The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-08-14
BULLETS GRAVE.

| Whites Dream.
Singular name, but they were sincu-
lar men, brawny, rough, grizzled and
some of them wicked. They were men
from the east, digging, delvinp. in n
sort of frenzy, for the wealth of Cali
fornia
On this day all work had ceased. The
men formed in cirolo on the grass. and
i'll the center was Jack Bullet. His
hands wero tied behind him, there was
an old bloodstain on his face, and from
his wolfish eyes he sent murderous
glance from ono face to another and at
last called out, ST wish had knitted
some of ye."
Mono of tho men replied. Some were
pale, others nervous, and none seemed
to relish tho business on hand, which
was the hanging of Jack Bullet. By
and by meek and humble looking
man, named Elder Graves by the bows.
entered the circle, and, standing with
ono hand ON tho prisoners shoulder. he
began:
Jack Bullet, this is solemn morn
ing for US all. Here is the rope, there
is 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 full
claim was staked out for you. How
have you repaid us, Jack Bulletp 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 i'll this camp and use all
men right, but we cannot turn you loose
to prey upon some other party. The
men are going to hang you
Let 'em hang! can t dio but once"
sulkily replied the prisoner.
Jack Bullet" said the elder. 81
am praying man, and want to pray
with you before you swing. am sorry
for you. You are strong man, and you
arc to die like dog Maybe you have
mother i'll tho east, or you may have
wife and children. God help themv'
The elder sank down OH his knees be-
foro tho prisoner and prayed such a
prayer as the rocks have never echoed
again. Before he had finished there
were tears i'll tho eyes of half tho men,
and Big Sam bent over to Curly Jim
and whispered:
Now, that's what call religium-
the real old bang up religium as we
used to git way back in New Hamp-
SHIRE
When tho prayer had ended, a new
spirit came to tho men. They scanned
Jack Bullets face and saw that it had
softenod, and as Elder Graves stepped
aside tho president of the camp cut
jacks bonds and said:
We don't want your blood, though
you sought ours You are FREQ to 20.
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 ms
long as he was in view. When he had
disappeared from sight, the miners re-
turned to their work, each one so busy
with his thoughts that but few words
were spoken. That day two weeks a
man came up from Cardboard City and
reported that Jack Bullet had been eat
en- up by grizzly. Every man in the
camp felt glad then that his town had
escaped the disgrace of hanging, and
i'll tho afternoon wo saw Elder Graves
shoulder Il spade and turn down into a
little valley. 1t was beautiful spot.
always full Of the mellowest sunshine
and the prctticst flowers
When the boys had knocked off work
for the day, they all descended into the
place, for what reason no one knew,
but by common consent. In the center
OF the valley the earth had been heaped
up like grave. AT its head was a
board, at its foot wild rose On the
board Elder Graves had cut with his
knife: jack Bullet, aged 40. Men may
not have given him u chance, but God
will. "
You wouldn't think that these rough
men had sentiment in their hearts, but
they saw through the elders motives in
an instant, and the toughest man in the
lot stopped down md carefully rear
ranged ono of tho scds
Three weeks MOI . went by, and one
evening Jack Bullet came into Joe
Whites Dream. alive and well. He
stood OH the little square in tho center
of tho town, and he said not word till
tho wondering men gathered about him.
Then no pointed 10 the grave in the val
icy, Ills eyes Hlleu with tears and he
chokingly said:
Boys. | sneaked back here this
morning to kill some one in revenge,
but l cum across that-that grave down
thar, and-and"-
He held ont his hands to the men,
and the tears blinded him so that he
could not SEQ n face. Elder Graves went
down on his knees again, every man
with him, and there were tears and a
prayer so beautiful and tender and true
that Jack Bullet sobbed like child.
Iic hnurt xI,.,c LrcI..,,. IL ~.