On the gallows stood a culprit Shrieking painfully for mercy. As the train and engine halted, Louder yelled the gasping victim. Then out cried the grim conductor, “What in thunder is the matter? What’s ye doin’ with that feller? Why’ve ye got both fire and gallows?” And unto him some one answered, As the starry night came on:— “This all-fired, skunk-eyed villain, Whom you see upon the gallows, Lately stole the loveliest mewel[11] That you ever sot your peeps on, For a hundred shiny dollars, Went and sold it to the Greasers; But, as you perceive, we’ve nailed him, And at present we’re debatin’ Whether we had better hang him, Or else roast him like an Injun, Ere the starry night comes on. “And I think ez ther ar’ ladies Here to grace this gay occasion, In the train, and quite convenient, We had better take and burn him. ’Twould be kinder interestin’, Or, as folks might say, romantic, To behold an execution, As we do ’em here in Hell Town, In the real frontier fashion, Ere the starry night comes on.” Up from all the assembled ladies, And from all the passageros, Went a scream of protestation,— “What! for nothing but a mewel! Only for a hundred dollars Roast alive a fine young fellow! Never, never, never, ne—ver!” Falling on her knees, a damsel Begged the maddened crowd to spare him, And to her replied the spokesman, As the starry night came on:— “Since the lady begs it of us, And as we ar’ galiant fellers, We will smash the tail of Jestis, And will spare this orful miscrint, Ef you’ll raise a hundred dollars To replace the vanished mewel. Then this fiend, unwhipped, undamaged, May go wanderin’ to thunder, Soon as he darnation pleases, Ere the starry night comes on.” Straight among the pitying ladies, And the other passageros, Went the hat around in circle. Dollars, quarters, halves, and greenbacks Rained into it till the hundred Was accomplished, and the ransom Paid unto Judge Lynch in person, Who received it very gracious, And at once released the prisoner, Sternly bidding him to squaddle, Just as fast as he could make it, Ere the starry night came on. And the lady who by kneeling Had destroyed the path of justice, Seized upon the fine young fellow, He who had the mulomania, Or who was a kleptomuliac; And she led him by the halter, While the reckless population Made atrocious puns upon it; And she stowed him in the Pullman As the safest sanctuary, As the starry night came on. It was over. Loud the whistle Blew a signal of departure; Still the dying bonfire flickering Showed on high the ghastly gallows, Seeming like some hungry monster Disappointed of a victim, Gasping as in fitful anger, Pouring out unto the gallows Or the sympathetic scaffold All the story of its sorrow, As the clouds passed o’er the moon-face, And the starry night came on.