The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1902-02-04

And the dog was surely the only friend
that Red Shed had. The big woman
was not there. Why she was not there.
why she was not then q prisoner and
on trial does seem strange-passlng
strange. But. ah. those were the days
when women had women's rights to
perfection. For after the trial and the
sentence of death had been passed
and all rather hastily, SO that the boys
might not lose any sleep. but be up In
good time to see the hangIng-the
court on his way to his cabin saw her
''piacidly" taking down q pair of blank
cts from the clothesline
Hound worked all night and got up q
first rate scaffold by the little grave
yard. In fact, any one to look at 1t
would have said 1t was equal to the
scaffolds Of much older civilization.
Bout noon suit you, ShedT
"All right, Tom; bout noon.'
Thought I'd kinder like to let the
boys git In from round about. They
don't shave much to muse 'em, you
know"
IAN right, Tom; let 'em git in"
1t was warm day to be SO late In
the fall There were four of US on the
scaffold-Shed, Hound, the dog and
myself. Shed had sent Hound to ask
me to say something, or at least help
sing. But 1t was awful to be there!
The dog kept rolling his big, woolly
head up against Sheds tied legs and
whining and whining all the time, as
If 1t were he and not quiet and passive
old Red Shed that was to be hanged.
There was an immense crowd, Q
queer, curious crowd. 1t came up so
close that 1t jammed against the new
scaffold till 1t creaked and creaked.
The men, as ! remember them now,
nearly all had their mouths open as
they looked up at US. / distinctly re-
call looking away down in one mans
throat. l counted his teeth as l stood
there and tried to keep from thinking
and breaking down. Some Indians sat
on hill a little way OF watching us,
and Waymire. one Of the big lawyers
of San Francisco, sat on his horse,
with his soldiers not far beyond.
watching the Indians, for Waymire
was then distinguished young officer
In the army.
There was a little commotion close
by, and the scaffold again creaked as
a tall. lank. sunburned and slender
man, all rags and hat and shoes. with
an OK whip under his arm. pushed the
dog aside and. stepping to the very
edge Of the scaffold, said hastily
"'Scuse me. gentlemen. my steers Ii
strayed. and l thought that some Of
you a-comin' In to the hangin' might
a-seen 'em-a ballface an a brindle-
emIgrant steers. Purity poor steers. but
all me an my folks have got. an I've
got to find 'em. Didn't see 'em, no
body-two steers. two emigrant steers
ballface an brindleT
No one spoke. The man whose teeth
l had been counting shut up shop fol
a second, and managed to get my
eyes away from him and Oh to th<
dusty old emigrant, who was about
backing down from the scaffold to the
ground. Now. the way that he spoke
told me that he was a sort Of preacher
or exhorter at least whispered thii
to Hound.
81 say. chip in here. All right. Shed
chr"
"All right. Tom Let 'em chip"
The lank man let his hat fall dowI
by the dog. and his knees fell on tn,
hat with thump. Then Hound want
ed to kneel, too. for he did not like hi
job, | can tell you that. but his righ
hand was holding on to the gnarly ant
| twisted moose, and he knew better thai
let go of It. So he looked at Shed. ant
| he said:
"YOu don't mind. ShedY
| 81 don't mind. Tom"
And SO he put the moose around tn
mans neck and kindly looked an
waited a second to see II 1t was al
right.
Hurt you, ShedT
"No: don't hurt: don't hurt now
Tom"
| And then Tom went down ON hi
knees, and the boys bowed their head
and cried. You could hear them cry
Why, the very old dog seemed to fes
the atmosphere Of pity and the patho
of the scene.
But let us end this. The old EN-
grant arose. His hat lay before hin
and Hound stopped to pick it up.
"Give- us that hat" said a husk
voice below.
Hound handed down the hat.
Bout done. Tom" whispered Shet
Bout done. Shed Jist a minut
now" answered Tom as he raised U
with the hat heavy from the cole,
tion. Shed saw this and said;
"Tom."
well, shedY"
LEND Tne dollar till-till"-
"Why, Shed. herei I'll chip In Il
both. see?"
"Thank you. Tom. An now. TomT
swell. ShedT
you'll see me put away, ehT"
"Why, there. see? That's the gra,
all ready. She'd"
''Thank you. Tom. thank you. an r
all ready"
Then such a crash and jerk! The d.
sprang down to the ground and begi
to howl. and the men fell back, fs
back and down. as If shot by grapesh
and canister.
Around and around swung the hui
and heaying body, and then It sudde
ly stopped, stopped right still. and VT
the face lifted and the head a lit
sideways It looked straight at To
J Hound and LOCKED black at Us, y,
may say. hu. not unkindly-for on
two or three seconds. yet 1t seem
years. for no one had thought Of T
: black cap.
Then suddenly 1t began TO twist a
2 whirI and wind the other way. and '