The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-11-22

ed by my last winnings at cards bu
Harry is too weak TO ride he said
Then /, being somewhat restored by
the brandy. mustered up strength
enough to have mind and speak it
and declared that / would not in any
case avail myself of his aid to escape
since / should only bring trouble upon
him WHO aided me- and should in the
end be caught. And just as I spoke
| came a company of soldiers TO escort
me to the stocks, and the chance, fol
what it was worth, was over
This much. however had my brother
| gained for me, since | was manifestly
unable 10 walk or ride: One of the
Cavendish chairs which they had
brought from England was at the pris-
on door, and some of our black men
for bearers. half blubbering ut the err
rand upon which they were bound
Somebody had rugged a curtain of
thin silk for the chair. so that /. WHEN
! was set therein. had great privacy.
though / knew by the sounds that
was attended by the motley crowd
which usually is in following at such
affairs, besides the little troop of horse
which was my escort, and my brother
and Parson Downs riding on either
side. Parson Downs, though some
might reckon him as being somewhat
contumelious in his manner of leaving
the tobacco cutting, yet was not so
when there was anything to be gained
by his service He was moreover Quit
Of any blame by his office Of spiritual
adviser, though it was not customary
for q criminal to be attended to the
stocks by clergyman, but only to the
Scaffold.
But. as 1 began to gather some
strength through that fiery draught
which 1 had swallowed and the fresh
air, it verify seemed to me, though l
had done with any vain complaints and
was of mind to bear my ignominy
with as much bravery as though it
were death, that it was as much of an
occasion for spiritual consolation. l
could not belieye-when we were ar
rived at the New field and I was as
sisted from my chair in the midst of
that hooting and jeering throng, which
even the soldiers and the threatening
gestures of the parson and my brother
served but little to restrain-that was
myself, and still more so when 1 was
at last seated in that shameful instru-
ment, the stocks.
Ever since that time l have Won
dered whether mankind hath any
bodily ills which are not dependent up
on the mind for their existence, and are
so durable by some sore stress of it.
For verify, though my wounds We're
not healed, and the sun was blistering
with that damp blister which frets
the soul as we'll as the flesh seemed
to sense nothing except the shame and
disgrace of my estate.
AS for my bodily ailments, they
might have been cured, for aught 1
know of them. To this time, when lay
me down TO sleep after a harder days
work than ordinary, 1 can see and
hear the jeers of that rude crowd
around the stocks. Truly, after ALL
mans vanity is his point of vantage,
and / wonder greatly If that be not
the true meaning of the Vulnerable spot
In Achilles heel. Some slight dignity.
though / had not so understood il,
had maintained in the midst OF my
To be convict of ones
love from grief, was one thing. but
to sit In tue stocks, exposed to the
jbes of common crowd was another.
And more than nught else, 1 felt the
sting of the comedy in IL.
10 ait there with my two feet straight
out. solcs to the people. through those
rude holes I'm the boards, aud all Mt
liberty TO gaze and laugh at me, was
infinitely worse than To wcltor in my
blood upon the acnfrold. How many
times, MS I sat there, IL came 10 me
that II IL had been the acaffold, Mary
Cavendisb could at least have held my
In some respect; ns IL was, |
she could but laugh. Full easy IL may
be for any man with the courage OF n |
man To figure In tragedy, but try him |
In comedy IL you would prove his met |
lie.
Shortly after ! arrived there in the |
New field, which was wide, open |
space, the sports began, and / saw !
them all as in Il dream, or worse than (
A dream, nightmare. First came Par I
son Downs, whispering To- me that as
ong as he could do me no good and
was in sore need of money, and, more
over since he would by so doing divert
the public attention from /
me, he would enter the race which |
was shortly to come off for prize
IF f5.
Then came a great challenge of |
lrums, and the parson was in his sad
lie and the horses off on the three
mile course, my eyes following them
INTO the dust clouded distance and see
ng the parson come riding in ahead to
he winning post, with that curious I'M
as to the reality which had
been upon me all the morning-that
S. of the uncertainty of aught save my
shameful abiding in the stocks
AS l said before, it was a hot day,
Ind all around the field waved fruit
coughs nearly past their bloom, with
he green of new leaves overcoming the
white and red, and the air was heavy
With honey-sweet. and. as steady as a
lock tick. through all the roaring of
he merrymakers came the hum of the
,ees and the calls of the birds. A great
lag was streaming thirty feet high, and
he gay dresses of the women who had
to see the SDOrtS We're like