The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-02-23

Miner-Good enough, Judge, ana I'll stand
Second miner-And l, too; we're a-here to
give him fair trial, and II he is guilty Well
send him where he belongs at the dou Die quick.
Lynch-Here you, slider, you've been skulk-
ing round this camp for month past. Now
you're caught a-robbing sluices. What have
you got to say for yourself?
Slider-I didn't rob no siulees. | was just
running my fingers through the gravel to see
what the cleanup would be IKE
Bill.You was, was you? Just a,running
up, MATES and shake the stuff out of him.
There! What does that look like? Oh! you
| thieving varmint!
Lynch-Well, Slider, here's evidence. What
have you got to demurrer to it, as the law
SIder-oh! gentlemen, please don't hang
me this time Ii did take little piece of gold
it was only to send it to my poor wife and five
hungry children in the East. OH gentlemen,
if you had wife and seven children starving
you'd know what temptation is.
Billie has no children or wife neither.
Give the word Jedge, and we'll fix him.
Tom T.-Ay, that we will, the low Sydney
duck and to rob my sluice when there was
lots of anothers around him. What did he
pitch on me for. I'd like to know?
Lynch-say your prayers, Slider, if you have
any 10 say. Your goose Is cooked.
SliGer-Oh, gentlemen, spare my life, Oh
| business Enter Mrs Hoffman hastilyl
Mrs H.-Men have mercy on that poor
wretch. (Aside-The man who robbed me J
Do not destroy him, in cold blood.
Think of your mothers and sisters far away and
grant Woman's request to spare his life See?
| implore you on my knees to Lbusinessl spare
him.
Lynch-Hes been convicted in this here
court ma am, and sentenced according to the
statutes of the State OF California, arrayed and
provided for SIGH cases
(John Cartin steps forward
Cartin-Boys let him go. You know I've not
been backward in helping 70 clean out this
camp of thieves (varmint), (Miners-Thats SOL
an I'll join my voice with TINS lady's and beg
for that rascals life Tom, I'll make up to yon
all he's stolen. Pu see you don't lose any
thing.
Mrs. H-oh, thank you thousand times,
Mr.. Cartin; shall never forget this.
Lynch-What do you say, boys?
MinerS-Let the Varmlnt go.
Lynch-Take off the rope, and you, Slider,
you'd better get back to sydney, for you can't
expect to have beautiful lady on her knees
for your worthless carcass every time you get
into trouble.
Ned-say, mum, I heared you were stood up.
Is this the fellow that did il?
Mrs. H.-No, no; quite different fellow.
Slider calling on his knees)-May God bless
you, my sweet lady. [Tableau; cprtain.l
Mrs. John has become widow in the
third act and her enemies try to bring the
charge against her of having poisoned her
husband. as has been limited Some of
them go to the cemetery to exhume the
body to inject poison into it by way of fur
nishing proof 1t is CHASTITY and blood
curdling invention and though it is the
one scene in which Mrs. John does not APP
pear, it will certainly be very effective in
its way.
Mrs John is given a hint of what they
intend to do by Mr. Slime, one of the great
est villains in all the remarkable collec-
ton. Mrs. John is threatened by him and
she dareS him TO do his worst, Whereupon
this dialogue follows:
Slime-You do, Ell? So much the better and
/ know that when you look again upon Ephe
Slime you'll wish you'd never been born, for
he will smile when the law casts its net
around you and you are led from this room a
prisoner.
Mrs. JOhn-A prisoner, sir! what malicious
folly is this?
slime-No malicious folly, my high flyer;
repeat it, prisoner.
Mrs. John-And on what charge?
Slime-For poisoning your husband John Car
tin OF Beaveryille business Ha, thought that
would touch you Ia "a, ma'am. So long Mrs
John, till we meet again.
Mrs. John-For poisoning my husband My
God! My God! protect the widow and the
orphan from the Vaccinations OF their enc
mics
Slider, villain No. /. who robs Mrs. John
in the first act and whose villainy she re-
pays by saving his life, returns the favor
later by befriending and saving Mrs. John
from her many enemies.
In the fourth scene of the fourth act the
attempt is made to steal Henry Martins
will from Mrs. Johns strong box in her
own room in the Palace Hotel Slider
rife with dramatic action and through a
large part OF its progress it presents Mrs.
John lying upon a bed with a handker-
chief over her face to make it appear to
the robbers that she has been chloroformed.
The scene as written runs as follows:
ACT 4. SCENE 4.
bedroom in Palace Hotel. Mrs John discov-
cred seated at desk in tea gown. Corridor
partly open)
Mrs. joint feel a strange sense of fmpend-
ing calamity. Was ever woman surrounded by
such implacable and active enemies? There
are times when l grow weary of this perpetual
struggle and long Tor humble cottage in the
mountains, where my baby boy and myself
could rest in peace where l could bring him
up an honest, God-fearing man, give him
purpose and profession in life and be far re-
moved from all those schemes and machina-
lions which make my heart sick. But I must
be brave and steadfast. My boys future is in
my hands and 1 must, single-handed and
alone, defend him against those who are con-
spring to rob him of his legitimate inherit
ance. Harki Was that not footsteps in the
corridor? [Business.l And it is now after
midnight. [Business.l Somebody has stopped
outside the door. Strange. business.
light tap at the door. Mrs. John advances.l
Who is there?
slider (outsde(-A friend. For Gods sake
Mrs. John, let me in and don't make any noise.
Mrs. John-What do you want? What's your
name? What's your business here this time of
night?
Slider-Tm the boy whose life you saved in
the mines. Pm Slider, him as robbed you once
But I've tried to pay the debt once and Pm
here again on the same business.
Mrs. you say you have come here to do
me service. What assurance have that your
business is not one of robbery and perhaps
murder?
Slider-T swear to you, ma am am here for
your good. If you have pistol just draw 1t on
me, and you can shoot the minute l come near
you. Oh, ma'am, let me in. Your life may
depend upon it, your life and the welfare Of
your boy.
Mrs. il will, but l am no coward. will
arm myself, and / will not hesitate to kill you
II you attempt to I'M ure me.
Slider-You may, before God, l am here as
your friend. Business
Mrs. J.-Now what have you to communicate
to me?
slider-There is plot on foot to rob you to-
night of Henry Cartin's will. 1 have been en-
ployed to steal into your room, chlo-'
roform you and then open the door for
the rascal who is to break into your
desk. See, here is the drug. Now are you not
sure that l telling you the truth? / am
here to protect you, and before heaven l will
shed the last drop of my blood to shield YOU
from harm.
Mrs. j believe you and now recognize
you. ! will trust in you completely, as you say
you owe me your life, and will not think that
you are base enough to betray me.
Shder-Thank you, ma am, for those words
l am standing now between you and danger;
ana Reuben Slider is not going to finch this
trip. See, | will hide myself in this closet.
or ln N,~ -n1f ,l IL