Image provided by: Silverton Country Historical Society; Silverton, OR
About Torch of reason. (Silverton, Oregon) 1896-1903 | View Entire Issue (March 25, 1897)
THE TORCH OF REASON, SILVERTON, OREGON, THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 1897. GOLDEN THRONE. D ear R ill :—The little chap is your business to help a fellow.” series of resolutions, in which Mr. safe, ami I’m glad of it. He’s on “That’s logic,and I cave in. I’ll Charles Morton received the thanks [ a roma \< j . i i ami .1. i. ILIXAM.J Way p, ’? risjo; and I am going to get you out somehow, and hang of the whole community for his de “The same right that you had to take a long journey the other way. )ou on a stout limb next time.” votion to the cause of innocence. hang him. I’ve g »t the better of I am in a regular orthodox crowd, It was a difficult matter, how- Some one, in the arder of his en you, and you might as well call it and they are going to punish the ever, to get down to where Charlie thusiasm, moved that Morton be quits. You don’t i-uffer because innocent in ¡»lace of the guilty, "’as. Dick really did risk his neck nominated for the legislature; but his neck isn't broken.’’ Th«*y can’t get Pete, and so they in trying to do it; but he finally this was against the grain of Grub- “That’s a m atter of opinion. I are going to take me. Well, if I succeeded in clambering to the bins, for he himself wanted to he shan’t b« satisfied until Maddox’s had my choice, I’ddoitover again, side of Charlie. nominated, and it placed him in murder is avenged, for he did me that’s all. I’d rather live—but I “I don't see how you got here rather an amusing dilemma. But niany a good turn. We’ll lake you wou’d not live and do a mean thing without breaking your neck,” said Morton set all things right by say now. Seize him, men!” —as I have done in the past, and Dick. ing that he had no desire for office, 1 he onset was so quick that for which I have been so punished. ‘ I suppose I should have broken and that he was already pledged Morton could not defend himself. How sweetly Madeline shines be- it, if I had been in any other pre- to the support of his friend Grub- In a moment, he was bound hand lore me now! I hope I have made dicament,” said Charlie; “but hav- bins. This made Grubbins happy, and foJt, and placed upon his horse, myself worthy of h»*r and of your ing the rope around my neck, why and he poured forth an eloquent guarded by a couple of Dick’s men. friendship. Take charge of mv I escaped with the fortune of a speech, which was followed by Sol “ What does this mean?’ said afiairs. What I have left give to drunken man, who, you know, Jones, Faddie John, Jimmy, Prince Morton. little Fete. You will hear from always comes right side up with Hal, and others, and then they all “It means that we are going to him, and do not tell him my fate, care.” adjourned to Tim Baker’s bar-room. break your neck,” said Dick. if you can help it; and. wh*n you “ Well, how to lift you hack “Well,” said Paddie, “ we’ve been “ I don’t think that’ll he very write East, you can simply say that again and try it over is the next pretty much mixed up, and it’s satisfactory,” said Morton. I am dead. I wonder what it is to question. Is your foot really wonderful how things are straight “It’ll satisfy us.” die. I have no fear, only I do not sprained?” ened. It looks as if there was a “ You’ll be sorry.” like the wav; but so it has come, “Yes, I can’t step on it. I reckon providence in this.” “I guess not. I’m not going to and that’s the end of it, and I see you’ll have to drag me up.” “Luck is awful strange anyway,” hunt a hundred miles for nothing, noway to change it. What we “I ’ll take the rope off your neck said Morton. “It scares one to I ’ve caught \«>u, ami the boy may can’t help, we need not fret about. ! then; for I don’t ’spose you want to think of it. That I should he 1 ~ . 1 ___ : i n ry , , , , ... , . go to * the devil.” Good-bye, you, and the rest of be lifted by that. I must unfasten strung up right over the dead body T hai’s the trouble with lynch my comrades. C harlie . it too from that branch, if I can of this miserable tramp, and then, law. It doesn’t know when to stop “Here’s a good tree right up here, get hold of it. It’s tumbled over instead of breaking my neck, break in its mad career. It is not order, banging over the cliff*, Fetch him that big rock; and, if I should slip, the limb and tumble right upon it is simply revenge; and, therefore, along, and the rope.” my neck wouldn’t he worth much.” him. That was a time when a at times it »»ecomes tierce injustice. Dick Hung the rope over the tree. Dick clambered over the rock to special providence was very desir Rig Dick was angry, and his im- Charlie said nothing while they ad- ’be broken branch, 1’he mom able.” petuous spirit coni rolled the men justed the noose about his neck, ent lie reached it he uttered a “ But there’s lots of times when who were with him. They were “You take it easy,” said Dick, loud cry. the special providence don’t come ready to do anything in their blind “I almost think that you admire “ Hello!” said he. “If I havn’t in, and things go to the devil. So fury. hanging.” ’ struck a mine. A «lead body, and you see that providence is alto Morton saw that it was useless “Not at all, but I see no use in who in the? devil is it?” And he gether too special. We can’t de to reason with them, and he sub- crying.” leaped hack, dragging the bo«ly pend upon it. There’s good luck mirted to his fate. He might as “ You are right there. E very- with him. indeed, hut there’s a sight of poor well reason with the wind as with thing is ready. You see the limb “ Why,” said Charlie, “that’s the luck also. If there was a real these men in their excited state. hangs right over the cliff. If you very fellow that little Fete de providence, there would be only “ I wish you would untie me,” prefer, you can step off'.’’ scribed. Examine him. You may good luck.” said he to Dick. I don’t care to save you the find some evidence of the murder.” Things went on as usual at “Oh, you’ll try to escape.” trouble. That’s your business, not “Sure as you are alive, it’s here,” Golden Throne for about a month; “Oh, no! What’s the use; mine. said Dick. “This is Maddox’s and then Jimmy, the minister, came You’d shoot me, if I did. Besides, A couple of strong arms pushed money. I know it, and here is his to Morton and said,— I pledge my honor. ’ him over the cliff*. With a sort of pocket-book, ami here are papers “I’ve made up my mind to re •Unloose him, men! I ’ll watch convulsive lurch, he seized the r«»pe belonging to the chap himself. form.” him.” Morton was unbound, and with his hands; ami, as he rolled That beats me. He did the mur- “ W hat put that into your head? rode along with the company. aloiig, the limb to which it was der. By thunder, I ’m glad we I thought you were in the last They wound their way up the fastened broke, and with a quick didn’t hang the boy. Bully for ditch, and didn t propose to reform defiles of the mountain, and were crash he went tumbling down into you, pardl Here’s my hand, any more.” soon far from any human habita the ravine. Take the money and the papers. I “ Well, I did think so. But, then, tion. C hapter xi . know you’ll do the right thing by I like variety; and this lying in the “I guess we are in «-ur country,” “How are you,” said Dick, look- ’em. Hullo, men, come down here, ditch all the time is rather monot said Dick, ‘ where we can execute ing over the precipice,—“.-ate and a couple of ye, and give a lift. We onous. I ’m going to clean up, and our own laws.” sound or dead?” must pull Charlie out of this scr ip? see how it feels.” They halted. “Safe, hut not very sound,” said he’s the best of us all now.” But what started you? Have “ Do you want anything to eat?” Morton. “ I’ve sprained my ankle 1 he men came down and worked you had a visitation from the Holy asked Dick. and can hardly stir.” with a will, and almost bv •z main Ghost?” “No, I am rfraid it wouldn’t di- “You can’t escape then. Do you force with the aid of the r«»pe they “No. This time, I act through gest well.” prefer to stay, or shall we help you bore him up over the rocks, and com mon-sense.” “Then perhaps we’d better hang out and finish our job?” soon lie was triumphantly mounted Then, I have some hopes of you. you at once, and done with it.” ‘-Help me out. I’d rather have and on his way to Golden Throne. But how did you happen to l»e so “I presume so. I ’m in no hurry; my n.-ck broke than die of starva- Of course, Americans always common-sense?” but you can suit yourself.’’ tion.” must have a mass meeting and “Come to my cabin, and I ’ll tell “Hive you any message to “ Well, I s’pose it’s only fair that speeches and resolutions, when leave?” we should help you out, though there is such a tide in the affairs of you. There’s always a cause for an effect, you know.” Yes., I «1 like to write a letter how we are a going to do it I don’t men as this of Charlie’s. Judge That I admit; hut I can’t imag v , know. It’s rather dangerous Pilkins called all the inhabitants ine what should so affect vou. I per ¡ ¿ c a m p , a n d ¡hk"' P8 clil" bing I might break luy of Gulden Throne together, that thought the whiskey hottie was all- “ I’ve a pencil and pap^r, and neclc- t ’ll call it quits, and let you they might congratulate the con- powerful, and that you and it were this stump’ll do for a table.” alone.” quering hero. The judge made a sworn friends.” He sat down, or rather kneeled “That’s not fair. If you are very elaborate speech, in the course “ We are; hut occasionally we lolTows^ thC 8tUinp’ anU W,Ole a* S°inS to hrtn& then hang fair and of which he applauded everybody. have a lovers’ quarrel. In this square; hut, if you are not, then it’s Sammy Grubbins introduced a case, however, I have a new friend, ____ a ..