The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1894-02-02


you, thclgh / can not tell his manic.
He can Not live FAR away-perhaps at
one of tl6 idle mines Nv l., ==o.ae ac
serted ttnnel. He weht toward the
gulch, fcf had he come this way he
would haSe had to CROSS my body, rs
lay therein the snow. That is all ]
have 10 tay: Do with me as you
must"
It was useless to search the gulch--
the heavy snow would not permit.
And, then, -x6ese angry men had no
doubt pi tho guilt of the parson. Only
the production of the man he claimed
had robbed him would destroy their
belief in his guilt. The crowd grew
angrier rs the minutes passed:
"rhe parson has 1ied,' codliy re.
marked Big Frank, whose faith in the
preacher sort had never been strong.
"He's an ungrateful robber," Pay.
master Bill added.
"Hang him |" yelled man in the
crowd.
The excitement increased like the
roar of tho wind through the gulches
in tho coming of n storm. A minute
more and the infuriated mob who, in
the absence of court, had tried, con
rictcd, and s6titetced the accused, was
eager to execute the sentence of SEath.
Like wild men they flew to the
upper end of tie camp, dragging ths
parson with them. Convinced of h,a
guilt, and maddened by thoughts o.
his ingratitude, no hand could stnv
them.
Quickly ths preparations for the e.
eeution wcfe-&ssda. Two hhrre!c, ash
os which supported an end of broad
plank, placed under the stout limb Of
a great tree, formed the scaffold, Ons
end of the rope was fastened 80 TIE
linh; thc "thc- formed iuto q moose
and placed over the head and around
the neck of the trembling parsun.
"Alrc We ready?" cried the leader
of the mob to the two men who were
stationed Mt the ends of the plank
ready to lift it out from under the
feet of tho doomed man.
'Givo him ono moro cheaco ter tell
who robbed him." demanded PaymAs-
ter Bill.
Standing there upon that plank,
with tho death rope around his neck.
Fnrsoa Toms memory returned. Tic
ugly face Of his assailant, which ho
could hot sec the night before in the
darkness, was now plainly visible, and
the couched form of tho robber mp
pcared rs plain rs on the day ho had
sneakcd out OF camp at tho command
of the.v same men.
The crowd waited almost breath
lcss'v,
"1uickl' shouted Big Frank. WHO
was lealcr.
",Saddic - Horse - Pete - almost
shouted the parson.
Tho crowd broke out in jccrs.
"Oh, mol" they said. "that can't be-
BE was Grove out, an he's not likely
to show nis head nnywheres 'roun' this
camp. That won't DO. Guess ngin.
"Yell hcv to pertluce ther body Of
Saddlc-HosS Pete aforo the courtll
admit thcr evidence" said Bill.
"Onco agin. Afro ,ye rendy?"
shouted Big Frank.
Yes" came the calm but dctcrm-
of the plank.
"Give him time ter pray begged
m unwilling participant.
"Pray them" shouted the leader.
Pnrson Tom stood erect with bowed
head. Slowly and with tirmpcss he
lifted his voice. Suddenly he faltercd,
turning his face toward the mountain.
Hark! Look The excited group
Of men stood there rivcted to the
ground. The hands OF those who held
the plank were frozen rs if i'll deaths
word was law was paralyzel. The
sound which filled their cars carried
more terror to their souls than the
awful roar of battle, tho rushing of the
mighty waters in storm ut sea, anl
the rumbling of an earthquake, all
combined, could have inspired
On, on it came, tearing from their
roots great trees that had withstood
the storms of generations; hurling
heavy branches, logs, timbcrs and
rocks hundred feet above the heads
of the frightened witnesses.
Great clouds of snow filled tho mir
ana hid from view the surrounding
mountaina
Not q man i'll that group, all huddlcd
together like SO many frightened ami
mails, but comprehended the situation
in all instant.
These men who wcro bravo enough
Of heart to havo fought with tho in
spiration of. patriotism on the field of
battle, O; faced with fearless courage
the oceans wrath, OF listened without
the faintest dread to the earthquakes
fearful rumblings, stood trembling
like little children in the face of n
snowslide!
Swift as n meteor it came, ard, like
the bursting of thunderbolt, had
spent its wrath; and its dreadful har-
vest lay scattered far and wide, like
dcad and wounded soldiers on battle
field.
And when the sky had cleared there
lay, at the feet OF them who held life
within thoir grasp, dead end frozen
human form. Tight against the breast,
the clutched and stiffcned fingers of
the dead held the buckskin bag of
money-the evidence of Parson Tom g
ippocppcn