Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-12-07

demned to hard labor in the mines of
Siberia for the term of ten years, which
the magistrate called being mcrciful to
him on account of his voluntary confess
sion.
An officer drew q pair of manacles
from his pocket, and heard their click
as they were fastened upon Uncle Fedia's
wrists. All! that click seemed to me to
be the click OF handcuff set on my own
wrists. l had to make a great effort to
keep from topping over in a swoon.
10 my Joy. the officer now came to-
ward me 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 1
slipped it into his hand and whispered:
"Good-by. poor Uncle Fedia."
"Thanks, my child" he murmured.
and as he saw the tears in my eyes he
leaned over towards me and added:
"Never mind, little one; it's better this
way. No one will miss Uncle Fedia!"
And then remembered how he had
used the same expression and in the
same peculiar tone of voice on the even.
ing that my father had turned him away
from our door. The officer now hurried
his prisoner along, and. the door closed
UOuluU MIN.
Months, years went by. l was spend
Ing my summer vacation at nome. when
one day, as we were drinking tea in the
garden, the village priest was announced,
The good man didn't wait to see whether
his visit was agreeable or not, but fol.
lowed the servant into my fathers pres
ence. He was laboring under great OK.
element. and the moment he could get
his breath cried out:
ats Gods own act! Oh, what a won
derful thing has happened!"
VI know, l KNOW" replied my father
IN his brusque manner, "the miller has
been killed by fall from his LADDER"
ayes. yes" exclaimed the priest, "but
that's not the most terrible feature of it.
This man sent for me just before his
death, and confessed an awful secret to
me. Father, said he, I'm misera BILE
sinner 1t was l who burned the Ivan
Okla mansion six years ago, to revenge
myself upon the owner for having COM
PEELED my son to enlist in the army
why, my son. l exclaimed, 1T was
the peddler, Fedia, who committed that
crime. and who is now serving his sem
tence in the mines of Siberia
"'No, father, answered the dying man,
1T was !. Uncle Fedia had slept in my
barn and had sold me the pot of tar
which used to start the fire, / think
Fedia had his suspicious, for on the
morning of the trial he came to my mill
and said with a knowing air: "A terri
misfortune will happen to-day. They
are going to condemn poor Akoulina
who is no doubt innocent Of this crime
breathed a fearful threat against the
peddler, and as he stood in great dread
Of me, he withdrew all in a trembe
That man was Gods own. Akouiina's
awful plight touched his heart, and he
surrendered himself to save her and her
children. and l, wretched sinner that l
am, held my peace. Father, try to have
this awful wrong set right, so that it
may not rest upon my soul. Will the
good Lord pardon me-? Before l had
time to grant him absolution," added
the priest, "the wretch breathed his last
in an agony of dread at the fearful peril
threatening his SOUL"
My father and at once conducted the
priest to the Governor of the province.
Letters were dispatched to all the prison