The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-12-25


1, catching hold of him.
Fetch lantern" says he; 'Tve hurt
some of them boys wuss than ] meant to
hurt EN-"
lit the lantern quick, and we went
out together. All was jest as still as
could be, but 1 saw suthin' another lying
fiat on the gravel path betwixt the flower
beds. l held onto jeremiah, and he held
on to me, and lifted up the lantern and
we stopped over it. 1t was man, and
he was as white as chalk and quite on
sensible.
you've done it now, Jeremiah!"
says 1.
eyes, Keturah, hev," says he; 81
hevr' Then he says, soft and trembul-
Gus, Sonny, kin you answer meP" But
they wasn't no answer 81 didn't mean
fur to do it; only fur to skeer you,
sonny"
"Taint no use," says 1. Lets pick
him up and carry him in"
Sc we did it. We took him into the
keepin' room and we laid him on to the
settle, and brung the hartshorn for him
to snuff at, and famed him, and put
a spoonful of blackberry wine to his lips,
and bathed his head with camphor;
but he didn't come to. He was mid
dim aged man, dressed in red shirt
and overalls, and old shoes.
"This amt no medicated student,
jeremiah" says 1. "This is some poor
critter that came to ask meals vittals
or job of work"
Eyes, Keturah," says jeremiah, shut
he won't want no more of neither. He
is dead. I've killed himl''
1 never haven't tainted, but 1 cen
almost did then.
Jeremiah" says l, ''ly, fly, jeremiah
Fly som'er's another"
mo-" says jeremiah; 81 hain't one of
that kind. It's my duty fur to call the
doctor, and l shall. / don't kalkerlate
he'll bring him to, and eff he don't shall
give myself up. may be murderer,
but amt no sneak"
Jeremiah" says 1, suppose they
hung you?"
81 shall deserve it," says he; but per-
haps the doctor kin do suthin'."
Then he went out, leavin' me alone
with the man. tried cologny an laven-
der water without no success.
Well, it seemed an hour before DIR.
Trott came, and about forty neighbors
with him. They all packed into the
keepin' room, and we told 'em how it
was. There wasn't one but sympathized
with us, for the ways of them medicated
students was well known. But this was
some pore, innocent critter that had
nothing to do with the tormentings, and
he was just as dead as he could be, and
jeremiah, poor jeremiah, he felt there
worn't nothing to be done but give him
self up-which he did-me skrieking.
He was took off to the Jail that night,
and next day the coroner's inquest was
to be in our house.
You kin imagine my feelin's better
than l kin describe em, only l kept re-
peatin' all night, while Mrs. Burrige and
Mrs. Smithers held me tight, by both
arms
EFF jeremiah is hung must be hung
likewise, for l advised him to do his
wust, and he done it."
The keepin' room was an awful sight
next mornin'. TheIcoroner, he came in
with his twelve jurys-all neighbors-
and nothin' wurn't expected but that L d
die; and l bein' the only witness, was
obleeged to answer what they asked, tax
in my Bible oath.
But ever and constant l repeated,
'What he done was by my advice-hang
me, not him-or leastwise hang us both. -
And while was repeatin' this the door
opened and in walked gentleman,
kinder elderly and fat, and six of them
medicated students that had caused all
the trouble.
Coroner, 1 have brought some wit
nesses," said the gentleman. TheiI
statements will materially affect your
verdict--swear EN-
So they were swore, and Mrs. Burrige
and Mrs Smithers had to hold me again
to keep me from flynn at 'em, and the
first that spoke was young man named
Benjamin Franklin Bunker. Said he was
nineteen years old
ga disgrace to your namesake, and
ninety in iniquity," said aloud.
What do you know about this murder
Mr.. Bunker ?" says the coroner.
"Well," says the young man, ''it'f
only little joke of ours"
(which ?" asked the coroner.
"Oh, putin him there" says the med
icated student
putin which there ?'' says the coro
ner.
"The cadavera," says the boy.
''Seein' the solemn occasion yor
needn't use slang" says the coroner.
"Well," says the hoy, ''call it The
body. I'm from the college up here
Lord knows you are" saysI.
Sand you know" said the boy, "wt
have a dissecting room. This body wa
there for dissecting purposes-and W,
wanted bit of fun. We dressed it vi
and took it down to old what's-hIs
Names
''You kin speak more respectful say
the coroner.