Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1891-11-26

" Quiz you like to be hungf"
Buck shook his head.
y ssWhy?"
Hurts"
How do yon knows"
Dunno.
81 wouldn't mind it!'' exclaimed the
boastful Tony.
A peculiar and mischievous look
came into Bucks face. He asked
Tony:
You wouldn'ts"
E 'tNo?"
Buck developed an idea.
lies hang Tony" he said.
The proposition was hailed with
delight.
But numerous obstacles presented
themselves-there was no means for
building scaffold, no carpenters
tools. Buck solved the problem by
suggesting q tree. There was no rope.
Buck stole an old clothesline.
They soon found an appropriate
spot for the execution. 1t was at the
head of deep and shady ravine,
walled in on three sides by precipitous
bluffs. The boys clambered down and
discovered a tree on which could be
tested the efficacy of capital punish
ment. 1t was a stunted, crooked
magnolia, leaning tar to one side and
having a branch that ran out horizon
tally, about eight feet from the ground.
They danced around the tree in the
highest enjoyment of the delightful
preparations, which were conducted
by Buck, Tony, and two or three
others-none more happy than Tony
himself. They tied one end of the
rope to the limb, and secured the 9TH
er around Tonys neck.
A tremendous obstacle now obtrud-
ed itself. They had no trap. The i'm
provised gallows was failure.
"Now,~> look-a-hyar," said Tony,
81 don't want ter be h-hung in dis
hyar style. Eff I amt ergwine to drap,
dey amt no fun"
"4ou can Jump off'n the limb" sug-
gested Buck.
This solution of the difficulty was
received with the most demonstra-
tive Joy. Tony sat upon the limb, the
rope around his neck.
"All right, Tony, said one of the
leaders.
One boy armed himself with stick,
which he made believe was q knife
and gave Tony particular instruc-
tlons to drop at the moment theknife
struck the imaginary cord that held
the imaginary trigger. The boy then
looked around solemnly, made a
grand sweep with his arm, and with q
strong blow upon the trunk of the
tree sprung the trap.
True to the working perfection of
the machinery, Tony was Launched
into space"
A strange and unaccountable thing
had happened. Tony found himself
sprawling upon the ground. He
scrambled to his feet with look of
triumph that ill accorded with the
astonishment visible in the faces of
the spectators. They had committed
the error of allowing too much rope
for the distance.
"H-hit doan hurt!' exclaimed Tony.
"Cause you amt hung" Buck quiet
ly remarked.
This abashed Tony, when he had
realized the situation. He crawled
upon the limb again, and they con-
uie1COeu GLo 1eiiSCA VI CIo lOpe'
All ready again. The knife fell.
Tony slipped from the tree. The
rope frightened, stopped theupper part
OF his body with q jerk, and then
snapped and threw him violently up
on the ground. He slowly and with
difficulty raised his head and looked
around, his eyes staring as if he had
seen specter, his mouth drawn with
pain, and the tears trucking down his
cheeks.
"Confound that rope!" exclaimed
boy.
Buck regarded Tony silently.
"What's the matter Tony?" asked
another boy, as he noticed the re-
markable expression in the Negroes
face.
Tony was sittingo on the ground care
fully feeling his neck all around, and
was unable to speak for the sup
pressed sobs that choked him. He
rose to his feet, looking ruefully about.
"Let's try it again" said Buck.
oyer don't, screamed the colored
boy, with a determination the firm
ness OF which could not be doubted.
He was as fierce as he was frightened,
and occupied himself with rearrang-
ing his suspenders, which were on the
point OF slipping from his shoulders.
"Why, Tony?"
eyer plays too rough. Oats why,
now'
"Did it hurt?" @
"Course it didp' he said, with alook
of contempt.
They insisted. Tony refused, One
little fellow caugh5 forcibly hold, but
Tony threw him off and bounded into
the brush. They pursued him, cap
tured him, and brought him back,
crying and struggling fiercely. Finally
they succeeded, after the greatest diff
Guilty, in lifting him from the ground,
while Buck could climb the tree and
tie the rope There was no ceremony
about the affair now. The work was
done silently and in dead earnest. The
unfortunate victim yelled, but the
boys were not to be cheated out Of
the fruits OF the first grand lesson
they had learned in the economy Of
II - 49,,