Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 June 1896 — WHY THEY HUNG BILL. [ARTICLE]

WHY THEY HUNG BILL.

Re Was a Gentleman and They Wer» Jealous of Him. Back of Duvall’s Bluff, in Arkansas, W a country where schools are scarce Uhl civilization of the most primitive type. A prominent attorney of Washington had occasion to go down there a short time ago to look after some land titles, and stopped over night at a log cabin, which contained one room and a loft. The only occupant was a whitehaired old man, too feeble to walk without the aid of a heavy cane. “Are you not lonely here?’ asked the lawyer. “Yep.” “Have you no friends to whom you can go?’ “I reckon my darter’d keer fer me, In Memphis, but bein’ sartln Providence air my way, I’m stayin’, hopin’ ter* git about by spring.” “How long have you lived alone?' “ ’Bout a y’ar. Yo’ see, my son Bill war with me. He went to Texas, an* cum home one of the mos’ puffec’ ge»tiemen yo’ ever seed. An’ that hlghspereted, yo’ could see he war diffrunt from the low-down trash ’roun’ hyar. Bo a passel of ’em got together an* hung ’im right down that by the spring.” “Hung him! What for?” asked the astonished disciple of Blackstone. “Jess ’cause they were jealous of his livin’ like a gentleman an’ bein’ hlghspereted. One of ’em come an’ stole Bill’s bes’ houn’ pup, an’ in cose Bill, bein’ a gentleman, war in honor boun’ ter shoot the thief, which he did. As purty a shot as yo’ ever seed. Feller never batted an eye. Then his lowdown fr’en’s come an’ hung BIU. I’m jess stayin’ here till rheumatiz gits so I kin stomp ’roun’ a leetle, and git a few of ’em, and ttyen I’ll go to my darter’s. I’ve been ihatpo’Jy, I ain’t had no shot at none of ’em ylt, but I’ll git ’em in the spring.”