oil va ba irnnsNnf' nlis ltt
jest as well put away that rope, NeighbO.
Harris, fur We won't git to use it to-day.
NOW, I'll tell ye,' he continued, de-
cisively, Pm goin' to take the boy right
over to my house an keep him thar till to-
morrer noon. It's an easy matter fur you
to find out whether his stOry's true or not.
Go back an see. If tits, | know we don't
want to hang him. If faint, why, then, I'll
turn him over to the officers of the law,
but We can't hev him to hang nohow, an
that's the end on'tv
with that the old man paused and faced
the crowd. coolly and detiantiy. But there
was no demonstration, other than sullen
looks and few muttered imprecationS- |
believe most of his hearers had been con-
WINGED OF my innocence, and were heartily
glad of the old mans interference. At
any rate they allowed me to walk off home
with him, which was all l cared for just
then. suppose they stopped and verified
my statements as they returned; at all
events they troubled Inc no more, though
the old man kept me with him till the
next day noon, as he had said he would.
There is but little more to tel. 1t was
useless to think of buying another horse,
for had not money enough: and, besides
that, my overweening s4lf-coniilence was
all gone. For the first time III my life
realized that was no! as wise as might
be.
There was only one thing left for me tc
do-go home and make clean breast of it;
l did SO: but D, how mortified and humiI-
lated l felt.
However, lived through it, and have
since come to the conclusion that the ex.
perience was worth to me all it cost my
father; for l learned that it isn't always
best to take advantage of another mans
necessity, and also, the Importance of adj
herring strictly to the truth ut all times and
under all circumstances.
What did we do for q team? o, we
found a chance to buy horse near home.
One of neighbor Gordon's brothers had
moved in from the East while was gone,
bringing with him three horses, and father
bought one of him. Then l went to work;
and | worked like a beaver all that win
ter trying to atone for my expensive folly.'
= c. L. Wood, in IOHth's Companion.