The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1893-06-29

askin the little un questions In whispers.
Jes' like baby, Of course, she said "es" to
everything he asked, an then Bill he riz up
an went TO ravin an cavortin up an down
the room, a-sweafin that he wuz the worst
abused man on earth an that all women
was deceitful.
Mary, she come in a-lookin like ghost,
an tried to quiet him, but he turned on her
like wild beast an struck her plumb in
the face with his fist. Then made jump
fer him, a-yellin, mo man can't strike a
woman in my presence an lveP' an I'd
let daylight through i'm right there, but
Bill-he's twice ez big ez me an quicker'n
q fiash-he knocked me unsensible with a
chair. When / come to- he had me tied
down with clo'esline so't couldn't stir
han nor foot, an then, stranger, l had to
lay there an look on at a scene that Almost
blasted my eyesight. It wuz Mary a-beg-
gin on her knees fer her life, an a-tellin Bill
atween her sobs that she hadn't never
cared fer no man but him, an that she an
Harry wuz inherent.
She crawled right to his feet an put her
arms round his knees an kissed his hams
the same murderous hans that blowed her
poor life out. But Bill he wuz crazy with
drink an jealousy, an he jes' tore 'imself
away from her an yelled at her to stan up
against the wall. She did get up a-tremblin
so't she couldn't hardly stand, an when he
pointed the shotgun at her she KEEP a-back-
in away from him, a-lookin fer some place
to git out, till she backed right through the
door, down into the little sullar, which
wasn't but step or two lower'n the rest o.
the cabin. Thar she fell forrerd, with her
face on the kitchin floor, an thar, stranger,
he shot her-riddled her poor body with
bullets till her blood flowed over the kitch-
in floor an gethered in pools an clotted
there.
The little un had been crouchin in q cor
ner, half scarf to death, but when she seen
that her mother didn't git up no more she
crawled TO her an put her little, soft arms
round the poor, battered head, a-wailin,
"Oh, NANNY, nanny, wake up"
Never to my dyin day'll fergit that
sight, stranger. Her long yeller hair was
all dabbled in blood, an her baby tears fell
on the dead woman's face. No wonder ye
turn PALE stranger. 1t must have drawed
tears from them rocks over thar. But Bill
he was like a lunatic. He didn't see nor
hear nothin, he was in sich dead hurry to
git on Harry's trail.
Yes, he shot him too. We found him next
day a-lyin froze stiff in his own blood, an
we buried 'em side by side to the right o.
the lone tree over there-two victims o. the
meanest critter the Lord ever put insides
into, fer they wuz innercent as new born
babies, stranger.
The little un2 Little Mary, we call her
she's my datter now, an her an her little
uns is the light o. my OF eyes, She lives up
thar in the white cottage with the vines by
the door, an God help the brute that ever
IFS his hand agin her. She's married to
good man-his names Harry, too-an when
git ready to pass in my checks they'll git
what dust I've got, which won't be no
small amount neither.
Yes, sir, that tree'll allus stan there. It's
a-waitin fer Bill. That's the tree that stood
close to the cabin, an its cones tapped on
the winder the night O. the murder. /
hadn't never noticed 'em before, but they
KEEP up a-tappin while she wuz -beggin fer
her life, an when he shot her they jes' pound
ed the winder like they wuz sent by the Al.
mighty to warn him not to do it. An that's
the tree he dies on if he ever shows his on
cry face here agin. Twas agreed long ago
that if we ever found him we'd string him
up there an pump his contemplate hide
full o. bullets. Yes, stranger, that trees
got mission-it's a-waitin fer Bill
after 25 year to give yerself up to the lawp
Ye've been a mighty long time a-mal1in up
yer mind, but better late n never. Let me
GIT closer look at ye. Ye've shaved yer
beard off, an yer gray nuff fer 20, but kno7
ye now, an thank the Lord fer this day.
Say yer prars quick, fer the Lone Pines
achin 20 clutch ye, an there's 100 hans here
that are tremblin to help ye into eternity.
Hi, there, Harry, Jim, Sandy an all the rest
O. ye, grab 'iml Don't let i'm git away ag'i
thank the Lord fer this day-an bring a
rope-a stout one, fer he's plumb heavy.
Hist Don't let little Mary know. 1t
amt no use, an she's a tender hearted lit
tie thing.
Can't ye see her fer jes' a minute2
No, ye don't. Yer goin out o. the world
jest as ye sent her mother out of it, without
no consolation an no mercy. 'Twon't do
no good to begin. She's nothin to you
now, an 1 amt agoin to have her pretty
eyes red with cryin over such mis'able
coward as you.
God ha' pity There she comes. She's
got wind o. it somehow. We wasn't quick
enough. Now may ha' strength to do my
dutyl My oP hans is all of a tremble
What She's a beggin for him on her
knees, jes' as Mary begged for her own
life 25 years agol A-pleadiu fer mercy for
him, an saw her yeller hair all dabbled in
her mothers blood an her baby tears
a-washin cold, dead facel Don't that blast
yer eyesight, ye unhuman bruteP Waal,
wal, let the law take its course. 1t won't
show him no mercy, an he'll git his de-
serts, but we wouldn't ha' done it that way
in the good OF times-wed strung him
up to that tree thar an peppered his onery
carcass ez full o. holes ez a skimmer.-Sid
-. AI:....--...-li..