Year: 1872

THE vicinity of Bastrop, in Louisiana,
was made quite gossipy six or seven
weeks ago by an animated personal diff
Guilty, in which a notably veracious gentle
man from Arkansas felt obliged to take
the life of his opponent in an argument.
eff you repeat that assertion, sir" OBJ
served the Arkansas gentleman, in COM
commentary upon the others use of
certain forcible biographical insinuations,
II give you my word that / will shoot
YOU" Needless of the courteous admo-
nition, the too-voluble offender presently
committed the repetition, and-his funeral
was attended by a large concourse of rel
atives and friends. II gave him my
word for it." remarked the gentleman
from Askansas, blowing into the dis
charged barrel Of his pistol, "and that's
pledge always redeem" The moral
dignity of the speakers position in the
matter could not be disputed, and excited
lively admiration among the choice spir-
its present ia the bar-room at the time;
but there was still certain facetious alb
straction known as Law to be bumored,
and two smiling constables invited the
hero of the hour to bear them company
as far as the parish prison. Il
shall not go with you my good fellows"
answered he, reproducing his pistol from
its pocket, "and I'll give you just three
minutes to get out Of here but pass my
word that I'll report at the prison in half
an hour from now" There was a certain
playful pointing of the pistol after this,
which induced the minions of justice to
retire for further orders and before those
could be received and obeyed the gentle
man from Arkansas had presented him.
self at the jail, according to his word,
and been placed under arrest for homi-
cidal frenzy" In day or two thereaf-
ter, Grand Jury indicted him for MUIR
der and in the interval between the
finding of this indictment and the meet
ing of the court to try him, the captive
was likely to realize most irksome delay.
| The high character with which he had a
| come into the parish prison induced the
Sheriff to treat him with great respect,
and extend to him privileges of most un-
usual liberty but prison is, at the best,
but unsatisfactory quarters to gen.
! tleman of expansive nature, and the
prisoner pined for change. One day,
while the Sheriff was cleaning the
dust from the key OF the front
| door of his little Bastile, his guest from
Arkansas, who was lounging listlessly
about at the time, begged leave to exam
inc the metallic curiosity. Happy to con-
| fer the trihing pleasure, the dignitary of
the county handed over the key; and was
much astonshed to find himself stimuli
taneously tripped from his feet to the
| floor with violence of confessional cere-
bration, leaving him momentarily stun
ned. Upon recovery of his senses, and
| search of the institution under his charge,
he found himself locked in, and a note Of
hurried explanation thrust under the door.
| The note was from the Arkansas gentle


man, and, after grateful apology for the
manner of his departure, gave the reason
| therefor: Having business needing my
presence at home, in Arkansas" it said,
''I thought that l might as well take q
run up there during the holiday season
between the Indictment and the trial; but
you needn't worry, my dear friend, for L
give you my word that I'll be back in
! time for the meeting of the Court His
head being rather painful from its con-
tact with the floor, and society chatting"
him upon the subject rather more than
was agreeable, the Sheriff regarded him
self as the worst served of all men that
ever put their trust in human nature, and
contemplated the approaching ses-
sion of the criminal tribunal with dread
fear of his own arraignment. He was
present in Court, however, at its meeting
last week, says the Bastrop Conservative,
and, while dolefully waiting to hear called
the case of his escaped betrayer, was tap
ped upon the shoulder by gentlemanly


stranger who had entered behind him un-
observed. He turned, he stared, and
could scarcely credit his senses at behold


ing once more the gentleman from Ar
kansas. "Here am, you see," said the


latter, in good-humored enjoyment of the


official surprise Gasping for breath the


Sheriff dived into one of his coat-pockets
for writ of arrest having served which,


WIN tremendous energy he shO0k the


gentleman by the hand. you're man


of your word, if there ever was one" he
exclaimed, emotionally, "and my conf


dence in human nature is fully restored" 3"


The spectacle moved Court and specta-
tors as pathetically as it deserved, and
counsel for the defendant at once entered
a plea of insanity, which is regarded as


sure to result in corresponding verdict.
|