The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1893-05-27

~0N 80
miles er dis place er furder eff he ranges
furder? Who en- looks into yer min en-
tell ter minute how lawng it takes yer
furgit dat las 25 cents he borrid, en- den
step right up e. borry er nudder one?
Nickydemus! En- now who ken be spar'd
lie bes Ell missed deless? Nickydemus"
The magistrate, who for some time
had been extremely busy trimming the
knots from the grapevine with his pock-
etknife and twisting it into s~uppleness,
now paused and delivered the following
charge:
"Gentlemuns Oh dc jury, vou's hyeard
ernolgh to hang er whole cuppen Cow
pen full er niggers. En- all I'm got to
say is dat pull'n Fodder Time putnigh
hycre Ell dis is er mighty good chance to
sit r;dder Nickydemrs."
"Gentlemuns oh De jury, is yer egreed:'
demanded Squire Bolden.
We am, sah,' came iii dignifed tones
from the frame.
What is de wordick::' solemnly de-
manded Uncle Cepllas.
De wordick, sab. IN it nebber won
do to let slip Ills chance er gittin ridder
Nickydemus," was the reply.
Stan up. pris'ner," was the superfu-
Gus order of the magistrate to the con
demned, who had been standing up from
the first. '.You's done plenny harm in
dis worl' fer one nisger: en- sides you'a
had or far trial 70 yer Teller citizens.
Now, it's de Judgment er dis court dat
yer be hung to de biggis' linn awn Pop
Castle oak widder grapevine, Gaze t'Ud
be bad luck to use er rope after it been
bout dead folks, e dat de jury is deb
bytiZed to do de hangin."
Hold on.' | shouted, thoroughly
aroused by the groans Of the priSc2c:
and the screams Of his wife and children.
do you know that You are about to de-
prive q human being of life against law
and justice: Why, not even a wine;
has appeared against him. Mind what
you do!'
"De genterman in sto' %cloze," replied
the magistrate sternly, will please don't
bodder de exscusionments er dis hyero
court. De chac'ter er Nickyaemus Y. ag-
staff is knowed fer as de train goes, Ct
not er lii furder. De whole yearth ea
ev'ytheng in it b'rs witness ergin him.
Genterlnuns, do yer july
While was struggling desperately t.
force my way through the throng and
reach the spot, the ropes were stripped
from the prisoner, a slip moose in tie
grapevine thrown around his neck, and
he was dragged away to the designated
spot. One eId Of the vine weighted
with a small stone was thrown over &
huge limb. The jury seized it as it fell
and pulled with might and main. The
doomed man rose, wildly kicking and
struggling against the background of
blue sky. He was already several feet
in the air when a hitch occurred. The
jury gave a jerk. With q snap the grape
vine broke, piling them in a heap on the
ground. In an instant Nicodemus was
making for the woods, descending the
hill 20 feet at q bound, with half the
grapevine standing out straight behind
him, and the whole crowd, Uncle Cepha5
in the van, in headlong pursuit.
Before 100 yards We're covered it was
clear that Pop Castle would witness no
hanging that day, and in half an hour
the breathless, baflled crowd was back
again seeking what consolation the cool
spring water could afford.
Whether it was an accidental break
in the grapevine or whether the shrewd
old man while trimming and ~'.sooplin"
gave it a nick it was impossible to say,
although there was plainly a twinkle in
Uncle Ceph's eye when his gaze met
mine on his return from the chase
David Dodge in Kate Fields Washing
ton.