The Topeka state journal., 1897-08-24
FULFILLED THE LAW.

WdS q Gull AOttO0 III CCTabC6
Gravel, Wy, on the morning of June 23,
1875. Jack Langworthy, a local celebrity,
had killed tenderfoot from Pennsy lvania,
and there was naturally some curiosity, If
net to say excitement, over the affair.
The circumstances Of the case were like
this:
Jack and the Pennsylvania were hav-
ing little game of cards when the former
noticed a slight deception on the part Of
bis adversary in the way of dealing him
self from one to four cards too many and
concealing them in his coat sleeve
"Sich proceedings are entirely foreign
to the customs of this yere camp" finally
remarked Langworthy and at the same
, time he sent bullet into the tenderfoot's
head.
The rude law of Scratch Gravel took
cognizance of this fact, and Jack was ar
rested A few weeks later he was arraign-
ed for the murder and pleaded guilty.
The judge sentenced him to be hang
ed. Then Jack made speech. He said:
81 killed the man, / know, and perhaps
it's fair enough that 1 should die too.
Leastways don't set up my Judgment
ag'in that of the court. The laws of
Scratch Gravel should be enforced, but
just now I'm sort of sorry the enforcement
is necessary. The deal is a hard one, and
the worst of it all is that the roughness is
not ag in me alone-oh, no, not ag in me,
but Sally and the twins.
81 don't care for myself-just as soon
go as not-but when think of the twins
tell you I can't stand it. You see, the
twins are boys-both boys. They are rat
Ting pair. and no mistake. I alters reck-
oned on the twins mounting to something
in the world, but If their father is to be
hanged-that settles it. What would the
twins ever mount to then?
'sNow, If could go some other way, it
wouldn't look so bad-the twins might
l1rzt 20 Hkae
common thief, it would be weight on
them ere twins that 'ud keep 'em down
forever. So you see, it amt for myself
that care, not for me and not for Sally
so much either, although do kinder like
the old gal, but the twins. Well, it breaks
me all up to think of leaving them. it
does, for a certain fact. Jedge, when will
the performance take place?''
The unfortunate man was informed
that the 10th Of July was the date fixed
for his execution, and that he should make
preparations to be on hand at that time
punctualiy SO as not to delay the proceed
ings.
''You see, jack said the judge famil-
iarIy, 1--WE amt going to be mean enough
to look you up; not you-it wouldn't be
right-not with an honorable man like
you. 1t ain't for any dislike for you or
bad feeling that we're going to hang you,
Jack, but it's the law, you know, the law.
to be on hand when the time comes.'
For the next week Jack staid at home
pretty much all the time. Occasionally
some of his friends would drop in to ask
about his health and the health of the
twins. The slightest mention of the lat
ter would set his tongue in motion, and
somehow he seemed to think there were
no other children in the world worth talk
ing about
in a few years. he had often said. Maybe
one of 'em'Il be an auctioneer or a bank
| president and the other a steam boat cap
| tain-who knows? Them boys are smart. -
One evening, just a week prior to the
| date fixed for his execution, he seated him
| self on bow 1der near his cabin door and
| took the twins in his arms. They were
| little fellows and elm bed all over him.
One of them got his little brown arm
| around the paternal neck and pulled the
| grizzly beard with his chubby fingers.
| Then, looking into the upturned face, he
| said sorrowfully:
''There's wasser in your eyes, dad.
| Whatyr matter?''
Jack put the child down rather roughly,
| and remarking, as he brushed bis eyes,
that it was mighty hot that evening he
| walked into the house,
The 10th of July arrived. In the morn
! ing, quite early, Bill Drake, an old time
| friend of Jack, came to see him.
"Seems to me thar ought to be some
way to get out of this remarked Bill
"You wouldn't slip away, would you?''
81 don't want to shoot you, Bill" he
said f1ercely, ''but I'll do it, sure, if you re-
| peat that insult. Thought you knew me
better than that. I'm ashamed of youl''
"But you don't understand mel' ex-
| claimed Bill excitedly. "Listenl The
jedge sentenced you to be hanged the 10th
| of July, but he forgot to name the yeari
| The 10th of July ten years from now will
| do, or longer. He only said the 10th OF
| JuIyl''
"But he meant today" said Jack, trem-
| bling in every limb.
But he didn t say it. You may suit your
own convenience about the year, Jack.
| For your own sake, and for the sake of the
| twins, skip!'
There was much disappointment that
afternoon among the citizens of Scratch
| Gravel when it was discovered that Jack
| was gone. Search was made of his cabin,
but there were no signs of Sally, Jack or
| the twins. They We're gone for good.
And now comes the strangest part of
| the story. The 10th of July five years
| later gray old man, bent nearly double,
| thrust his shadowy form into the presence
! of the chief magistrate of Scratch Gravel
/ and demanded hearing.
81 am Jack Iangworthy, - he said, "and
have come back, according to my prom
| Use, to be hanged. You see. the twins are
| dead-both dead-and Sally, she's gone to
run away with another man, and now
| I've come back tc meet the requirements
| of the law. There has been some delay
| I'll admit, but was bound to come back
some time, and here sm.''
The laws and customs of Scratch Gravel
| had changed somewhat since Jack depart
ed the place five years before, and as the
| affair in which he was interested was no
longer sensation of the day he was sim
| ply told to leave the town as soon as pos
| sible. He went at once, and when last
seen alive he was tramping slowly out of
| town, with his face toward the setting
sun.
A little later in the year, when the