The Panola weekly star. (Sardis, Miss.) 1882-18??, 1885-04-11
CmAprER III.

Never before or since have | seen such
excitement In n town. II was useless
10 deny that the note had been written
by the curious scribe. hut the old man
could not have entirely severed his own
head from his body. and, even could he
have done 50, he could not have placed
! ON the stone. Why any maa should
have murdered him no onc could con.
eeive Expert detectives came and
spent days IN looking for n clue. but
went away puzzled. Squire Duynl de-
clarod that tho old maj had been aided
ny bad spirits in the execution Of the
bloody design. yet this. while II may
have found ready supporters among
people who believed IN supernatural
agencies was ridiculed hy the Coroner
and laughed ut by the jury.
some time previous to tho arrival Of
the old man | had incurred the mortal
enmily NJ n fellow named Owens. This
souliess wretch, biding his time, sworc
ont a warrant for my arrest. charging
me with tho murder Of the curious
scribe. OF COURSE | was indignant. but
soon saw that the people paid but
little attention to my protestations Of
Innocence. | was hrfaigned Tor cxaml.
nation before a Justice uf the Peace |
had Squire Duval and the man with
whom ! boarded introduced rs Wit
ncsscs. The squire testimony amounted
10 nothing, bat the testimony Of my
landlord made my blood run cold.
"Mr. Bnck went h bed al the usual
hour, said he, ''but about midnight no
got up and went out When he came
back, which he did after some time. |
heard him washing his hands, aud NJ
morning when ! went to the wash shelf
on the porch | saw blood stains in the
bottom Of the bowl
The truth Is, unable 10 sleep | had
gotten up. | went out, lighted my
pipe, and walked around, smoking. As
! was returning TO the house. | came in
contact with the end Of a rail which
projected over The fence. forcing a few
drops ot blood from my nose.
When ! made the statement, tho peo-
pie looked s%uspiciously at mo. Nv
lawyer made an able speech. dwelling
on the fact that ! was the old mans
friend. aud that ! had nothing against
him and, although ! had known him to
be something Of n maicrialist, vet sup.
ported the Sluire's opinion lnsomueh
that y the old man bad u~nauestinnably
written the note, he might have cut OH
his own head.
The magistrate decided that the EVIL.
was sufficiently strong 10 Justify
my detention. and. as tho case was not
bailablc, | was taken 90 jail. | hHd
grcat hopes that the Grand Jury would
fail TO return a indictment. but | wa
4 disappointed When Il became known
tho charge against me was sus.
by the gentlemen in secret Sos
sion. q mob assembled and Il was with
great difficulty that the Sheriff could
keep me from the clutches Of the Yelling
avengers.
One morning. just before the meeting
the court before which | was 10 b.
the Sheriff entered the Jail and
said
Mr.. Buck, you are froc. Read this
IL was written By a crazy man.
well known In this community. and was
addreSscd to the circuit Judge"
The surprise was 80 glatidenIng-the
Of regaigng my liberty aud
oncc more taking my place among re-.
men. iilled me with such . desire
y throw mp my hat that II was with
iiMculty that | could repress my eSulta-
lion long enough 10 read the letter.
The document which effected my lihera.
lion ran a. follows.
sJaaEe whlle M ane Is eatherins ne and
shlla ~ slnne IN ms fuam. nambes III left
~. I'll drop fuu . few lines. We used 20
r. ITO sshnni tuseihrt. didn't Ne. Inarsf we'll
anne tine axe-l aeut Know how lunz. for
'ufnrf fnzrs \ seems ten rsafs ana ikan snn
nanatHs-l sffFref ssay from the asgIum
'hsf 80 Htsa ~ The privilege ~ walklnx Il
Ut ! Eut % . trnin and senI No a. soar
IVA u - night and noheds SAY ne
kfIrf nd waI1e7 eFeanA swhisaI sof aorn
rny kn<e< ard leprei wsfsf out If 4 pud
- fe<s ! DID 80 4 iirhs In 1 house ana
senf n. A. ohI MAJ With rhlts hair - lg
y hease n fleklei me- n Aauk a ain. nhsls
= ~~<~ se'kf~< : se=~< ~ r =
rapTsse the p<ppse wers ~ rauae hss~ ~
= Mo<1t41 - - tk1t 81 nana hesd
~ - t4elc. eeul vued lh<y ssyY II
- 81 9 4 e. z - as,s
ES'iI'ssa:i$I''':;; !