The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-05-28

Pete took his horse and we started out
for the Pine hills. -
1T was pretty dark when we reached
the hills, but one of the party got. out
rope and we thought the business
would be over in few minutes. But
here Pete made another kick. For a
man who was going to. be hanged he
was the most particular, bothersome
fool ever ran across.
" L don't want to be hanged right
here alongside of the road, where every
ways into the woods and do the job
there
:" But we want your body to be an
example, says Dick Evans, sort OIL
doubtfully.
THAT made Pete mad. Example be
id he snarled. I takes a horse, you
boys catches me and strings me up. So
far all right But l don't want my body
used as-the tag end of a Sunday school
lesson. Besides, what king of a thing
would that be to show strangers think
ing to invest their money in the grow
ing town of Diamond Center? You fell
lows amt got any patriotism. Exam
plei Example be hanged says Pete.
scornfully.
81 guess this will do all right says
Dick, who was riding ahead.
I'VE stopped, and one of the boys
threw the end of the rope over the
bough of the tree, while l fixed the
moose about Pete's neck. Pete had been
riding with his head down. as if he was
thinking pretty hard and not paying
much attention to what was going on,
but when he felt the rope about his
neck he looked up, sorrowful and dis
gusted, rather than angry.
If Was Their First Affair.
az guess that this is the first time
any of you boys have ever taken part
in festivity of this kind, says he, sort
of sarcastic like.
I'VE allowed it was.
Well, it's a good thing you have
die. resident of Diamond Center, to
try it on first, for you would make the
camp a laughing stock if you acted
this way with a stranger. wish ! had
time to give you rehearsal says Pete.
kind of regretfully, but it's growing
too dark. Why, I actually believe you
fellows would jerk a man over the
pearly gates without giving him
chance to say a few last words ano
speak a little prayer
I'VE all was silent at this, for we had
forgotten all about that part of the
programme. So Pete dropped off his
horse and went over to a little bush
few feet away from the tree we had
thrown the rope over. Then he began
TO pray. l don't claim to be an author
ity on prayers, but have always said
that was no SLOUGH of a prayer. Pete
began with the Diamond Center camp.
and recommended every man, woman
and child in it to the Lord. Most oil
them needed it, but it made a long
prayer. Then he prayed for the sheriff
of the county, and after that for the
governor of the state. From the gov
ernor he went to the president. Then
we thought he was through, and every
body drew a long breath and prepared
to get down to the regular business OF
the meeting.
But Pete opened his eyes and looked
at US reproachfully, and then started
in as if he was just getting his second
wind. The queen of England, the en-
peror of Germany, all the big foreign
ducks Pete could think of were re-
membered to the Lord, and then, just
as we were getting so impatient we
couldn't have stood it much longer,
Pete polished off his prayer with a
general sort of blessing which took in
all the parties he hadn't mentioned by
name. 1t was good prayer, and |
covered the ground, but it took an
awful long time.
There didn't seem to be anything to |
interfere with the work we had assem- !
bled together to perform as Pete !
styled it in his prayer. when, all If a |
sudden, Pete cried out:
" My God, boys, the woods are on |
fire.
we all looked as hard as we could. |
but didn't see anything.
Yes, they are said Pete. Look, |
you can just see the blaze away off to |
the northwest