The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1909-09-10
tie Mountaineer S
Pardon
BY John B. Darlington
Copyright. by J. B. Lipplncott Coz

copyright. oy }. y. Applncott co.,
The following incident 10 vouched
for by . well-known lady Of Louis
vile. Ky, who 10 . niece Of sx-Gov.
Luke Blackburn Of that state, during
whose Administration II occurred. Gov.
Blackburn WAS . blun. w~hols-souled,
kindly man, who madA such free use
of his pardoning power as to gain con-
siderable adverse criticism from his
political enemies. He appointed A.
warden Of the psnitentiary . NaA Of
his own kindly instincts. On . GER
tain morning In early spring . raw
boned young mountaineer presented
himself at the p~snitsntiary and asked
to be shown through the institution.
to the young fellows open face, took him
through in person. explaining the vart-
Gus details Of prison life. When the
inspection was over. the young fellow
said:
"Hev you got anything else IN this
here town worth lookin' at?"
The warden directed him to the cap
itol, the state arsenal. and the famous
old Frankfort cemetery. The young
man thanked him. shok hands. and
turned away. In . moment he came
back with the question::
What time do you close up here?"
I'VE close to visitors at Ave O'clock"
said the warden. Come back II you
find time"
Wal, l reckon I WILL" said the
young fellow.
A few minutes before i've he ap-
peared at the warden's private office.
After some desultory conversation
the warden excused himself, saying
that it was time to close up.
Il reckon I'll stay with you awhile"
said the mountaineer.
You can't do that, my friend" said
the warden, this isn't q hotel." and
he gave the young man directions az
to desirable stopping-plStes.
"Oh, l reckon III stay here" inter
rupter the mountaineer; you see. J.
promised Jim | would"
Who is JIM"
"Oh. he's the sheriff up our way.
Here's my papers,"
He handed the warden the regular
sherif's commitment papers, which
committed to the p~enttentiary for two
years for malicious shooting.
Why" gasped the warden, these
papers seem to be made out in due
form. But tell me, when did you do
the shooting, and why did not the
sheriff bring you here in person."
Wal, you see, it was thiser way.
One night about three months ago
some OF us fellers got a little gay
up there in HaZlan, and got to shootin'
round permiscu's. Jim kinder butted
in, and as we wuZ a-shOotin', why,
ONE of US took a crack at jim. /
kinder had the bad luck to pot him.
OF course, Jim's an old friend o. mine,
and | felt awful bad when | found
out next mornin' that I'd put a bullet
through his leg. Jim had a pretty
hard time Of it, and when | went
round to see how he was a-gittin' on
he tole me as how he was laid up
anu SoulGh ptS III us CiopS, anu ling
as not his wife and kids would go
hungry before long. So | jest tole jim
to arrest me so as he could get the fee
outer it. He said he reckoned Id have
to come down to Frankfort by myself
If he did, seem as he wuzn't fit to
travel. | tole Jim hat wuz all right,
jest to fix up the papers and / would
come er!ong peaceable like. So here
be-"
"Well," said the warden, 1T looks
like a plain caso. l reckon III have
to loca you up"
Sure; that's what ! con here
fur"
That night the warden wert ever to
the governors Office and lea the case
before Gov. Blackburn. At the cor
clusion the governor burst out:
ny God Warden, that's an honest
man. The state Of Kentucky care af-
ford to keen such as he locked up in
the penitentiary. I'll write him a
pardon"
The pardon was duly written and
signed, and the next day the noun
ts1er vas Oh his way back home.
I'm durn glad Of it," be said, in
telling the warden sood-by. because
now I'll get back in time to finish
lcokin' after jim's crors fer him."