St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1898-02-26

cred with a chill which insisted on
creeping up and down our spinal col
umn, but when we had presently
warmed up to work things went bet
ter. We have always been against the
Pilgrim Fathers and their Puritanic de-
scendants. holding that they were set
of kickers and malcontents who de-
served the stocks, and it so happened
tnat most of the cowboys were our way
Of thinking. The address didn't move
any of them to tears or cheers, but one
of them did step forward and loosen
the moose around our neck and give
our Adams apple better show to wob-
BILE about as we talked. The address
was written to occupy two hours. but
after listening about Is minutes, the
cowboys said the rest of the Pilgrims
could go to and demanded change of
programme. There was more toying in
store for us.
We were commanded to sing, but
declined, on the ground that our voice
had never been trained. The gang
tailed on to the rope and drew us of
the ground, and we then concluded to
obey the command. We sang "The
Sweet BY and By" "What Is Home
Without Mother" and half dozen
other sad, sweet songs. We didn't ex-
rect our singing to tickle them, but ii
had that effect, and some of them
laughed till they fell down. When our
voice is raised in song it generally has
the opposite effect on our hearers, and
they either make for the woods or
shoot at us. We kept the machine 60
ing until they finally grew tired of it.
and wanted a change.
When we were ordered to do a sail
or's hornpipe for the delectation of the
gang we plead want of jurisdiction.
headache. loss of sleep, and several
other things. But as soon as five or
six Of the fellows began shooting at our
feet our knees instinctively went to
work. We were never a graceful
dancer. and we have no doubt that we
made an awkward showing o1gthis oc-
casion. We think so fromthe facttthat
some of the miserable wretches laughed
till they had to be thumped on the
back to get their breath again, and
their yells of mockery could be heard
for two miles. 1t makes my blood boil
to remember how we were obliged to
cavort around and make a clothespin
of ourself, but we were in the hands
OF the enemy and had to obey. By and
By we were ordered to stop the ma
chine, but there was more to come.
While we were dancing one of the
men was busy writing out the follow
ing Schedule" which was read to us
and our signatures demanded:
Il die willingly.
81 asked the cowboys of three B. b.
B. ranch to hang me for my crimes.
II am buffer, a duffer and liar
81 am no editor, and the II bodies in
my private graveyard are those of jack
rabbits.
do not bury my remains, but leave
them for the buzzards to peck at"
We at first refused to sign, but on
being elevated about four feet and
dropped again. we made haste to affix
our signature. Our writing was little
cramped. but any Of our friends can
swear to the signature.
When the signature bad been secured
the idea was to pull as up and bring
the affair to happy climax. The rope
was just lifting us on the ground. and
we had feeling in our neck as if we
had swallowed 4 table leg. when Maj.
Shorter. Capt Daily. John Barnes and
three or four other gentlemen APP
peared. being on their way to Pine
Hill to attend court. They a. cnce
came to the rescue. but for time =
hot conflict was threatened. We were
finally released and slowly journeyed
buck home. Our neck feels . foot too
long. our Adams apple sticks ont Ike