Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1893-07-13
A POINT OF HONOR.

%, 1875. Jack Langworthy, q local
celebrity, had killed tenderfoot from
Pennsylvania, and there was naturally
some curiosity, if not to say excitement,
over the affair. The circumstances of
the case were about like this: Jack and
the Pennsylvania were having little
game OF cards, when the former noticed
a slight deception on the part of his ad-
versary in the way Of dealing himself
from one to four cards too many and
concealing them in his coat sleeve.
''Sich proceedings are entirely foreign
to the customs of this yer camp finally
remarked Langworthy, and at the same
time sent pistol shot into the tender
foot's" head. The ball passed diagonally
through the head from the base of the
left ear, and ranging downward made
final entrance into the side of a whisky
barrel which stood in one corner of the
room.
you'll lose some of yer whisky If you
don't regulate the hole I've just made in
that 'ere BARREL" quietly remarked Jack
to the proprietor of the place, adding
parenthetically, "and it's good liquor
too"
As for the ''tenderfoot"- t"-well, he was
dead.
The rude law of Scratch Gravel took
cognizance of this fact and also of the
manner of his death, and Jack was ar
rested. A few weeks later he was ar
raigned for the murder and pleaded
guilty. The judge sentenced him to be
hanged. Then Jack made speecl.
Among other things he said:
II killed the man, know, and perhaps
it's fair enough that I should die too.
Leastwise / don't set up my Judgment
agin that of the court. The laws of
Scratch Gravel should be enforced but
just now I'm sort o sorry the enforce
ment is necessary. The deal is hard
one, and the worst of it all is that the
roughness is not agin me alone--oh, no,
not agin me, but Sally and the twins.
don't care for myself Just as soon go
as not-but when think Of the twins
think-I think, by mighty I'll have to
tell you can't stand it. You see, the
twins are boys-both boys--and they are
a rattlin pair an no mistake. / alters
reckoned on the twins mounting to
something in the world, but if their fa-
ther is to be hanged--that settles it.
What would the twins ever amount to
thenf Now, if could go some other
way, it wouldn't look so bad-the twins
might pull through-butto be strung up
like common thief, it would he weight
on them ere twins that 'ud keep 'em
down forever So you see it amt for
myself that care-not fer me and not
fer Sally SO much, either, although do
kinder like the old gal-but the twins.
Well, it breaks me all up to think of
leaving 'em, it does for certain fact.
Jedge, when will the performance take
place9"
The unfortunate man was informed
that the 10th Of July was the date fixed
for his execution, and that he should
make preparations to be ON hand at that
time punctually so as not to delay the
proceedings.
'sYou see, Jack, said the judge famil-
iarly, ''we amt goin to be mean enough
to lock you up, not you--it wouldn't be
right-not with an honorable man like
you. It amt fer any dislike fer you OF
bad feeling that we're going to hang you,
Jack, but it's the law, you know, the
law. So you'll make it point of honor,
Jack, to be on hand when the time
comes"
For the next week Jack staid about
home pretty much all the time, Occa.
.sionally some of his friends would droI
in to ask about his health and the health
of the twins. The slightest mention oi
the latter would set his tongue in mo
ton, and somehow he seemed to thinl
there were no other children in the worli
worth talking about.
.They'n pull way ahead of their ole
dad in few years" he had often said
s.Maybe one of 'em ill be an auctioneel
or bank president, and the other ,
steamboat captain-who knowsl Then
boys are smart"
It was the month Of June. Wonder
fully bright the sun shone, wonderful,
sweet the birds sung, wonderfully gra,
and bare and cold were the distan
mountains. 1t seemed to Jack that al
creation was smiling over his misfortun
and mocking him for coward who wa
afraid to die.
One evening, just week prior to th
date fixed for his execution, he seate,
himself on a bowlder near his cabin doc
and took the twins in his arms The
were little fellows and climbed all owe
him. One of them got his little brow
arm around the paternal neck and pulle
the grizzly hair and beard with his chut
by fingers. Then looking into the ny
turned face he said sorrowfully:
ssThere's wasser in your eyes, dai
What'yr matter?"
Jack put the child down rather rough
", and remarking as he brushed hi
eyes that the "bugs war mighty trouble
some that evening" he walked into th
house.
The 10th Of July arrived. In tn
morning, quite early. Bill Drake, an ol
time friend Of Jacks, came to see him.
isSeems like thar ought to be some wa
to get out Of this" }" remarked Bill.
"Td just as soon CO." said Jack, hal
apologetically, "ef it wasn't fer th
twins. You see, I've sort O banked o
them twins fer a long while. recko
thar'll be good turnout at the gallu
Bill
s.You wouldn't slip away, would yot
Jack?" finally whispered Bill, with
strange light in his eyes.
Jack reached for his revolver.
~ don't want to shoot you, Bill" /
4 said fercely, tbut I'll do it, sur, If J
repeat that insult. Thought ye kne
me better than that. I'm ashamed
va