Chapter 22

           Mytimegrowsveryshort.AllthemanuscriptIhavewrittenissafelysmuggledoutoftheprison.ThereisamanIcantrustwhowillseethatitispublished.NolongeramIinMurderersRow.Iamwritingtheselinesinthedeathcell,andthedeath-watchissetonme.Nightanddayisthisdeath-watchonme,anditsparadoxicalfunctionistoseethatIdonotdie.Imustbekeptaliveforthehanging,orelsewillthepublicbecheated,thelawblackened,andamarkofdemeritplacedagainstthetime-servingwardenwhorunsthisprisonandoneofwhosedutiesistoseethathiscondemnedonesaredulyandproperlyhanged.OftenImarvelatthestrangewaysomemenmaketheirlivings.

           Thisshallbemylastwriting.To-morrowmorningthehourisset.Thegovernorhasdeclinedtopardonorreprieve,despitethefactthattheAnti-Capital-PunishmentLeaguehasraisedquiteastirinCalifornia.Thereportersaregatheredlikesomanybuzzards.Ihaveseenthemall.Theyarequeeryoungfellows,mostofthem,andmostqueerisitthattheywillthusearnbreadandbutter,cocktailsandtobacco,room-rent,and,iftheyaremarried,shoesandschoolbooksfortheirchildren,bywitnessingtheexecutionofProfessorDarrellStanding,andbydescribingforthepublichowProfessorDarrellStandingdiedattheendofarope.Ah,well,theywillbesickerthanIattheendoftheaffair.