Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1903-09-16

spent in peaceful happiness. The days
alipped away and the world, to me,
was only a great big playhouse, until
something happened which brought
me to a realization hat it was indeed
q playhouse but on its stage tragedy
and crime played a conspicuous part.
Ny childhood dreams had a rude
awakening. One morning, as I was
busy at work in my little garden, I was
startled BY the sharp clatter of horses
feet, coming down the street. The
easy, graceful rider was Harry Derbin,
young man Of our town.
He was, indeed, a mar to be envied,
being endowed with everything TO
make his life a success He was hand
some, popular and wealthy, and re-
port said, 500 to be married to love-
ly girl in a neighboring town.
I saw from his flashing eyes that
something was terribly wrong. In
an instant he had dashed up to the
blacksmith door across the street, and
with a few words / could not hear,
leveled his pistol at the blacksmith's
head. The poor fellow begged p%iteous-
~ for mercy, but without a tremor
OF one relenting glance, young Der
bin fired, and the unfortunate man fell
to the ground with a groan.
I wal rooted to the spot in horror
and amazement, but my eyes refused
to leave the man, who could by one
act Of un~governable passion, cast aside
all thought of his future and wreck
q life so full Of promise as his.
With a glance at his PROSTATE VIC
tim, he coolly placed his revolver back
in his pocket, and rode off down the
street. As he passed me by, he glanced
down at my trembling little figure as
If to say; swell, did you see it, little
one?" and my throbbing heart an
swered: Eyes, I, and only !, and your
Maker saw the deed" Then, as a
crowd came rushing up the street,
dazed and trembling, 1 turned and
went into the house-not the happy,
careless child that came out, but one
blindly confused at this first glimpse
of tragedy in the worlds playhouse.
Upon investigation it proved that
the motive for the deed, while ex-
tremely %aggravating, did not justify
the taking Of mans life. The black
smith had struck Henry Derbin's
little brother for some mischievous
prank in his shop, but this was too
much for the proud, fiery spirit Of the
elder brother, and nothing but the
mans life would pay the penalty.
He was promptly arrested, and for
3 time there was great excitement,
but after awhile the tumult subsidized
and, owing to his popularity and the
fact that he was the moving spirit
in the towns enterprises, public opin-
ion o o began to lean very much in
his favor,
Hearing the matter discussed so
often, / soon began to consider him
as my prosecuted hero, but consoled
myself that I was the only n who
saw the shot fred. But I was bewil-
dered when father brought home u
day my as the principal wit
ness in the case. 1 did not then realize
what it meant, although father very
solemnly told me as we went.to the
courthouse that "a mans life was in
my hands" and that / must "tell the
truth and nothing but the truth"
about what I saw on that terrible
day. He led me info the crowded
courtroom, and I searched in vain
among the sea Of faces for that Of my
hero. 1 tremblingly obeyed the call
to the witness stand, and at last saw
the pale, handsome face Of the man
whom my simple words would con-
denim. There he sat with his mother,
sweetheart, money and friends on one
side Of his scale Of destiny, but alasl
soon to be ov%erbalanced by the law,
my testimony and justice. His gilt
tering eyes we're fixed upon me as if
TO say: "Be merciful, little girl; you
know not what you do The tears
streamed down my face, and between
my sobs I told my simple story, which
must have carried conviction with it,
for the jury had been out of the room
only a few moments when they re-
turned with the verdict Of guilty.
and then, as the judge Numbered out
the sentence that Henry Derbin was
Ito be hung by the neck until he was
dead, dead, dead" I realized that this
mans life had indeed been placed IN
my hands.
While the words Of the judge rang in
my ears the condemned man gave me
one r~eproachful look, then bowed his
head and wept as I had never seen a
man weep before.
Public sympathy by this time was 80
much in his favor that the most prom
inent citizens, BY a widely circulated
petition. got his sentence commuted
to life Imprisonment.
From that time my happy, careless
life was ended. In vain they tried
20 impress me that I had only an
swered the demands Of justice, for
that shadow was always across my
path, and my thoughts and dreams
were haunted by the sorrovfuL, plead
ing eyes Of Henry Derbin.
Ten years later I was married and
lived IN q ne~ighboring town to our
old home. Strange to say, my husband
- A.. 60 To- 4ha eNn4a