The Wadsworth dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1892-1899, 1897-10-02
'ATURDAY,. - =. CroBER ., 1897
BULLETS GRAVE.

A hundred men were digging for
gold, and they had named the place Joe
Whites Dream.
Singular name, hut they were singu-
lar men, brawpy, rough, priz2led and
some of them wicked. They were mel
from the east, digging, delving, in
sort of frenzy, for the wealth Of Cali
fornia.
On this day all work had ceased. The
men formed in a circle on the grass, and
in the center was Jack Bullet. His
hands were tied behind him, there was
an old bloodstain on his face, and from
his wolfish eyes he sent murderons
glance from one face to another and at
last called out, II wish | had knitted
some of ye."
None of the men replied. Some were
pale, others nervous and none seemed
to relish the business on hand, which
was the hanging Of Jack Bullet. By
and by a meek and humble looking
man, named Elder Graves by the boys,
entered the circle, and, standing with
one hand on the prisoners shoulder, he
began:
Jack Bullet, this is a solemn morn
ing for us all. Here is the rope, there
il the limb, and we are all gathered to
hang you. You came to Joe Whites
Dream weeks ago, poor, hungry and
i'll. We fed and nursed you, and when
you were we'll enough to work a full
claim was staked out for you. How
have yon repaid us, Jack Bullet? You
have stolen dust from the men. brought
discords among us. excited rows and
riots, and last night you were detected
when about to murder your partner and
steal his few hundred dollars. We try
to be white in this camp and use all
mel right, bnt we cannot turn you loose
to prey upon some other party. The
men are going to hang you"
LET 'em hang! can die but once,
sulkily replied the prisoner.
Jack Bullet" said the elder, 81
am a praying man, and want to pray
with you tefore you swing. l am sorry
for you. You are a strong man, and you
are to die like a dog. Maybe you have
a mother in the east, or you may have
q wife and children. God help them!'
The elder sank down on his knees be-
fore the prisoner and prayed such Il
prayer as the rocks have never echoed
again. Before he had finished there
were tears in the eyes of half the men,
and Big Sam bent over to Curly Jim
and whispered:
Now, that's what I call religium-
the real old bang up religium as we
used to git way back in New Hamp-
shire"
Wher the prayer had ended, a new
spirit came to the men,. They scanned
Jack Bullets face and saw that it had
softened, and as Elder Graves stepped
aside the president Of the camp cut
Jacks bonds and said:
1--WE don't want your blood, though
Won sought ours. You are free to go,
Jack Bullet, but don't you ever enter
Joe Whites Dream again"
The reprieved man moved away with
|, ont a word, nor did he look back AS
long as he was in view. When he bad
disappeared from sight, the miners re-
turned to their work. each II so busy
with his thoughts that but few words
were spoken. That day two weeks a
man came up from Cardboard City and
renorted that Jack Bullet had been eat
en- mn BY IA grizzly. Every man in the
camp felt glad then that his town had
ESCAPED the disgrace of a hanging, and
in the afternoon we saw Elder Graves
shoulder a spade and turn down into a
little valley. 1t was a beautiful spot
always full of the mellowest sunshine
and the prettiest flowers.
When the boys had knocked OF work
for the day, they all descended into the
nj ace. for what reason no one Knew
Int nv a common consent, In the center
of the valley the earth had been heaped
up like a grave. At its head was Il
hoard, at its foot a wild rose. on tne
board Elder Graves had cut with ni7
knife: Jack Bullet, aged 40. Men may
not have given him a chance, u "oo
will"
You wouldn't think that these roush
men had sentiment i'll their hearts, pu'
thew saw through the elders motives ~
II A. ro,pbCst man III tIP