Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1899-06-15

huge bowie knife flashed in the light,
and the next second was buried in the
old mans heart. He sank bank in
his chair, killed instantly. Before q
man could stir, Jack had pressed o
revolver against The Baby's' breast
and shouted:
Move and you're dead mani
"The young man coolly folded his
arms and said in ringing, defiant
voice:
"'He cheated me and I've killed
him. Do what you please
"'That is SO, said the Parson,
whose sermon had been so suddenly
interrupted. The old man has cheated
in every move he has made. His
sleeve is full of cards.
Jack gave orders to search the
body of the dead man. When whole
pack of cards were found concealed
about his person, all accepted this
as certain evidence of fraud. Jack
roared out:
=" This court decides that "Slippery
Dick was caught cheatin' and 1.-The
Baby" is guilty of justifable homicide
and goes free. All in favor of the
motion say "Ayep'
"a thunder of Ayes responded.
All opposed say "No"' said
Jack as he cooked his revolver and
glared about the room. A moments
death-like silence followed. Jack in
lower tone said:
"'This court is unanimous and
''The Baby" is acquitted. The Parson
will now say prayer for SLIPPERY
Dick" and we'll take him out and
plant him.
'The great bell rang out as Jack
shouted:
"'All up, gents; hats OFF, Every
one stood and uncovered the head.
ST have heard many prayers in my
life, but never one like the Parsons
over slippery Dick The preacher
lowered above the sea of heads, and,
with eyes closed, talked with God.
He pleaded for mercy for the mob of
sinners before him who were on the road
to eternal ruin. He uncovered the
hard and cruel hearts about him with
the fearless and steady hand of mas
ter surgeon. You could hear the
quick gasp of suppressed breathing
as each one of the pack of reprobates
felt the unsparing hand reveal his own
guilty secret.
"The prayer for Jack, the ringlead-
er in sin, was like blast from q fur
mace. Jack covered his face with his
slouch hat and trembled like leaf.
The petition for Slippery Dick was
like picture of awful sin receiving
its awful penalty in accordance with
Divine law. 1t brought sob of ter
ror from a score of hearts. When the
prayer reached The Baby the hard
voice trembled and broke into wall
and ended in heart breaking sob.
The strong man pied in the name Of
the mother, who through her burning
tears prayed day and night for the
loved boys return. [ have seen trees
swayed by cyclone until I felt as if
they must be torn from their roots by
the next fierce blast So that mass of
heads swayed and bowed while the
preacher prayed. When the whis-
pered Amen was uttered, a breath
like sigh parted the lips of every
man as he looked into the white face
of his neighbor.
"Jack was the first to regain his
composure. His voice had lost all of
its rollicking tone as he gently and
solemnly said
"'A collection, gents, for the Par
son.
"He passed through the crowd, re-
ceiving a coin or bill from every
hand, and poured the hatful of money
into the Parsons pocket. The Par
son and The Baby went out together
AS soon as the door closed behind
them, Jack said:
"Gents, "The Coyote" is closed
until tomorrow morning at O'clock
''The crowd passed out in silence. ;"
New York Independent.