d be self-extenuation. The reader was made to
perceive that Dramm, being cognizant and mildly resentful of the
attitude in which his own little world held him, by reason of the fatal
work of his hands, sought after a semiapologetic fashion to offer a plea
in abatement of public judgment, to set up a weight of moral evidence in
his own behalf, and behind this in turn, and showing through it, might
be sensed the shy pride of a shy man for labour undertaken with good
motives and creditably performed. With no more than a pardonable
broadening and exaggeration of the other's mode of speech, the reporter
succeeded likewise in reproducing not only the language, but the wistful
intent of what Uncle Tobe said to him. From this interview I propose now
to quote to the extent of a few paragraphs. This is Uncle Tobe
addressing the visiting correspondent:

"It stands to reason--don't it?--that these here
sinful men have got to be hung, an' that somebody
has got to hang 'em. The Good Book says an eye fur
an eye an' a tooth fur a tooth an' a life fur a
life. That's perzactly whut it says, an' I'm one
whut believes the Bible frum kiver to kiver. These
here boys that they bring in here have broke the
law of Gawd an' the law of the land, an' they jest
natchelly got to pay fur their devilment. That's
so, ain't it? Well, then, that bein' so, I step
forward an' do the job. Ef they was free men,
walkin' around like you an' me, I wouldn't lay the
weight of my little finger on 'em to harm a single
hair in their haids. Ef they hadn't done nothin'
ag'in' the law, I'd be the last one to do 'em a
hurt. I wisht you could make that p'int plain in
the piece you aim to write, so's folks would
understand jest how I feel--so's they'd understand
that I don't bear no gredge ag'inst any livin'
creature.

"Ef the job was left to some greenhawn he'd mebbe
botch it up an' make them boys suffer more'n
there's any call fur. Sech things have happened, a
plenty times before now ez you yourself doubtless
know full well. But I don't botch it up. I ain't
braggin' none whilst I'm sayin' this to you; I'm
jest tellin' you. I kin take an oath that I ain't
never botched up one of these jobs yit, not frum
the very fust. The warden or Dr. Slattery, the
prison physician, or anybody round this town that
knows the full circumstances kin tell you t