The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-05-04
A LIFE FOR A JEST.
AN OLD WORLD COLLEGE TALE
BY j. BRUCE SIMPSON.
WRITTEN FOR THE SUNDAY 1NDEPENDENT.]

like mail on the frosty pavement; before he
could SO much as turn around to ascertain
the cause of this to him unseemly disturb
ance, he was seized in grasp of iron from
folded. When his amazement had for a
moment subsidized, ne would have cried
aloud in the clear night air, but the chill
muzzle of pistol pressed against his heated
brow was argument sufficiently strong to
induce him to keep silent, and presently, as
tors rendered him unable to utter a word
by gagging him most effectively. Confused
and panic-stricken, he felt himself hurried
by muscular hands at rapid
pace through the quadrangle, and
bundled without ceremony into the bottom
of a carriage, which, as soon as his conduct
ors had entered, darted off at full speed,
without one word of guidance either asked
or given. On and on, on and on over the
stony streets. till the captive thought the
journey would never end, and during the
whole weary time not one word was spoken,
the most deathly silence prevailed. He
could not even hear them breathe, and
might have believed himself alone but for
his sense of touch.
But, at last, the wheels began to revolve
less rapidly, and finally ceased to do SO al
together. Imagine his terror when the door
of the vehicle was violently flung open by
some one from outside, and the stern words
of harsh, grating voice fell on his ear:
Bring in the prisoner with all speed; the
court awaits his coming
Utterly at loss to know of what dire
offense he was accused that he should be
thus spirited away under cover OF night,
while wife and children at home waited in
vain his coming, the bewildered man was
hurried once more through the frosty night
into some interior, which some strange
new sense told him was full of eyes all
turned upon himself. AS his wonder and
terror grew the bandage was suddenly
wrenched from his eyes.
that met his startled look, sight that
made his flesh creep, his hair stand on end
and the perspiration roll in great beads
from every pore. As painfully and gradu-
ally his eyes became accustomed to the
subdued and gloomy light there burned
itself into his vision large hall, draped on
every side with funeral black, and as his
gaze grew clearer and he could make out
details he saw that he himself was the oc-
cupant of detached stand, hung with the
same dark coverings. Before him and
facing him on raised seat sat one who
was evidently judge. but judge who was
masked and dressed in the all pervadlng
color. On his left were fifteen men simi
larly disguised and all in moment it
flashed across his mind that this must be
a jury met totry him-him a prisoner.
Around him, behind him, before him were
similar figures, till his eye seemed to lose
sight of them in the dim extremities of this
terrible Judgment room. And still the
same dread silence 80 that he could hear
every beat of his heart.
At sign from the judge the gag was re-
moved from the prisoners mouth, but
scarcely had his tongue striven to regain its
utterance to implore the meaning Of this
dreadful procedure and to protest his inno-
cence of any crime against his country or