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Article SCENES IN AMERICA. ← Page 2 of 7 →
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Scenes In America.
replied : " It is certainly a solemn thing to shed human blood ; but in this case you have the consolation of knowing that you acted in self defence ; you were compelled to kill him to save your own life . " " But , may-be not , " said the old man . " I wisht he hadn't waylaid me this day , it might n ' t a' happened . Stranger , " he continued with an expression of deep anxiety , " I an ' t easy to myself ; now , I want you to speak out candid ; I don't want no excusin' of what I ' ve done ; jist talk to me every bit as plain as ef you wer' n't a speakin' to a person any how consarned . "
" Indeed I have spoken my true thoughts ; and I will now speak to you as though I were in a court of law , and under oath . " " Yes , an' may-be you'll have to speak there too , all . about this business . But , " shaking his head thoughtfully , and with a sorrowing countenance , " it an't about the law I was thinkin' on . I an't afeard of man , for I an't got much longer in this life any how ; it's more ' an man was in my thoughts . Stranger , " he continued firmly , " you ' ve saw all ; do you think—did anger take me top fur ?"
" No , I really think not ; I think that you were perfectly justifiable—indeed , that you had no alternative left ; for it is evident , as day , that he had determined to take your life , and would , beyond a question , have persevered until he effected his object , had you not prevented him in this one , only way . " " I thought jist the exact what you say , when we was behind the trees , indeed I did ; but you see , stranger , a body feels mighty diffrent when a thing ' s past . HowsomeverI hope mind 'ill it riht on it "
. my g g . AVishing to end this consultation at so favourable a point , I reminded him of the near approach of sunset , and of the necessity of his getting home . " That's jist what I was a comin' to , myself , " said he ; " an may-be , stranger , you'll tell Polly—that ' s my ol' woman , all about it for me . I dread the firs'shock like on her terrible ; an'how he shot Jack too . " I iissured him that I should do so . He slightly examined Jack ' s wound , seemingly little concerned about it . then went in search of horses
AVe our ; for in spite of all I could urge he would accompany me , although Jack evidently disliked remaining alone with the dead body . But he was soon relieved , as we found the horses standing quietly where I had hitched them , and returned in a few minutes to him . After a moments deliberation , we placed the body of his late antagonist across the back of the colt , ivhich stood as quietly to receive its present burthen as it had done to receive that of the buck . The old hunter now took his belt offstripped off several strings of his torn and bloodied
; hunting shirt ; tied them all together ; and then , as though it were a matter of course , past the motly band over Hinkle ' s body , and around that of the colt , making all tight and secure . After which he collected tlie various articles which had been scattered in the fight , and made guns and all part of the colt ' s load . I had a singularly disagreeable sensation in witnessing a human corpse so placed and treated ; Ball noticed my countenance , and said to me : —
" Stranger , I ' ve took this man ' s life , but I an ' t passin' no slight on his dead body ; I wish ' t we had any better way o' takin' him ; hut in our fix I'd do jist the same ef it ' ed so been Jack thai *'—that I ivould . " I assured him that I believed so most sincerely ; and then assisted him in putting Jack into my saddle . Thus , with Ball leading the colt , while I led my own horse , we commenced our solemn march to the old hunter's habitation . . Not a syllable past between any of us as wc moved slowly along . Gloomy and painful reflections occupied us all . Ball and his son , dreading the approaching interview with their family ; and I , ruminating on the strangeness and the extreme unpleasantness of my situation . The sun was setting , and the air had become as cool and balmy as thc approaching evening ivas serene . Not
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Scenes In America.
replied : " It is certainly a solemn thing to shed human blood ; but in this case you have the consolation of knowing that you acted in self defence ; you were compelled to kill him to save your own life . " " But , may-be not , " said the old man . " I wisht he hadn't waylaid me this day , it might n ' t a' happened . Stranger , " he continued with an expression of deep anxiety , " I an ' t easy to myself ; now , I want you to speak out candid ; I don't want no excusin' of what I ' ve done ; jist talk to me every bit as plain as ef you wer' n't a speakin' to a person any how consarned . "
" Indeed I have spoken my true thoughts ; and I will now speak to you as though I were in a court of law , and under oath . " " Yes , an' may-be you'll have to speak there too , all . about this business . But , " shaking his head thoughtfully , and with a sorrowing countenance , " it an't about the law I was thinkin' on . I an't afeard of man , for I an't got much longer in this life any how ; it's more ' an man was in my thoughts . Stranger , " he continued firmly , " you ' ve saw all ; do you think—did anger take me top fur ?"
" No , I really think not ; I think that you were perfectly justifiable—indeed , that you had no alternative left ; for it is evident , as day , that he had determined to take your life , and would , beyond a question , have persevered until he effected his object , had you not prevented him in this one , only way . " " I thought jist the exact what you say , when we was behind the trees , indeed I did ; but you see , stranger , a body feels mighty diffrent when a thing ' s past . HowsomeverI hope mind 'ill it riht on it "
. my g g . AVishing to end this consultation at so favourable a point , I reminded him of the near approach of sunset , and of the necessity of his getting home . " That's jist what I was a comin' to , myself , " said he ; " an may-be , stranger , you'll tell Polly—that ' s my ol' woman , all about it for me . I dread the firs'shock like on her terrible ; an'how he shot Jack too . " I iissured him that I should do so . He slightly examined Jack ' s wound , seemingly little concerned about it . then went in search of horses
AVe our ; for in spite of all I could urge he would accompany me , although Jack evidently disliked remaining alone with the dead body . But he was soon relieved , as we found the horses standing quietly where I had hitched them , and returned in a few minutes to him . After a moments deliberation , we placed the body of his late antagonist across the back of the colt , ivhich stood as quietly to receive its present burthen as it had done to receive that of the buck . The old hunter now took his belt offstripped off several strings of his torn and bloodied
; hunting shirt ; tied them all together ; and then , as though it were a matter of course , past the motly band over Hinkle ' s body , and around that of the colt , making all tight and secure . After which he collected tlie various articles which had been scattered in the fight , and made guns and all part of the colt ' s load . I had a singularly disagreeable sensation in witnessing a human corpse so placed and treated ; Ball noticed my countenance , and said to me : —
" Stranger , I ' ve took this man ' s life , but I an ' t passin' no slight on his dead body ; I wish ' t we had any better way o' takin' him ; hut in our fix I'd do jist the same ef it ' ed so been Jack thai *'—that I ivould . " I assured him that I believed so most sincerely ; and then assisted him in putting Jack into my saddle . Thus , with Ball leading the colt , while I led my own horse , we commenced our solemn march to the old hunter's habitation . . Not a syllable past between any of us as wc moved slowly along . Gloomy and painful reflections occupied us all . Ball and his son , dreading the approaching interview with their family ; and I , ruminating on the strangeness and the extreme unpleasantness of my situation . The sun was setting , and the air had become as cool and balmy as thc approaching evening ivas serene . Not