Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1878-12-05
THE MoUJIK,s DAUGHTER.

s'St. Andrews Cross :"
s'The NUMBER"
'sTwenty-one."
'All lig1t-here is your mask
These questions, with slight vari-
ations. were put to number of gen.
tlemen dressed in costly fur coats, by
a tall old man, with an lron-gray mus
tache, who was seated behind a
screen in q small house in an alley,
within a stones throw of the Nevsk
Prospect, one of the noblest thor
oughfares of st. Petersburg, shortly
after 8 o'clock on the 26th of Decem-
Der, 1925.
The gentlemen put on the black
velvet masks, and ascending very
narrow spiral staircase, entered q
long back room, containing narrow
table, at the head of which sat a
heavy-built, short old man, who, as
soon as the room was filed, rang a
bell, and said In low tone:
Brethren, we must promptly act.
This very afternoon l heard the
usurper Nicholas loud groans] de-
clare that he would issue tomorrow
an order sending the whole division
of the Life-guards to the Turkish
frontier. Profound sensation. That
French adventurer, MiloIandovitch,
has put it into his head.''
The name of Gen. Milorandovltch
was greeted with scornful Kisses.
One Of the masked men exclaimed: !:
"Long live the lawful czar Con-
stantine!"
Another added:
"And the Constitution
"And the Parliament of Mobiles Z"
shouted third voice.
"One thing is certain" said the
old presiding officer, ''and that is
that Nicholas must not be permitted
to remain on the THRONE"
she would be a worse tyrant than
the accursed Paul was," remarked
one of the men.
"Ten times worse !" shouted sew
eral voices.
LET HIM DIE!"
said fiery young man. "Let US go
right away to the Winter Palace, and
cut him to pieces!'
T-e nendous applause rewarded
these impetuous words.
Most of the men sprang to their
feet.
mol mol" said the presiding Off
Ger. "That would be too rash. Are
the three COLONIES Vt uuo rvvu s~.-. a.
here?''
"Here," answered the three voices.
"My opinion is," proceeded the
presiding officer, ''that your regi-
ments should leave your barracks to-
morrow at day-break. and form oppo-
site the statue Of Peter the Great.
There they ought to take the oath OF
allegiance to Gear Constantine and to
the Constitution. The people will
join them, and in case of the usurper
Nicholas should venture to offer any
resistance to the movement, let him
meet his fate!''
The advice was finally adopted.
Sand now," said the presiding
officer, 1--WE have to punish traitor. -
He rang the bell three times. Two
powerful men stepped in.
"Brethren," said the presiding
officer to them, ''you are satisfied
that Count Strogineff is traitor?"
"He has confessed his guilt, "
they replied.
Il hen bring him in." ~
A few minutes later they led q
heavily ironed young man into the
room. His handsome face was liyid
with terror.
Count Strogineff, you have bro
ken your oath. You have tried to
betray us. Your infamous intentions
were detected in time, and now you
will be punished for your base treach-
cry Brethren, what is the penalty?''
ssDeathl" all of them shouted
menacingly.
"Oh, mercy" cried Stroginefr,
with streaming eyes. ''Poverty made
me do 1t! Mercy upon me! Mercy
for my poor wife and children!"
He flung himself in an agony o.
grief upon the aoor. The presiding
officer coldly said:
"Who will execute the traitorT
sI!" SAID young man.
ssDo it, then''
The young man hastened to ths
wall of the room. where he touched
spring. The wall opened, and in the
aperture, which was four feet wide
and eight feet high, was to be seen ar
enormous iron hook, to which Q
hempen moose was fastened.
Quick as lightning, the self-consti'
tuted hangman raised the doomed
man from the ground, and q moment
later, the moose was Tightening round
his throat. His feet kicked wildly
for several minutes, his tongue, black
and swollen. protruded from bis
mouth, his eyes seemed to be burst
ing from their sockets, and his whole
appearance was indicative of the
most intense suffering.
| Suddenly his head dropped on hi
thraaat---he was dead