The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-19

and of whom he had bought the tar in q
neighborlng town. These details were eX-
act. This pot of tar, of which Uncle Fedia
confessed to have used in starting the con-
migration, had already been put in evidence.
After the court had recovered its wonted
dignity and compOsure, there were visible
in the faces of the Judges. although as care
fully yeilad as possible, indisputable signs
Of satisfaction that this confession would
spare them the terrible necessity of pro-
nonncing sentence upon woman of
whose guilt there was no direct evidence.
The Judges recalled to mind the re-
luctance with which the prosecutor had
abandoned the case against the peddler. al
though, at the time, every one-peasant and
noble alike-felt morally certain that he
was the criminal. Was not the finger of
God visible in this sudden and unhoped-for
rescue of the widow from her awful perilP
Had not merciful Providence moved
Fedia's heart to confess his guilt guided
Fedia'S footsteps TO the hall OF justice as the
clock was striking the death-knell to Akou-
lina'S hopes?
After brief deliberatfon the court now
determined to proceed at once with the
pedder's trial Uncle Fedia was put upon
his oath and called upon to repeat the de-
tails of his terrible crime II seemed TO me
that my old friend heSitated an instant as
he was ordered to raise his hand the figure
of the Savior. but it may have been my
imagination. In few moments the pedder
had repeated his Impressive evidence under
oath and the Judges again retired to draw
up q new sentence.
Uncle Feda stood there with bowed
head. He dared not raise his eyes, for he
felt that all the hatred and malevolence
which these hundreds of hearts had
been distillng for years were now being
poured upon his defenSeless head. And
yet although he looked the wretched out
cast, the self-convicted criminal, as he stood
there in the presence OF that large assembly,
some way | could not bring myself to turn
against him like all the rest of the world.
The tears gathered i'll my eyes. and L would
have given so much, on, so much to have
been permitted to rush up to his side and
cry out:
you against all the world
The Judges filed slowly into the court
room, and the sentence was quickly, it
seemed to me heartiessly, pronounced. so
cold and hard and formal was the manner
of the presiding Justice us he read the doom
of my old friend condemned TO hard labor
in the mines of Siberia Tor the term of ten
years, which the magistrate called being
merciful to him on account of his voluntary
confession.
An officer drew n pair of manacles from
his pocket, and | heard their click as they
were fastened upon Uncle Fedia's wrists.
An, that click seemed TO me to be the click
of a handcuff set on my own wrists. had
to make great effort TO keep from topping
over in a SwOOn.
To my joy, the officer now came toward
Inc with his prisoner. The people crowded
in upon him. His progress was slow. BY
good luck / happened to have quite sum
of money in my pocket, and as my old friend
brushed against me | slipped it into his
hand, aud whispered, 'GoOd-by, poor Uncle
Fedia."
Thanks, my child" he murmured, and
as he saw the tears in my eyes he leaned
over toward me and added: "Neycr mind,
little one, it's better this way. No one will
miss Uncle Fedia."
And then 1 remembered how he had used
Tho same EXPRESSION and in the same necu-