Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1888-10-03

bin feschooned with flowers by the
girls, an they've tied red, white an
blue ribbons on the rope above the
moose. An they're goin' ter sing a
song, too-they're practicin' OH it now
"a song that begins:
"Adoo, adoo. vain world adoo,
Avsunt, an quit my sight,
Fur soon I'll cross the Rubicon
! To realms Of quenchless light.
Adoo. oil, pardners OF the camp,
Whom mus leave behind
feel I'm not regretful, fur
The mills o. the gods mus grind.
at war writ by John Stimson, the
storekeeper, an he says it is the one
crownin', triumphant effort of his de-
clining years. tell you, Ed, you'd
orter be proud man to git SIGH a
gorgeous send off"
81 am, Sam, I'm goin' to do my
level best to make myself worthy of
the occasion an make it pleasin' an
interestin' for the boys. But say,
wouldn't it make Pine Creek look
sick if we could ring in a gospel man
to taper the thing off in real re-
fined style by FIRTH his jaw on a
suitiful prayer an sort O. consolin' of
me you know, durin', the progress O.
the entertainment? They alters do it
in the States"
1--WE thought O that, Ed, but thar
isn't sky pilot on the range, an we
cant git nobody to play preacher.
We begged Ike Lonk to do it, fur he
looks like parson, you know, but he
kicked backwards with both feet, an
said that was akin too much. He
said he was willin' to do anything in
reason to add to the joy O. the festi-
vities, but he had character at stake
an family back in the States, an
didn't perpose to sully one nor pain
the other by maxim SIGH wild play
as that. An he was right, too, Ed,
you know that"
Course he was. i wouldn't do it
myself. Wal, we'll make it go of
pleasant, anyhow. I'll give the boys
speech that'll please 'em, an that,
with the girls singin' an the drap
an the subsequent funeral II do fust
rate fur the fust attempt"
The scaffold was erected on fiat
on the banks of the creek. 1t was,
as the Sheriff told the condemned,
tastefully decorated with wild flow
ers, pine boughs, and ribbons, and
presented a handsome and attractive
appearance. In the center of the
cross beam, from which the rope
dangled, was a wreath of cedars en-
circling the sentiment:
Fsirweli. fairwell, our bruthei dere,
Thi loss will lsve us loanly heer
The floor of the scaffold was strewn
with freshly cut grass, and two franz
ed chromoes borrowed from the Clip
per saloon hung on the upright posts.
Nothing that would enhance the beau
ty of the scene or contribute to the
pleasure of the condemned seemed to
have been overlooked. 1t was a gala
day in the little mountain town. AT
an early hour the inhabitants were
astir, and the coming entertainment
was the one theme of conversation.
The men put on their best clothes, and
the girls, the inevitable adjunct to
every mining camp, arrayed their
frail forms in all their finery in honor
Of the great occasion. Big Foot Ed
was the hero of the day, and wishes
that his journey along the mystic trail
which connected this world and the
realms beyond were drunk
in bumpers of fiery liquor.
An hour before the time set for the
exercises to begin the people COM
menced to flock to the spot where the
gayly decorated gallows stood, its
gaudy trappings suggesting anything
but death, and it was soon the center
Of a motley crowd of miners, gamb-
|ers, hunters, frail women, and a
slight sprinkling of Indians. The
announcement was soon spread among
The crowd that the procession was APP
preaching. Ed walked beside the
Sheriff with proud step and smiled
cordially upon the multitude when he
had assembled the scaffold. He was
provided with a seat, and Sheriff Sam
addressed the people as follows:
Fellow citizens: This ar an or
spicious occasion, an I'm proud to be
able to officiate here in my officious
character Of sheriff of this ere coun-
Ly. The success of the happy event
is dead sure thing, an it's goin' to
go off in very pleasurable manner.
| now have the felicity to announce
that John Stimson, dealer in general
merchandise, miners supplies, guns,
ammunition, whisky, ETC., as he has
me to announce, will recite
an original poem originated express
ly for the occasion"
Mr.. Stimson came TO the front, and
bowed imperiously. "The good sher-
ih neglected to add cheap for cash"
he said, but that makes no particu-
lar difference, as the most on you
know my unffinchiny terms" He