Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1894-10-20

were conducted to their cells for the
last time.
Some of the prisoners slept soundlv
as though entirely unconcerned in the
grim tragedy to be enacted on the NOR
row. Not SO Radovitch. From side to
sldo OF his narrow cell, like some Gagged
Wild animal, he paced, listening the
while intently for the footstop of the
messenger that was to recall him to
freedom and to the joys of life. The
long night passed, all too quickly for
INN, for whom the messenger so unac-
countably delayed He had seen Gen.
III Garashinin in court from day to
=, and once a glance of intelligence,
persuaded himself, had passed be-
tween them. Vainly the two warders,
Nose duty it was to watch him, sought
to induce him to take rest.
He may come at any moment" he
kept saying to himself, land had bet
ter keep awake in case of any misun-
dorstanding.
His throat was parched, and his
tongue Glove to the roof of his mouth,
but he refused every offer of water or
wine, overcome as he was with the ter
rible anxiety of impending doom, an
anxiety rendered all the greater by the
conviction that such doom was not in
tended for him.
AT last n faint grayness began to man
ifest itself through the close bars of his
cell. 1t was the light, the herald of a
new day, the last for the condemned
men. And now Radovitch began to ex-
plain, i'll husky tones, that his convic-
ton was all blundcr. The two men
looked intelligently at each other and
pityingly upon the wretchcd prisoner,
but said not a word.
In few minutes all the ten were as
sembled in the courtyard of the prison,
nine of them calm and collected, for the
bitterness of death was already past,
one prey to mortal fear and sickening
terror and evidencing it all too plainly
in his trembling limbs and livid coun-
tenance. In the hurried goodbys they
exchanged with each other Radovitch
came in for more than his share of at
tention.
Come Dimtri," said one 1--WE all
owe nature death. As well pay it now
as later. -
Cheer up, comrade," =" whispered an
other. 1T makes these hirelings rejoice
to see you afraid "
''It's all a mistake" mumbled the
wretched man. "Where is General Gar
ashinin?"
He is never present at executions, :"
replied the soldier he addressed. HE
issued his final orders last night.
And then melancholy procession be-
gan to move toward the glacis of the
fortress prison. A priest led the way,
holding aloft a large cross before the
eyes of the doomed men, who followed
in single file, their ordinary dress COW
cred with long robe of white linen,
at once covering for the living and a
shroud for the dead. The morning sun
had not yet risen as the procession wend-
ed its way slowly to the place of execu-
tion, their life's span narrowed to a
few minutes and narrowing with fear
full rapidity at every step they took.
At last they reached the place ap-
pointed. Five stakes had been driven
into the ground near the summit of the
long, even slope of the rampant. To
these they were bound in couples, fac
ing the east, now kindling with the
warm flush of the rising sun, whose
coming was to be the signal for their
death. Ranged in front Of them, at a
distance Of l5 yards, was a company Of
soldiers with loaded rifles, whose cap
tain, standing a little way apart, held
in his hand a white handkerchief at
whose fall 90 tongues of fire would leap
forth and 90 bullets seek the hearts Of
the unhappy men.
There was still time for the last scene
but one in the tragedy before the sun
should rise The cross was held before
the lips Of each man for final kiss ia
turn. Then a dagger was broken over
their heads by a soldier detailed from
the thousands drawn up 10 witness the
vengeance Of the ozar, AZ that moment
the sun seemed 10 bound into space, and
every heart almost stopped
nhl iiAN hiAAAA AAhN nv A'N Wv ffFHHf
handkerchief fall Instead tho retreat
Is sounded on score u bugles apd tho
troops march on tho ground THIS kpetl-
ing men were informed thai the eippor
or had boon laaoiously ploased O. grant
thom their lives Thoy wue uuluuud
and ~ " in a dream uied iQ usllNo
all that bad happened and 90 cmRlslp-
late one another we tho last couple bad
beon reached ono of iAoap had fallen
forward 0p bio iaco a. fE ~ hla bupds
permitted IA Was hadVNli0A
49, has tainted SAID y snihin
"brlAg me splae water rAAlp
30 nurd lo trouble rsla lhv doc
t0r who bad fapdly tAhmlurd luu
/ pilp is dead Tho fiRhi has hiloa
/ hlm
N Bm uo iWt IAp uhid NJ ibp IA
|cfr plllr bad naniei Qul my wWplf
/ ouly iua llllallg lhrfg hsH un lNHRf
alJ mason l0 iW mf hpsl a N.iN
'iaaw lHuB lmam ll hiH
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