Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1890-06-20
KENDALL'S BROTHER.

morning of the day fixed for the execu-
ton of Jonas Toms. who had been con-
victed of the murder of the old farmer,
Joseph Kendall. The down-train on
the branch from X to the county
seat had come through without diff
Guilty and the up-train-with load of
morbidly curious men who had taken
passage for the purpose of witnessing
the hanging-was at last reported as
having reached the county seat. So
the road was open and If the snow did
not drift into the cuts there would be
no need of sending out the snow-plow.
Jonas Toms was looking through the
the uptown reached him and for a half
hour he waited expectantly. hope not
1s6hg him until the sheriff came to the
.cell door and shook hands with him in
silence.
.sshe did not Gomez" the condemned
Nsaid, despairingiy.
No. She was not on the train. but
ther4are two hours yet aud have put
"A deputy at the telegraph office with
orders tcrun here at once with any
message
'*Yoa are very kind. sheriff. faltercd
jonas. and turned away from the
grated door.
1T wouldn't be human not to try to
/ make an ugly job like this rs easy as
possible" muttered the sheriff. and |
neyer was sure Jonas was guilty.
though he couldn't prove he wasn't"
The sheriifs opinion of the case was
shared by great many citizens of the
county Of. and they had signed
npetition to the governor for respite
a tha -urisouers and Communication of
8 sentences IT rne guvrruur -cuus-a u~,s
see his way clear to grant n pardon.
With this petition Mrs. Jonas Toms
had gone to the capital to make use of
IL in pleading for her husbands life
That morning the prisoner had looked
for her return with definite information
concerning him-whether be was to die
that day or not. As no word had been
received from her. he was not hopeful.
end he had really expected her To come
back 10 him only for \ final leave
taking.
Yet. when the sheriff spoke of the
telegraph. hope asserted itself again
and Jonas was buoyed with imagining
his devoted wife wrestling still with the
governor, and refusing To abandon the
struggle for her husband until it WAS
useless TO plead longer.
And while the condemned was thus
>atching at a straw. aud his heart was
,verbowing with love and gratitude to
ais devoted, tireless wife. the deputy
left the telegraph office and FASTENED to
he Jail. The sheriff. seeing him COM
ing. ran To meet him. but paused
abruptly when he could see clearly his
subordinate face.
The operator cant get "" said
The deputy.
How can't get hims" asked the
sheriff. with the impatience of a serious
man with riddles when plain words
were of urgent need"
Can't get the operator at x to
answer his call; the wire must be
down."
The sheriff groaned and trembled as
II shaken by n strong wind. Go back.
he said-''go back and wait, for If
there's word to come it will get here"
The sheriff spoke as if he expected
q miracle to be wrought to deliver him
from the awful legal duty of taking q
mans life to satisfy the vengeance of
the law. but yet he. having once more
obtained control of his nerves, walked
firmly back to the Jail. where he pro-
ceeded Mt once to conclude the prepara-
tions for a solemn act.
Meantime Il crowd of men was surg
ing about the Jail entrance and some
boys had climbed tree to look over
the wall at the scaffOld. The deputy
in charge of the door admitted those
who had passes and kept back the
others. who nevertheless clamored to
be let in. Those who were within the
gates by permission trampled the snow
in the yard and impatiently wished the
sheriff would ''hurry up" while the
other prisoners in their cells were
silent. and curious. and glad-not glad
because one who had been with them
in compulsory association was to be
hanged. but glad because their crimes
were not so heinous rs his, and they all
vowed to reform lest they, too. should
end on the gallows.
But at x the telegraph operator
was frantic. He had called the
operator at the county seat and could
not get Il reply; he was in despair and
he thumped the key. There before
him lay message from the governor
of the state:
TO THE SHERIFF OF-COUNTY: Respite
of ten days granted to Jonas Toms
The telegram was signed by the gov
ernor's secretary, but apparently it was
as useless as if it had never been written.
The county seat was thirty miles dis
tant and there was but an hour to get
word of the respite to the sheriff before
1t would be forever too late.
A restless man stalked up and down
the long platform; he seemed to be
waiting for train and impatient be-
cause it was delayed. He noticed the
telegraph operators agitation and
made inquiry concerning the cause.
The operator showed him the message
and the mans face blanched as he de-
manded. tremulously:
"Why don't you send it?"
II can't, l say, for the wire is not
working"
The man paused moment irreso-
lutelv and then said: ''Give the mes
sage to me. Seal it in an envelope with