The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-21

me into Bodmin that day, aud get touch
OF the dead woman's hand, which, in those
times, was considered an unfailing remedy.
So we borrowed the parsons manure cart
and cleaned IL thoroughly and drove In to-
gether.
The place Of the haugings, then, was
little door in the prison wall, looking over
the bank where the railway now goes, and
dismal piece of water called the jail pool,
where the townsfolk drowned most of the
dogs and cats they'd 40 furder use for, All
the bank under the gallows was that thick
with people you could almost walk upon
their heads; and my ribs were squeezed by
the crowd so that could not breath for
month after. Back across the pool. the fields
along the side of the valley were lined with
booths and sweet~stalls and standings per-
feet Whitsun fair; and din going up that
cracked your ears.
Bnt there was the stiffness of death when
the woman came forth. with the sheriff
aud the chaplain reading in his book, and the
unnamed man behind-all from the little
door. She wore q straight black gown and
white kerchief about her neck-a lovely
woman, young and white and fearless.
She ran her eye over the crowd and
stepped forward pace, as IL to speak; but
lifted a finger and beckoned instead-and
out of the people a mau fought his way to
the foot Of the scaffold. Twas the dashing
Sick he was, believe. His face above his
shining regimentals, was gray as a slate; for
he had committed perjury to save his skin,
and on the face Of the perJured no sun will
ever shine.
"Have you got itg' the doomed woman
said, maxy hearing the words.
He tried to reach, but the scaffold was
too high, 50 he tossed up what was in his
hand, and the woman caught it-a little
screw of tissue paper
II must see that, please" said the sheriff,
laying hand upon her arm.
"'Fis but weddin' ring, sir''-and she
slipped it over her finger. Then she kissed
it once, under the beam, and, lookin' into
the dragoon's eyes, spoke very slow:
Husband, our child shall 60 VII you; an
when | want you he shall fetch you"
And with that turned to the sheriff, say
ing: ~ be ready, sir"
The sheriff wouldn't give father and
mother leave for me to touch the dead
woman's hand; 80 they drove back that
evening grumbling good bit. IT'S six
teen mile drive, and the 'oStler in at Bod min
had swiudled the poor old horse out of his
feed, l believe; for he crawled like a slug.
But they we're so taken up with discussing
the days doings, and what a mort of people
had been present, and how the sheriff might
have used milder language In refusing my
father that they had forgot to use the whip.
ne ION was up D6tO ore We you uulL way
home, and star to be seen here and there;
and still we never mended our pace.
Twas In the middle Of the lane leading
do Wn to Heudra Bottom, where for more
than a mile two carts can't pass each other,
that my father pricks up his ears and looks
back.
"Hullo" says he, there's somebody gal
lopin' behind usn
Far back in the night we heard the noise
Of a horses hoofs pounding furiously on the
road and drawing nearer and nearer.
"Save usI' cries father; "whoever tits,
he's coming down tn lane" And in min
ute's time the clatter was close on us aud
some one shouting behind.
Hurry that crawlin' worm O. yourn-or
draw aside in Gods name, an let me by !n
the rider yelled.
Whats up!" asked my father, quarter
ing as we'll as he could; why hullo!
Farmer Hugo, be that you"
There's mad devil o. a man behind,
ridin' down all he comes across. AS blazin'
drunk, / reckon-but 'tisn' that-'tis the
horrible voice that goes VII on. Hark
Lord protect US, he's turn'd into the lane !"
Sure enough, the CHATTER of a second
horse was coming down upon US, out OF the
highland with 1t the most ghastly sounds
that ever creamed a mans flesh, Farmer
Hugo pushed past Us and sent a shower of
mud in our faces as his horse leaped off
again and way to go down the bill. My
father stood up and dashed our old gray
with the reins and down we went, too
bumpity bump, for our lives, the poor beast
being taken suddenly like one possessed,
tor the screaming wac like nothing on earth
but the wailing and sobbing of little child
only tenfold louder. Twas just as you'd
fancy baby might wall IL his little limbs
was being twisted to death.
At the hills foot, as yon know, a stream
rPn 9 hn la kA1A
bit and narrows again as 1t goes up t'other
side OF the valley. Knowing we must be
overtaken further on-for the screams and
CHATTER seemed at our very backs by this
father jumped out here into the stream and
backed the cart well to one side, and not a
second too soon.
The next moment, like wind, this thing
went by US in the moonlight-a man upon
black horse that splashed the stream all
over Us as he dashed through it and up the
hill. Twas the scarlet dragoon with his
ashea face; and behind him, holding to his
cross belt. rode little shape that tugged
and walled and raved. AS stand here, sir,
twas the shape of naked babe!
Well, won't 60 on to tell how my father
dropped upon his knees in the water, or
how my mother tainted off, The thing
was gone, and from that moment for eight
years nothing was seen or heard Of Sergt.
Basket. The fright killed my mother. Be
fore next spring she fell into a decline, and
early next fall the old man-for he was an
old man now-had TO delve her grave.
After this he went feebly about his work;
but he held on, being wishful Cor me to step
into his sEoon. which began to do as soon
as l was Ii having outgrown the ricketts, by
that time.
But one cool evening in September month
father was up digging in the yard alone; for
twas small child's grave, aud in the loos-
est soil. and l was off on days work,
thatchIng Farmer Tresidder's stacks. He
was digging away slowly when he heard a
rattle at the latch gate, and, looking over
the edge OF the grave, saw in the dusk, a
man hitching his horse by the bride.
Twas coal black horse. and the man
wore scarlet coat, all powdered with pilm,
aud, as he opened the gate. and came over
the graves, father saw that twas the dash
ing dragon. His face was still stately
gray, and clammy with sweat, and, when
he spoke his voice was all of a whisper,
with a shiver therein.
"Bedman," said he, "go to the hedge and
look down the road, and tell me what you
see."
My father went, W it'll his knees shaking,
and came back again.
II see woman" says he, mot fifty yards
down the road. She is dressed in black, an
has a veil over her face, an she's comm this
way