El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-02-24
Pastel's Three Blows
The HeraId's Daily
Short Story

blunt confession. DO you mean to
say that you killed him.
L would like to know who else
should have done it. Am not his only
relative2'
The judge turned towards his assist
ants What did they think of this impu-
dence? What did they think of him?
Well, nobody had ever heard any
thing unfaYsrable about Pastel, VINO
was known to be a Woodworking man,
who did not drink to excess and who
had always had a good reputation
DO you know what you have done
asked the judge pointing to the dead
BODY, whose crushed head was covered
with a towel
And why shouldn't I know it? I
have simply done what the good Lord
does to every one of Us"
You pretend, then, that you have
played the part Of Providence.
Yes, because 1t lasted too long.
Last week we buried the young school
who was such a good man. And the
farmers wife who died the other day
left five little children who needed
their mother. And Belhammer died
just IS he had grown old enough 70
help his old parents This is not just
ice Who is accused Of having killed
themZ Nobody. And that old rascal
VINO let his farm go TO the dogs and
disgraced all the neighborhood, who
was an eyesore to the whole country,
and never did a charitable act as long
as he lived-it is because of that
scoundrel you drag me up here and
make al that fuss, just because 1
cracked his headr'
The judge jumped to his feet.
Not another word. you hypocritei
You killed him because you wanted his
money"
There is something in that judge"
Pastel replied calmly. I said to my
self-if he lives a little longer he viii
dissipate everything and shall get
nothing 1 have had patience with
him long time. Yesterday I was sc
years old 1 have been working like
slave and made nothing I want to
run that farm as il ought TO be run.
want the Poeschelhuber farm to be
a model farm, worthy Of our family,
Of which / am the only survivor Now
please let me arrange the funeral of
my uncle, though the old dog does not
deserve q decent burial"
The Judge was dumbfOunded. He
had never heard anything like this,
but he managed TO keep cool and
asked:
And how did you do it. Pastel?'
DO you want TO know that2 1t IS
mere detail"
And still a very important thing"
1t happened quite by accident This
morning 1 had never thought Of doing
It. Often ] had thought, of course,
that the old pig had lived long enough.
but that was all Then I happened TO
cross one Of his fields and found him
asleep IN the naEStack, and 1 said to
myself: Uncle. when you are asleep
you are an honest man 1t is better
for you not to wake up. And then 1
knocked him three times in the head"
The Judge turned 70 the gendarmes.
Get the carriage" he ordered.
When the gendarmes had handcuffed
him. Pastel stared at them in surprise
and said to the judge
What are they doing? What do they
want2"
The Judge did not hear. but one of
the servants standing around said:
tie" g -
7 don't believe it." said Pastel
There is somebody 10 stop that. There
is the emperor. And the pope, too, viii
say I did right"
Perhaps" said the Judge. but in
the meantime We have to look after
What a lot Of fuss about nothing"
said Pastel 1T is much better to
have. nothing to dc. with Justice"
When he had been convicted. Pastel
said to his judges: Il punished him
because he was q scoundrel, you pun
lsh me because I punished him. I won
der who viii punish you"
Finally, as nobody was able 70 de-
eide whether Pastel was an ordinary
murderer or great philosopher, they
sent MIN to an insane asylum.