Morris tribune., 1903-01-03

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''Who en- look into yer min en-
tell ter minute how lawng it takes
| yer furgit dat las rs cents he Dor
! rid en- den step right up en- borry
ernudder one? Nickydemus! En-
now who ken be spar'd de bes en-
missed de less? Nickydemusp'
The magistrate, who for some
time had been extremely busy trim
ming the knots from the grapevine
with his pocketknife and twisting it
into suppleness, now paused and de-
ivered the following charge:
"Gentermuns oh de jury, you's
hyeard enough to hang er whole
cuppen (cowpen) full er niggers. En-
all I'm got to say is dat pull'n fod-
der time put nigh hyere en- dis is err
mighty good chance to git ridder
Nickydemus.
''Gentermuns OBJ de jury, is yer
egreed ?" demanded Squire Bolden.
owe am, sah," came in dignifed
tones from the frame.
''What is de wordick?'' solemnly
demanded Uncle Cephas.
ode wordick, sab, am it nebber
won do to let slip dis chance er git
tin ridder Nickydemus," was the re-
ply.
''stan' up, pris'ner," was the SUI
perfuous order Of the magistrate to
the condemned, who had been
standing up from the first. '@You's
done plenny harm in dis worP fer
one niger, en- sides you's had er
far trial TO yer teller citizens.
Now, it's de Judgment er dis court
dat yer be hung to de biggis' linn
avn Pop Castle oak wilder grape
vine, Gaze t'ud be bad luck to use er
rope after it been bout dead folks,
en- dat de jury is debbytized to do
de hangin'.''
''Hold ont" shouted, thorough
ly aroused by the groans of the
prisoner and the screams Of his
wife and children. "Do you know
that you are about to deprive hui
man being of life against law and
justice? Why, not even a witness
has appeared against him! Mind
what you do!n'
ode gentermuns in sto' cloze," re-
piled the magistrate sternly, "will
pease don't bodder de exscusion-
ments er dis hyere court. De cha'c-
ter er Nickydemus Wagstaf is
knoWed fur as de train goes eff not
er liz furder. De whole yearth en-
ev'ytheng in it b'rs witness ergin
him. Gentermuns, do yer juty''
While | was struggling desperate
y to force my way through the
;hrong and reach the spot the ropes
we're stripped from the prisoner,
slip moose in the grapevine thrown
around his neck, and he was dragged
away to the designated spot. One
md of the vine, weighted with a
mall stone, was thrown over
huge limb. The jury seized it as it
ell and pulled with might and
main.
The doomed man rose, wildly
licking and struggling against the
of blue sky. He was
Llready several feet in the air when
hitch occurred. The jury gave
ERIK. With a snap the grapevine
'roke, piling them in heap on the
round.
In an instant Nicodemus was
making for the woods, descending
he hill twenty feet at bound, with
lalf the grapevine standing out
traight behind him and the whole
rowd, Uncle Cephas in the van, in
pursuit.
Before 100 yards we're covered it
vas clear that Pop Castle would
witness no hanging that day, and in
alf an hour the breathlcss, baf1ed
rowd was back again, seeking what
onsolation the cool spring water
ould afford.
Whether it was an accidental
reak in the grapevine or whether
he shrewd old man while trim
hing and "sooplin''' gave it nick
was impossible to say, although
here was plainly twinkle in I'm
lie Ceph's eye when his gaze met
line on his return from the chase.