The National tribune., 1901-02-14
would not give up Abednego. the mule, for


| they were mounted on some OF the horses
and Uncle Ephraim was directed to follow.
and, conducted by Monty and Harry, dis
| appeared behind the curtain of bushes at
the bend of the road, leaving 81 and shorty
alone with the crowd. leaning on their
muskcts, in front OF the heavy curtain Of
bushes.
Elder Hornblower," said 81, gravely.
we've now tended to the lesser villains,
/ and it comes your turn"
| Don't call me villain, young man."
said the Elder, hotly. I'm mister o.
! laws o Georgy. You haint got nothin' Z
do with me. I'm peaceable citizen, an
never had nothin' t do with the army.
| Hits agin the law t molest me in any
way"
Just now we're engaged in making new
| laws, Elder, said 81, with an air of pa
tlent explanation, which same will apply
to your case"
But l wasn't gwine t hang you," ex,
poStulated the Elder. Hit was them fel-
lers that you've done licked
Elder Hornblower," continued 81, with
the same patient air, and repeating as well
as he could remember the turgid fulness
of the sonorous old indictments under the
criminal law of Indiana, you have being
| instIgated by the devil and not having the
fear of God before your eyes, been for
years wIckedly, maliciouSy. and with
| It. TuTlDaE-
| ing up and down the country, preaching
| treason, seditiOn, murder, arson, and
other things against the peace and dignity
| of the United States OF America, and the
statutes in those cases made and provided.
You deserve the doom of all traitors, which
| Is death, and 1t has become our duty to
| shoot you dead, dead, dead, as the law
directs, and may God have mercy on your
| sinful soul. Have you anything to say be-
| fore sentence is executedf"
81 stopped and wiped his face, for the
| prodiglous mental effort had made him
| sweat.
But you can't shoot me- You dassspt
shoot me. I'm a minister of the Gospel, /
done tole you shouted the Elder, strug-
Cling to his feet.
You're not speaking to the question,
Elder said Shorty, examining the lock of
| ms gun. We said we were going to
shoot you. That's settled, and no longer
debatable. Any other remarks?"
Elder" said 81, I'VE are in a great
| hurry, ana have no time to waste. We've
| heard you, with our own ears preaching
treason in its worst form. We've also
| hstened twice to your great sermon on the
| spoilers from the wilderness. We're them,
| Just as the Bible describes. Now, having
done your preaching, you can pray Well
| give you five minutes by the watch count
| ing from now, to do the best praying you
ever done in your life, for it will be your
! last. Go over and kneel down by one of
| them trees, where you were going to hang
| us, and do your praying. You other men
go over and kneel down with him Now,
at the end of five minutes I'll count three,
! and at three we'll shoot. Hurry I'D now.
Your five minutes is passing"
The Elder gave despairing look at the
| stern, set faces of 81 and Shorty, without
hnding IN them ray Of mercy. Groaning
| audlbly, he went over, kneeled down be-
hind Tim Scads, and began praying in a
| tone that echoed from the hills. The
others knelt down in line with him, and
| 81 and Shorty exchanged covert grins at
noticing that they all carefully assumed
positions that would take them out of
range Of an ill-aimed shot at the Elder,
They were certain not to get behind him.
or very near on either side.
| Unconsciously, the Elder drifted into
| one or his regular, thunderous prayers.
which were so effective in his meetings.
| de prayed for the success of the Southern
| Confederacy and the utter destruction Of
the Abolition hordes; for more blessings
| and strength to JEFF Davis, and confusion
and distress to Abraham Lincoln; for a
sweeping away of the Yankee mercena-
] ries, as Senacheribs hosts had been
swept away, and for victories for Lee and
Hood, like those which had blessed Joshua
and Gideon.
'Onew called out 81, when he had got
| as much of this as he could stand
The Elder whirled about with hands up
| raised, and shouted:
20, Mister, for Gods sake, spare nv
life. Remember my holy calling; remem-
Der my peaceful character; remember my
wife and family remember''-
Turn around, there and go ahead pray
ing, said Shorty, sighting at him; you
didn't remember our holy calling, our
| peaceful character, our wives and children,
when you were egging on that crowd to
nS l-ha
you at once"
The Elder resumed his devotions, and
those on either side OF him began groaning,
shouting and praying in sympathy. The
cracking of the burning groggery, and the
crash of the falling roof and walls of the
Jail mingled with their voices.
The Elder began minglIng with his inyo-
cations for Heavenly mercy, solicitations
| for blighting curses on those Souliess van
dals who were to do him TO death.
'Two!' called out 81. Next TO last call
for eternity. Next station, the grave"
added Shorty.
The Elder whirled about again, but i'm
| medIately whirIed back, for he saw the
two guns at the boys faces, ready to FIRE,
and his voice was tremulouS with fearful
emotion. His companions were now SIM
ply howling with agonized suspense.
81 and Shorty stepped noiselessly around
the screen OF bushes and disappeared. Tho
all in such nervous terror that they could
not have heard the march of regiment.
a hundred rods away the boys could still
hear them groaning, shouting and praying.
Then the partners ran forward to the
horses, which they mounted, and led their
procession onward.
I'VE certainly gave them a bad half
hour" said 81, as they logged along. But
| doubt whether we made em as much
misery as they made US. l guess they
know now that there's God in Israel.
wonder how long the Elder will keep up
his praying? One thing I'm sure of: he's
lost mighty nice horse, and, L declare,
| believe this is the same one took from
him before. 1t is, as sure's I'm alive. The
next thing is as to what we're going TO do
with Uncle Ephraim and Aunt Minerva
Ann. You know the orders are strict
against negroes following the army"
We'll, orders or no orders, we've got to
take care of them, since they would come
along" answered Shorty. L believe Col.
McGillicuddy'll help US out"
He certainly will if he can. Anyway,
we can't let em go back there. Old Horn
blower and his crowd would whip every
one O. them to death, il he could get the
chance"
CTo be continued)
The comrades of Western New York
are enthusiastically in favor of Col. Chas.