Year: 1873

A MAN OF HIS WORD.


The vicinity of Bastrop, in Texas, was made
quite gossipy six or seven weeks ago by an ami
mated personal difficulty, in which notably
veracious gentlemen from Arkansas felt
obliged to take the life of his opponent in an
argument. "Ifyou repeat that assertion, Sill" !"
observed the Arkansas gentleman, in COM
mentary upon the others use of certain forci-
BILE biograp phical insinuations, II give you m


word l will shoot you" Needless of the cour.
teous admonition, the voluble offender COM
mitted the repetition, and-his funeral was
attended by large concourse of relatives and
friends. II gave him my word for it," re-
marked the gentleman from Arkansas, blow
ing into the discharged barrel of his pistol,
"and that's pledge I always redeem" The
moral dignity ofthe speakers position in the
matter could not he disputed, and excited
lively admiration among the chosen spirits
presentIin the bar.room at the time but there
was still a certain facetious abstraction known
as law to be humored, and two smiling con-
stables 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" an
swered he, reproducing his pistol from its
pocket, "and III give you just three minutes
to get out of here but pass my word that
I'll report at prison in haitian hour from now"
There was certain playful pointing Of the
pistol after this, which induced the minions of
Justice to retire for further orders and before
these could be received and obeyed the gen.
tleman from Arkansas had presented himself
at the Jail, according to his word, and been
placed under arrest for "homicidal frenzy"
In day or two thereafter grand jury in
dicted him for murder; and, in the interval
between the finding of this indictment and the
meeting of the court to try him, the captive
was likely to realize a most irksome delay.
The high character with which he had come
into the parish prison induced the sheriff to
treat him with great respect and extend to
him privileges of most unusual liberty but
prison is, at the best, but unsatisfactory quar-.
ters to gentleman of expansive nature, and
the prisoner pined for a change. One day
while the sheriff was clearing 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
examine the metallic curiosity. Happy to
confer the triAing pleasure, the dignitary Of
the county handed over the key, and was
much astonished to find himself simultaneous
" tripped from his feet to the floor with VIC.
lence Of concussional cerebration, leaving him
momentarily stunned. Upon recovery Of his
senses, and search of the institution under his
charge, he found himselflocked in, and note
of hurried explanation thrust under the door.
The note was from the Arkansas gentleman,
and after grateful apology for the manner of
his departure, gave the reason therefor: "Hav-
ing business needing my presence at home in
Arkansas" he said, II thought that | might
as well take run up there during the holi-
day season between the indictment and the
trial but you needn't worry, my dear friend,
for give you my word that I'll be back in time
for the meeting of the court" His head be-
ing rather painful from its contact with the
floor, and society "chafing" him upon the
subject rather more than was agreeable, the
sheriff regarded himself as the worst served
of all men that ever put their trust in human
nature, and contemplated the approaching
session of the criminal tribunal with dread
and fear of his own arraignment He was
present in court, however, at its meeting last
week, says the 8astrop Conservative, and,
while dolefully waiting to hear called The case
of his escaped betrayer, was tapped upon the
shoulder by gentlemany stranger who had
entered behind him unobserved. He turned,
he stared, and could scarcely credit his senses
at beholding once more the gentleman from
Arkansas. "Here I am, you see," said the
latter, in good humored enjoyment of the Off.
cial surprise Gasping for breath, the sheriff
dived into one of his coat pockets for writ of
arrest; having served which, with tremendous
energy he shook the gentleman by the hand
"Youre man of your word, if there ever was
one" he exclaimed emotionally, "and my con.
6dence in human nature is fully restored" D."
The spectacle moved court and spectators as
pathetically as it deserved, and counsel for the
defendant at once entered plea of insanity,
which is regarded as sure to result in cor
responding verdict.