Telegram-herald., 1891-03-22

E-4tF L deE141k1e<ls LS4rly staP<
cso with al14zement
Leave IL al ~ Eas. she sad, and /
viii save your friend So--I'Ia not
crazy Listen: Last night the Gov
srror proposed 20 nae OF course love
him dearly, bat I didn't want - be too
eheaply won, and 50 | refused 20 give
him an answer. he dimes with Us to
night After dinaer. when his stomach
Is fail and his heart easy % get At, I'll
promise - marry him On the condition
that he pardons poor old Duke
Then ard there. On a public train
though we we're. I both Rugged and
kissed her.
She was as good as her word. and six
hours later | was ON board another
train. honeward bound, and IN nv
pocket was reprievs for nuke-the
ease against him being So strong that
the Governor deemed full pardon in
polite then.
The reprieve granted him another
three months, though. and by that
time popular sentiment Wa likely To
cool down sufficiently 10 make pardon
feasible.
Ca the way home I was fairly
happy and tried 70 picture 70 myself
Dukes face when he knew be was
safe
This made me so comfortable that
fell asleep.
Nothing disturbed my slunbers until
the trairmen called out the name OF the
junction where had 10 change cars for
the branch read which ran through my
town.
And there, 10 ray CONSERVATION,
found myself unable - move. Mentally
| was awake. Physically. was asleep.
| was fully conscious Of the stir and
hustle madc by those who were getting
on and OF the train; but | could not
move a muscle.
With AL my might eudeavored TO
throw OF the trance Ike spell which
held me, but all TO no purpose. The
train moved on and tOolrme with il.
Cold perspiration coed ont through
every pore, and think I would have
gone mad, then and there. had not utter
Inconsistencies mcrcifuly come 10 my
rescue.
IL was more than IN hour before re-
gained possession OF my senses.
by that time il was Impossible to get
back - the junction in time To catch
the home-bound train on the branch
line.
Springing up, the moment l was con-
soious, explained things 10 the con-
ductor, Offering him any price he chose
To demand II he would run his train
back To the Junction and take me home.
That was out of the question. lie
could only do such thing on the order
OF the general superintendent, and that
parsonage could not be reached, be-
cause q storm the day before had blown
SO many wires down that all tcle-
graphic communication was cut ofy.
All could do. then, was to remain
on board the train seven hours more,
when by tramping twelve or fifteen
miles over a craygy, roadless mountain.
could probably get home by noon
Though the probably" discouraged
me, | thanked the conductor for his adj
vice, shut my teeth hard on my misery
and tried To make the best of it
That was the longest night of my
life. II seemed to me that it would
never end.
Day was Just breaking when we
reached the station where l was To
leave the train and begin my foot jour
ney over the mountain.
Hard rs was the ascent Of that track
less, precipitous mountain side, it was
n vast improvement on the train. was
in motion myself now. doing something
whether 1t would avail me any thing or
not.
Soon the sun was up. Altogether too
soon II had accomplished half its jour
neg from horizon to zenith
It was then that / reached the noun
tain top. with good seven miles OF
rough walking still before me.
Duke was to be hanged at noon, IN
less I was on time.
At ten o'clock l was but two miles
away from him, and with all the hor-
rors of my journey presumably behind
me, smiled sclt-congratulatively az
the thought of how easy the rest would
be. and Of how would disappoint those
who were even then gathering to see
my client hanged.
A vine caught my foot and threw me.
Falling. sprained my ankle, and the
pain was so intense that had TO exert
every atom Of my will 70 keep from
going into dead faint
Breaking a forlted stick from o sap
ling presently eStempoTiZed IL into
crutch and hobblcd on IA best could.
At the end OF an hour had made but
half mile, and was so exhausted that
knew another fifteen minutes would
bring my locomotive powers TO full
stop.
Poor old Duke must die, after all
There was no help for IL, and with an
outcry Of utter despair settled on the
ground in n heap.
The mental anguish I suffered In the
half hour which followed was enough
70 unscat mans reason.
Watch in hand counted the feeting
seconds.
In twenty minutes more my eli
ent would hang for want Of the re-
prieve in my pocket
And then. joyful sound, heard sp-
preaching 'eetl
4 moment later a negro appeared
Tie was OIL dirty and supplementary
unable % understand me until I men