Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1904-01-28

see what the matter was, and observ-
ing a squad of soldiers, followed by
quite a concourse of villagers, 1 sprang
to the ground.
Down the hill they marched, some
ten or fifteen fellows in a dirty half
uniform. / knew not what twas, while
struggling out behind them seemed TO
follow the entire population of the
hamlet. The old and gray-haired
fathers, the mothers, the st,lwart
children and toddling babies, all came
TO stand and cape. In the lead there
strobe n burly ruffian, proud of his
low authority, who shouted at inter-
walls:
so with the H -u-g- n-o-t-s!"
Behind him skulked four stout war;
lets. bearing between them rude
plank, on which was stretched naked
body, the limbs being not yet stiffened
in death. hardly credited my sight.
Before they came abreast of us in
quired of the driver what it all meant.
He only shrugged his shoulders, "A
dead Huguenot. l suppose" and gave his
past belief.
placed myself in the road and babe
the leader of the procession pause.
He stopped, staring stupidity at my
dress.
What is here my good fellow?
what crime hath he committed?"
He. like the driver, answered care
lessly:
None. she is a Huguenot."
She" l echoed, and stopped the
bearers who laid their CHASTITY burden
down, having little relish in the task.
Yes, it WAS in very truth IL woman.
For the sake of decency. comrade,
why do you not cover her and give her
Christian burial?"
1T is the law" he replied stolidly
Yes, yes, it is the law eagerly as
scented the people who gathered about
the corpse, not as friends, not rs
mourners, but as spectators of the llor
rid scene. Among them, unrebuked,
were many white-faced children, half
afraid and wholly curious. looked at
them all in disgust. They went their
way and came to the outskirts of the
village. where they contemptuously
tossed the woman from the plank
across a ditch into the open field. In
spite of my loathng had followed.
1 perceived now a feeble old woman
hobble up toward the body and try
with loud wailings to make her way
through the guard which surrounded
it. They showed her back With their
pixies, and finally one of them struck
her for her persistence.
Pierre look at her old mother; all,
IlOiS NIiElll, Nllil Slocl'oiii Aoe ar
these heretics."
Her mother! Great powers Of
heaven, could it he possible? My in
dignation blazed out against the in
human guard.
why do We this most un-Christian
thirg?2" and to the crowd:
do you call yourselves men to
stand by and witness this
AT my words one sturdy young fell
low, of theS better, peasant-farmei
class, broke from those who held him
and would have thrown himself UNI
armed against the mail-clad guard.
Many strong arms kept him back. He
struggled furiously for awhile, then
sank in the sheer desperation of eN-
haustion upon the road. AS soon as he
was quiet the mob gathering about the
more attractive spectacle, left him
quite alone. l went up to him, laid my
hand upon his shoulder, and spoke TO
him kindly. He looked up, surprised
that one wearing Il uniform should
show him sympathy. He had a good,
honest face, blue-eyed and frank, Yet
such an expression of utter hopeless
ness as never marred a mortal counte-
nance. 1t haunts me to this day.
/ Was touched by the mans sullen
apathy, succeeding so quickly to the
desperate energy 1 had seen him dis
play, and asked concerning his trouble.
(Continued Next Week