The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1886-10-23
THE Bitter BIT.
A Wild Tale In Which Revolvers, Rattle
snakes aud Ingratitude Play Parts.

snakes aud Ingratitude Play Parts.
About fifteen years ago | set up shop
as a lawyer in young town in Nebras-
ka, and the very first case that came to
me was one to delight a lawyers heart.
An aged woman named Mary Sharon
had decided all her property to her son
William, on the understanding that he
was to support her and do-so-and-so
during the rest of her life. After year
or two he became anxious to get rid OF
her, being vigorously encouraged by
his wife, and matters were made so hot
for the old lady that she could no longer
stay in the house. Indeed, she was
turned out of it, and but for the charity
of neighbors would have died of hum
ger and exposure. While she had a
copy of the agreement, drawn in legal
form and good evidence in suit, none
of the five or six lawyers in town would
take her case for fear of the son. Will
liam had given out that he would kill
any lawyer who meddled with the case,
and he had the record of being des-
perate, revengeful man. When the
mother came to me she frankly warned
me that 1 must look out for Bill, but
when | had looked into the case | de-
termined to become her counsel Bill or
no Bill. My first move was to send for
the son, to see if he desired to carry
out his agreement, He came into my
office in a staggering, defiant way,
having revolver buckled to him and
three drinks of whisky behind his vest
buttons. He cursed the mother, me,
che law and all else, and wound up with:
"Now, then, you go ahead. The
minute you make trouble for me I'D
make a corpse of you"
"And now you look here, " | answer
ed, as | brought six-shooter to cover
his head. I'm in this case to the Bit
ter end, and whenever you feel like
shooting don't wait for me to begin. "
Bill was boaster and a coward. He
turned white as -four and became as
humble as a lamb. He went out of the
office like cur, but | knew the feeling
raging in his heart, and | realized that
he would bring about my death if he
could do it with safety to himself. l
had the proper papers served and the
suit opened. Bill made his threats and
boasts, but kept clear of me, expected
he would fill up some day and come in
to town for a shooting scrape, but he
had another plan to work on. We had
sure case, as his friends informed me,
but he was determined to buster it
out.
My Office was over a store, and reach
ed by outside stairs. There was front
and back room, and the latter, being
bachelor, was used for my bedroom.
1t was the fashion to leave all doors
open during the day, and when left
my Office on an errand, or to 60 to
court, it was not locked. When it be-
came known around that had taken
Mrs. Sharon's case and bluffed her son
Bill had plenty of small business to
look after, and was much of the time in
the justices courts.
One day just before the big suit was
to come to trial went into court on an
ordinary suit and was detained three or
four hours. The Office was left open
as usual As l returned to it three or
four citizens accompanied me, and as
we reached the foot of the stairs we
heard terrible yell from the rooms
above. Mex. moment Bill Sharon came
rushing down the narrow stairs hatless,
eyes staring from their sockets, and
such a look of terror on his face as |
never saw before or since. He rushed
past us, shrieking and yelling, and il
was only when he was clear of us that
we made out the horrible truth. Two
great rattlesnakes were hanging to him
-one by the right wrist and the other
by the right leg. They squirmed and
twisted and Topped as he ran, and his
screams and EXPLANATIONS brought out
the whole town. He ran about a block
and then lay down in the street and
rolled over and over, and the snakes let
90 of him and were killed as they
crawled away.
Bill had been bitten in three places
The only antidote suggested was whisky,
and a good two quarts were poured
down him without the slightest relief.
1t did not in the least stupefy him nor
quiet his excited condition. and in an
hour he was dead-his bloated body
and purple face presenting a horrible
sight 1t did not take much headwork
to discover how it all came about. Bill
wanted revenge on me, and his plan
was to leave the rattlesnakes in my bed
room. He had taken them there in a
box after seeing that the coast was
clear, and had dumped them out on the
floor. The box was there to prove it.
In his haste to be gone he had been
careless, and as the serpents were loos-
.ened they turned on him and fastened
their fangs in his flesh. 1t was retribu-
tion, but none of us could help but pity
his horrible fate. Cor. H. y SIN,
The Baptist Church has received
the following be9uest from a banker in