The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1891-05-15
STONED no DEATH.
Summary Justfce Melted Out I'm the bib
lical Manner In Afghanistan.

IAN eve for an eye and tooth for o
TOOTH" The dictum of the old law
still holds good in Afghanistan, says
the Sheffield Telegraph. In fact, the
manners, customs aud surroundings Of
the Afghans of to-day might be proto-
typed in the pages of the old testament
as faithfully us the life of the Israeli
ties. The Afghans are Mohammedans,
it is true. but their religion is built on
old law lines and their social life is as
simple and patriarchal as when the
great lawgiver Moses ruled the des-
tinics of the people of Israel.
For in Afghanistan of to-day oxen
tread out the corn and pillow the fields;
and the pillow itself is a counterpart of
the Mosaical instrument. Corn is
ground in hand-mills, and a goatskin
serves as ''water-bottle." Household
and farming utensils have changed
nothing during the centuries that have
elapsed since the Israelites tramped
the desert by the Red sea. In short,
you could find series of "tableaux
vivants" in the surrounding of Afghan
istan of to-day to fill up chapter by
chapter the scenes depicted in the old
testament. 1t is said that the Afghans
are one of the lost tribes, and certainly
as far as logged adherence to Israel
itish notions is concerned they might
be.
There is no installing the Mosaical
parallel as far as the social customs
present themselves; but | was aston
ished one evening, during the Russian
scare, when l was on the Afghan
frontier, to see the very similitude of
the old law punishment of stoning to
death put in practice.
A yelling mob of people came rush
ing from all directions toward the out
skirts of the village of Puckta, picking
up pieces of stone by the way and
piliDg them in little heaps by their
feet. thought at the time they were
going to have pitched battle, with
stones as missiles. But shortly man
came running forward, followed by
splitting. hooting mob shouting Sag!
Sagr' (dog! dogD The unfortunate
runaway evidently knew his fate, for
his long. earnest appeal to heaven as
he stopped short and threw his arms
up was but the preliminary to his fear
full fate-his final appeal for mercy on
his soul. for from that bowling mob he
well knew he need expect none.
The man had scarcely time to finish
his invocation. when from all direc-
tons literal shower of stones fell on
him. For Il moment he swayed to and
fro under the onslaught. Soon the
terrible shower bad battered him into
a jellied. blood-bespattered mass, his
very clothes showing rents through
which the blood found vent and squirt
ed freely. He wavered for a moment
with his chin bobbing his chest, and
then. after doubling up at the knees
and middle, fell in Il heap. dead.
Still the bowling mob continued
their terrible fusillade of stones until
around the already lifeless body a
cairn was formed, completely cover
ing in the corpse. And then the mob
clapped their hands. crowed. and went
their way. That dog is done for"
said they. Done for! Yes, it was a
terrible doing; for there under the
heap of stones the mans nerves and
muscles still Yibrated in their post
death struggle. causing the stone heap
TO rise and fall as if in labor with
thing of life; rose and fell in their hor-
rible parturitiou for few moments
until the twitching of nerve and mus
Gle ceased. and all was still. Con-
est" The murderer of
has breathed his last and
his jacet is written around the tomb
stone in those blood marks that be-
spatter the ground about his grave
cairn.