The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-06-18

| man leaning against a lamp post on street
| cornor sullen and moody and q dangerous
| look in his eyes. II ono had but known MS
| thoughts he would have compared him to the
! dull. red coal left behind in the hunters camp
| fire. to be blown out into the dry grass by n
gust OF wind. ami to start n connagration
which would sweep over miles OF forest.
Tho law The law. Curse the law!" he
Crowled as he s!ouched on. but halted few
rods away to greet another OF his Tx.
Who says We must wait Tor the law {!
Lets lynch him!'
The second man is the flame starting from
the live coal. That flame could he trampled
out by hunters foot now, but there is no one
ut hand to realize the danger.
Law. Law! Why. tho lawyers will jugEle
with the law. and he will co free! We are tbs
law in the case of such wretches as he"
The voice OF the third man fans the flame.
and it spreads out among the dry leaves. A
hunters blanket would cover it. but it is
creeping with fearful rapidity.
Away with the law and bring US a rope!
Lynch law is what We want here!"
The flame is dartinE out a thousand tongues
now as it races before tho wind-a wave OF
flame which lengthens like serpent stretch
ing itself in the MONDAY sun. and which lifts
its crest higher and higher it finds richer
fuel. Not one man now. but ten; twenty. NIFTY.
They do not scatter to spreli the news. bus
magnetism ABOUT II crowd-a crowd which
whispers and muttcrs and menaces, 1t draws
out the householder. though no has heard
nothing. IL draws the vasaUonl from his bed
In box in the alley though he has seen moth
Ing Men come to 1t shTopS court ana Alley
Move on to the Jail l."
There are no shouting and hu-rahing. no
ace. Men sreak as they press on. bat their
words do not float up, to the ,open, chamber
but there is a leader. When he issued his first
command. all opeyed without question. \
ss"meihing in his Look and tone put him at the
right-strsiGht on for two blocks. and the grim
old Jail looms up through the darkness. Half
the iailer's door. The footsteps OF a great mob
at midnight make a sound like thunder aiar
of in the deep woods. Men do not wake up to
turn over ant sum Der again. but to crow palo
and peer from their windows.
The keys and the murderer"
The keys are handed over. II the mob we're
shouting and clamorinG. the taller might re-
fuse. but It was a silent mot. Determined men
side the building. Tho man they want is
sleeping. He hears them NJ the door OF his
why they have come, Ills lips part to make
an appeal, bat IS he looks into their faces his
s u,s Thsy and h1ye rs s
faces are hard Sc. Two by two they march
ont past the trembling TALLER and into tho
n shout or hurrah. but deep. vindctive
chuck le-whch reminds you of tho wolf as he
okor'akes his prey ami feels the taste OF blood
Down the street four blocks-turn to tho
right-apd here Is the tree; The prisoner
speak. IL there were shouting and hurrahing
he might hope. 1t is q crowd where men whs-
per or mutter. and he is awed to despair
There is little waiting. A rope is thrown over
a limb. the moose passed over his head. and
the men fail back and leave him the pivot OF IL
small circle. No one speaks to him. but he re-
Allies what the action means. Standing there
with his arms II ed behind him and his chin on
his breast he Is like u statue dimly seen
through the midnight gloom. Perhrps he Mt
still stains his clothing. There is silence all
around him silence SO deep that one passing
the outskirts Of tho crDwl n few feet away
would not suspect its presence.
The silence is broken by the footsteps OF
marching men 1t Is n platoon Of police com
rescnInG the prisoner. Two hundred men fall
out of tho mob and form across the path. There
mr. no shouts OF defiance, ~ wearonS drawn.
Th"y simply stand lik" n stone wall Thegrny-
haired man in charge Of the police has Wis
t"n II is y nob bent IN one single act. 1t Is
SONS. ana who can say wnege riot and lawess-
moss will end p: an arm is raised. and tho
murderer Is Lifted or the ground. some ono
murnurs his applause. but he is siienred.
Three or four revolvers crack. and the dam
cling form suddenly Strengthens out. For five
to melt away. and 10 after minute only tho
d"hi iS lett. 1t was like the swift and silent
'lssolying OF frost before a morning sun. Ien
tiptOed away. No man spoke to another. No
On" looked into the face OF his neiChbor
When day comes the law will ask who has
The law has not Teen indicated. but stronger
than law Is retribution when stern and siI.nt