-
Articles/Ads
Article SCENES IN AMERICA. ← Page 5 of 7 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Scenes In America.
stranger , " he continued , " this is a bad piece of business—confounded disagreeable , that ' s a plain truth , in one way ; though it ' s a capital thing after nil ; but Ball hero's been talking like a fool . Now I'll tell you what ; in my opinion , the county-court ought to give him a claim for ten-and-sixpence , jist the same as if he'd brought in a wolf's scalp ; for that Hinkle was always doin' as much harm , some way or t'other , ns twenty wolves , and a plaguy sigh t more . "
I was rejoiced to hear this big voice pouring forth such sentiments , as 1 hoped they would have tlie best effect upon Ball , and therefore replied with some increase of assurance in my own manner , " that I thought the affair a simple act of self-defence , on Hall's part , against a desperate ruffian . " " You ' re exactly right , " said lie ; "I told Ball so at my house , and wanted him to go home and go to bed , and go to sleep , like a man ; but he would have me over here to night , and so upon second thoughts , myself , I concluded I'd come . "
' And I am very glad , indeed , that you have done so , " said I . " AVell , so am I too ; but let ' s see what ' s to be done ; let ' s look at the body a minute . " AVe now all went into the passage , and Mrs . Ball giving us a lamp , entered the room in whicli Hinkle ' s body lay . Ball closed the door after us ; but Burns , his neighbour , cried out , " Hang it , man , don ' t shet the
doorit's too hot ; " whereupon it was opened again . I now noticed that there was a fourth person with us ; the son of Burns , a decent looking young man , who had not yet opened his lips . Burns himself was dressed in the finer home-spun fabricks , and altogether had the appearance of the better sort of farmers in these settlements : he was about fifty ; had a large forehead , black hair and eyes , anel a cast of countenance indicating passion and strong sense . AVe stood round the corpse , while Burns looked at it and examined it very carefully for several moments . To me the scene was so distasteful , that
but for the sake of Ball , I would have left the room . The corpse lay stretched out stiff upon its back , its clothes gory and torn , and its eye-balls half seen between the lids ; while Ball held the iron lamp over it , and we all stood gazing ( lou-ii upon it . Suddenly Burns straightened himself up , thrust both his hands into his trouser's pocket , set his feet firmly at some distance apart , anel said— " AVcll , I'll teli you what now ; the man ' s dead ; but look there in his face and see if rascal an't . writ all over it . Now , you see , Peter , you've jist exactly done a good deedand every honest man in tlie
neih-, g bourhood 'ill thank you for it . That ' s my gospel say of it . AVhat do you say , stranger ? ' ' " I ain altogether of your opinion , " I forced myself to reply . " And you , Tom , what do you say ? " said Burns to his son . The young man hesitated a moment , and then answered slowly and firmly , " I'd 'ave shot him the same as a bear . "
" To be sure you would , " stud his father . " Harry , " said Ball to Burns , " that ' s goiu' fur enough now ; but I'd be glad you'd notspeakjistso free afore others , any how . " " Poll ! man , I'll take care of that ; however , Peter , there ' s no good in standing here ; let ' s go in the yard , it's cooler a plaguy sight there . " AA e forthwith left the room , and seated ourselves on the long passage step in the yard . Here , amongst other arrangements , it was settled , that every thing should be left about the corpse as it was , until a legal
examination took place ; that the door should be kept closed , and no one suffered to enter the room ; and that Ball should surrender himself to justice early next day . I was to sleep at Burns's . Ball , as I was taking leave of him for the night , began to express his sorrow tit the trouble he had brought me into ; but Burns cut all this short by shaking Ball's hand , and saying in his great voice— ' In thc morning we'll he back bright and early , and then talk and do all that ' s neccs .-ary . And now , Peter , I'll tell you ivhat , I must say one thing to vou—don't lie
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Scenes In America.
stranger , " he continued , " this is a bad piece of business—confounded disagreeable , that ' s a plain truth , in one way ; though it ' s a capital thing after nil ; but Ball hero's been talking like a fool . Now I'll tell you what ; in my opinion , the county-court ought to give him a claim for ten-and-sixpence , jist the same as if he'd brought in a wolf's scalp ; for that Hinkle was always doin' as much harm , some way or t'other , ns twenty wolves , and a plaguy sigh t more . "
I was rejoiced to hear this big voice pouring forth such sentiments , as 1 hoped they would have tlie best effect upon Ball , and therefore replied with some increase of assurance in my own manner , " that I thought the affair a simple act of self-defence , on Hall's part , against a desperate ruffian . " " You ' re exactly right , " said lie ; "I told Ball so at my house , and wanted him to go home and go to bed , and go to sleep , like a man ; but he would have me over here to night , and so upon second thoughts , myself , I concluded I'd come . "
' And I am very glad , indeed , that you have done so , " said I . " AVell , so am I too ; but let ' s see what ' s to be done ; let ' s look at the body a minute . " AVe now all went into the passage , and Mrs . Ball giving us a lamp , entered the room in whicli Hinkle ' s body lay . Ball closed the door after us ; but Burns , his neighbour , cried out , " Hang it , man , don ' t shet the
doorit's too hot ; " whereupon it was opened again . I now noticed that there was a fourth person with us ; the son of Burns , a decent looking young man , who had not yet opened his lips . Burns himself was dressed in the finer home-spun fabricks , and altogether had the appearance of the better sort of farmers in these settlements : he was about fifty ; had a large forehead , black hair and eyes , anel a cast of countenance indicating passion and strong sense . AVe stood round the corpse , while Burns looked at it and examined it very carefully for several moments . To me the scene was so distasteful , that
but for the sake of Ball , I would have left the room . The corpse lay stretched out stiff upon its back , its clothes gory and torn , and its eye-balls half seen between the lids ; while Ball held the iron lamp over it , and we all stood gazing ( lou-ii upon it . Suddenly Burns straightened himself up , thrust both his hands into his trouser's pocket , set his feet firmly at some distance apart , anel said— " AVcll , I'll teli you what now ; the man ' s dead ; but look there in his face and see if rascal an't . writ all over it . Now , you see , Peter , you've jist exactly done a good deedand every honest man in tlie
neih-, g bourhood 'ill thank you for it . That ' s my gospel say of it . AVhat do you say , stranger ? ' ' " I ain altogether of your opinion , " I forced myself to reply . " And you , Tom , what do you say ? " said Burns to his son . The young man hesitated a moment , and then answered slowly and firmly , " I'd 'ave shot him the same as a bear . "
" To be sure you would , " stud his father . " Harry , " said Ball to Burns , " that ' s goiu' fur enough now ; but I'd be glad you'd notspeakjistso free afore others , any how . " " Poll ! man , I'll take care of that ; however , Peter , there ' s no good in standing here ; let ' s go in the yard , it's cooler a plaguy sight there . " AA e forthwith left the room , and seated ourselves on the long passage step in the yard . Here , amongst other arrangements , it was settled , that every thing should be left about the corpse as it was , until a legal
examination took place ; that the door should be kept closed , and no one suffered to enter the room ; and that Ball should surrender himself to justice early next day . I was to sleep at Burns's . Ball , as I was taking leave of him for the night , began to express his sorrow tit the trouble he had brought me into ; but Burns cut all this short by shaking Ball's hand , and saying in his great voice— ' In thc morning we'll he back bright and early , and then talk and do all that ' s neccs .-ary . And now , Peter , I'll tell you ivhat , I must say one thing to vou—don't lie