The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1890-12-31

fore, and turned back, thinking that
he could not be such bad man as peo-
pie said 49,
The next day, however, felt ashamed
Of my decision, for my father came into
my room exclaiming in an excited tone:
81 congratulate you upon your pro
tege Thanks be to heaven that / did
not listen to you yesterday
And he told me that during the night
some one had set fire to house in the
neighborhood whose owner was hard
on the peasantry and cordially disliked
by them. My father made sure that the
old peddler was the culprit, and Uncle
Fedia was arrested the next day.
There was not sufficient proof against
him, however, SO he was released, and
suspicion fell upon a woman named
Akonhna, who had been employed in
our neighbours house. She had been
discharged for impertinence on the even
ing before the fire, and, after uttering
sundry threats, had gone toward her
home. She had not, however, appeared
in the little cabin until morning, and
now was unable to give a satisfactory
account of her whereabouts during the
night. efss
Three months later the trial took
place. My father was called as wit
ness, Akonlina having formerly been his
tenant, and yielding to my boyish en-
treaties he took me to town with him.
On arriving he left me with the horses
and carriage at the inn, and told me to
wait there patiently until his return.
But this being too much for my curiosi-
ty slipped out behind him, followed
him down the street and crept into the
courtroom. Here crouched unnoticed
in a corner near the doorway and listen
ed to the proceedings with the liveliest
interest. s.
1t was very bare looking room, with
D long row of benches ON each side, a
platform at one end, where sat the
judges, and just overhead on the white
washed wall was large, round clock,
with ascrucifix hanging above it.
The hall was full Of people, On the
right sat the mobiles, land owners and
city officials; on the left were the peas
ants of IyanoflSa, where the fire had taken
place, and of our village On the prison
ers' bench sat Alconlina, and just behind
her one of her relations was holding an
infant, and at the same time trying to
keep two little girls amused. These
were Akonlina's children. "a
Every eye was fixed upon the accused.
She was young, strong and straight;
neither pretty nor plain, but true
Russian type, with round, Hat face,
bright color, and dull, stubborn express
sion. She seemed to pay no heed TO
what the clerk was saying In his sleepy
voice, and looked at neither the judges
nor the audience, but kept her eyes fixed
upon the great clock. whence she occa-
sionally glanced at the door. as if anx-
| iously expecting an arrival.
The testimony against her was over
whelming. She was Of turbulent. in
tractable disposition, but worked hard
to support her children, having re-
Gently lost her husband, worthless
fellow who had died of drink. After
being discharged by the lady OF
Ivanofka she had been heard to use
threatening language while stopping at
the mill to buy some straw, and had ap-
peared in our village the next day tired
and muddy and affecting to be ignorsni
of the fire in the night.
Al1onlina declared that she had slept
in barn belonging to a cousin of herS
named Anton Petrovitch. Unfortunate.
ly this person had lately left the country
and gone to seek his fortune at Odessa,
whence he was supposed to have EN-.
barked as q sailor in foreign ship. In.
| quiry proved fruitless respecting hif
whereabouts, but that fact was thought
to be of but little consequence, as the
woman's statement was evidently false
| one.
The punishment for incendiarism Is
Punishment TO Siberia, but before sen
tence was passed number of witnesses
were to be examined.
Akonlina paid little or no attention tc
the examination of the witnesses, but
kept looking from the clock to the door
and 1t was evident that only one fac
was clear to her duh understanding
Anton Petrovitch was the one person
who could save her, and she chung tena
ciously to the idea that Anton Petro
witch would enter by that door and sa,
the necessary words before it was to,
late. People had told her that her cousin
was reported to have persisted by ship
wreck in the distant sea, but that couli
not be. God was too just to let her suf
fer for the want of a few words. Mes
sages had been sent to Odessa, and sh,
chung desperately to the hope that Antoi
would be found. But as the clock
hands moved round and the time wen
by the hope began to weaken.
The president of the court put NOR,
questions to the accused for the las
time.
81 am innocent" was her reply, re
peated again and again. II know moth
ing about the fire; was not near tn,
place at all. When Anton Petrovitcl
comes he will tell you. | know nothing
about i'll am innocent"
The judges retired for a few minutes
When they returned the president rose
holding paper in his hands.
Then Akonlina knew that all wa
over. A shudder passed through he
frame. She stretched out her hands an,
convulsively patted the heads of he
children: then. falling upon her knees
she raised her c)asped hands toward tn
cruciix ON the wall and wildly exclaimed
"Christ, my Saviour, save me! Lord
have pity upon me and my childrenp
At the sound of her prayer and a
sight of her supplicating attitude al
the country people present fell on thei
knees with one accord and reverentl,
made the sign Of the CROSS. A sort o
stupor seized the large assembly, lord
and judges seemed struck dumb, AM
the silence was 30 profound that coul'
plainly hear the ticking of the grea
clock upon the wall as the pendulum
swung back and forth increasingly, lik
the measure of eternal justice. TIL
clock was the first to break the silence
striking the hour of noon with its grave
harsh voice, while every one listene
breathlessly The sound reused Akonlina
and she turned toward the door with
last agopizing look. Many an eye followe
hers, and think that no one would hav