The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-04-15


lA been gallopins through Six
Crossroads. sometimes sim
gly. oftener In company. At
1 O'Clock the last posse passed through
on its return to the county seat. and
after that there was . hong. complete
silence. while the miry corners were
undisturbed by q single hoof beat. No
unkempt colt nickered from his musty
stall. The sparse young corn that used
to nod and chuckle gresnly stood rigid
In the ields. Up the PlAttvlle pike
despairingiy caekled one old hen. with
her wabbling. sailsr run. smit with .
superstitIous horror Of nothing. She
hid herself In the shadow underneath
Q rickety barn and was still.
Only on the Windy farm were thers
signs OF life. The old lady who had
sent Harkless roses sat by the window
all morning and wiped her eyes, watch
ing the horsemen ride BY. Sometimes
they would bail her and tell her there
was nothing yet. About O'Clock her
husband ratified mp In Q buckboard and
got out the shotgun Of the late and
more authentic Mr.. Windy. This be
carefully cleaned and oiled In spite Of
its hammsriess and quito useless CON
dition. sitting meanwhile BY the win
dow opposite his wife and often hook
Ing up from his work to shake his
weak nst at his netshbors' domiciles
and creak decrepit curses and dsnun-
lations.
But the Crossroads was ready. II
knew what WAS coming now Fright
ened. desperate. sullen. Il was ready.
The afternoon wore on. and lenGthsn-
Ing shadows fell upon 4 psaceful-ona
would have said q slsspins-country.
The sun dried pike. already dusty.
stretched its serene lsngth between
green borders necked with purple and
yellow and v.'ss weed flowers, and
the tree shadows were not shade. but
warm blue and lavender CLOVIS In tbs
general pervasion Of still. bright light;
the sky curving its deep. unburnished
penetrable blue over all. with no sin.
gle drift of fleece upon II TO be rsaect.
ed in the creek that wound along past
willow and sycamore. dimpied but IN.
murmuring. A woodpeeker's telegra.
ply broke the quiet like . voliey oi
pistol shots.
But far eastward on the pike there
slowly developed \ soft. white hass
IL grew denser and larger and grad
| uaily rolled nearer. Dimiy behind II
could be discernsd O darker. moving
nucleus that extended far back upor
| the road
A heavy tremor began to stir tie sir
faint. manifold sounds. . waxing. In
creasing. muititudinous rumor.
The pike ascended long. sliSht slop<
leading west up to the Crossroads
From q thicket Of ironweed at tn,
foot of this slope was thrust the visagt
Of an undersiEed girl Of fourtesn. He
fierce eyes examined the approaching
cloud of dust intently. 4 rednsss rosI
under the burnt yellow skin and col
ored the wizened cheeks.
They were coming.
She stepped quickly out Of the tsngi,
and darted up the road. She ran with
the speed Of q feet little terrier. no
opening her lips. not calling out. bu
holding her two thin hands high abov'
her head; that was all. But Birnau
wood was come to Dunsinane at last
and the messenger sped. Out Of tn
weeds In the corner Of the snake fence
in the upper part Of the rise. silenti,
lifted the heads Of men whose sailow
ness became q sIckfsh white a. the chiis
fiew by.
The mob was carefully organised
They had taken their time and hal
prepared everything deliberately. know
ing that nothing could stop them. N
one had any thought Of concsalment
IL was all as open a. the light OF day
all done In the broad sunshine. Moth
ing had been Determined a. TO wha
was to be done at the Crossroads NOR
definite than that the place was to b
wiped out. That was comprehensiv
enough; the details wers quite eertai
to occur. They were all On foot. marct
J ing in fairly regular ranks In iron
walked Mr.. Watts. the man Harkles
had abhorred in q public spirit and b
friended IN private. Today he was
hero and O leader. marching to aveng
his professional oppressor and persons
brother. Cool, unrunied and to ou
!, ward vision unarmed. marching tn
miles In his brown frock coat and gsI
erous linen. hs led the way. On or
side Of him were the two Bowlders. q
the other was L.iys wilistts. Mr.. Wat
preserving peace between the yous
men with perfect tact and sang froid-
They kept good order and q simil
tude Of quiet for 30 many except far
the rear. where old wiikerson vi
bringing up the tail OF the proeessio
. dragging a wretched yellow dog by
rope fastened around the poor cur
protesting neck. the knot carefully Q
: ranged under his right ear. In spite
D every command aud protest wilkers,
had marched the whole way uproal
= ously singing John Browns Body"
The sun was In the west when tn
came In sight OF the Crossroads. aI
the cabias On the low s,ops stsod o
, anguiariy agaiast tie raaaaaee beyea
A tkW SShssa - haAuA sstfis0s