have done all the dirty work here. If you all wanted anybody
to stuff the ballot box or swear to false returns, I have been your man.
I've put out of the way every biggety nigger that you sent me after. You
know all this."

"You've been paid for it, too. Ain't you been to the legislature? Ain't
you been constable? Haven't you captured prisoners and held 'um in
secret till the governor offered rewards and then you have brung 'em
forward? You have been well paid. But me, I've had none of the good
things. I've done dirty work, too, don't you forget it. And now I want
these niggers hung in my watermelon patch, so as to keep darkies out of
nights, being as they are feart of hants, and you are here to keep me
out of that little favor."

The dispute waxed so hot that it was finally decided that it was best to
accept neither place.

"We want this affair to serve as a warning to darkies to never lift
their hands against a white man, and it won't hurt to perform this noble
deed where they will never forget it. I am commander to-day and I order
the administration of justice to take place near the Negro church."

"Good! Good!" was the universal comment.

The crowd dashed wildly in the direction of the church, all being eager
to get places where they could see best. The smaller boys climbed the
trees so that they might see well the whole transaction. Two of the
trees were decided upon for stakes and the boys who had chosen them had
to come down. Bud was tied to one tree and Foresta to the other in such
a manner that they faced each other. Wood was brought and piled around
them and oil was poured on very profusely.

The mob decided to torture their victims before killing them and began
on Foresta first. A man with a pair of scissors stepped up and cut off
her hair and threw it into the crowd. There was a great scramble for
bits of hair for souvenirs of the occasion. One by one her fingers were
cut off and tossed into the crowd to be scrambled for. A man with a cork
screw came forward, ripped Foresta's clothing to her waist, bored into
her breast with the corkscrew and pulled forth the live quivering flesh.
Poor Bud her helpless husband closed his eyes and turned away his head
to avoid the terrible sight. Men gathered about him and forced his
eyelids open so that he could see all.

When it was thought that Foresta had been tortured sufficiently,
attention was turned to Bud. His fingers were cut off one by one and the
corkscrew