Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1907-10-25

before the trial and with him ladies.
And. to cap all. the ordinary had men-
toned him by name In the sermon
taking tho sixth commandment Tor Ills
text and directly addressing Tom from
the pulpit The outrage was unforgiv-
able. When Mr.. Cotton came to MS
cell soon after. the convict fatty re-
fused ever to listen to him again.
"You have insulted me before men,"
he cried. "You need plead for me no
more before God"
"But consider who you are, what
you were," protested the reverend gen.
tleman-"a clergyman's son, your poor
father
"Not one word of him.! said Tom.
"He would never have spoken as you
spoke. There, sir, do not force me to
say more. You have been kind to me
In your own way, but the greatest
kindness now Is to leave me In peace
until the end"
Next day he asked for pens and pa
per and spent the entire afternoon
upon one letter. Turkeys, who came
continually to see how he was bearing
his last hours on earth, found him al
ways writing, writing, writing, with
the tears streaming down his face
and yet the happiest look that they had
seen In it yet. The turkeys were prac-
teal, experienced men. They never
doubted that what Erickson was writ
Ing was his full confession of the crime
for which he was to suffer in the morn
ing. So one brought another to spy
upon him in the act Of historic compo-
sitIon. And still he wrote; and still he
wrote.
He was done before dark and ate
his supper as he had eaten nothing for
| days. He seemed happier man-that
was only natural to the turnkey mind.
And yet the sealed packet set In front
of him on the table was not yet adj
dressed. and when the governor, pay
ing him visit In the evening, said
slyly, SIS this for me?" Tom answered,
with quite laugh, that it was not. 1t
was for a friend, and the last act Of his
unpinioned hands should be to add the
| address.
Tom stepped back into the cell and
stood there with the full moon laugh
ing In his white face and blazing eyes.
Very well! He would brain the next
turnkey who came near him and so at
least deserve his death even II he
could not slip into the dead mans
clothes and thus away. So the hot TIT
had followed the cool; SO madness trod
upon the heels of rational thought.
The murmur of the crowd had done
II. 1t had left him wounded lion,
and his maddened eyes were now row.
ing round the cell in search OF that
with which to shed blood for blood.
They lit upon the metal washstand
fixed Qike the iron candlestick) to the
wall. In an instant the washstand was
torn out by the roots and poised over
the cropped yellow head. while the
loose tin things rang like cymbals on
the floor. The clatter was slow to
| cease. 1t was followed inevitably by
hurried footsteps in the corridor. So
much the better. The time was come.
Tom raised the washstand on high In
both hands and himself on tlptoes to
give the greater force to his blow as
the door was flung hurriedly open. lie
was bringing it down upon gray hairs,
when he saw their color and, swerving.
swung the apparatus with crash
against the wall.
Lucky for you 1t was your! he cried
as the chaplain threw up his hands.
'Unlucky for me- I'd have killed any
other man in the place. Now you see
what they've made Of me. Better send
them to tie me up. It's no good your
wasting your breath"
The ordinary wrung his hands and
gazed In the frenzied face with I'M