Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1904-09-30

"When I last visited the city went
to see a hanging. There were five OF
them-fve gallows i'll row, and man
Tor each. All, that was sight! There
were thousands went to see it, and l
went early and secured a good place.
There is courage in us Russians even
in the worst of us. We know how to
meet death. They were traitors all, but
they died like brave men. / assure you,
rascals as they were, my heart gowed
to witness how they died. There was
one-what limbs the fellow had. He
was nobly built, the dog, and he had
face as handsome as a saint. Such
beard! Such eyes. dark and burning!
| could not take my eyes off the fellow.
l saw only him all through the hanging.
And when he spoke his words were like
arrows: L repent not he said, the sim
ner, yet he was brave one"
He looks straight before him as if
conjuring up the scene and continues:
"And what an affair that was! Shall l
ever forget it? The rope broke ere he
was finished. l was carried off my feet
for the populace in their rage rushed for
ward to effect a rescue. Surely the
Noble must have heard Of it?"
"Ah, we'll, doubtless heard it spoken
Of at the time, but l take little interest
in such things"
mo? Yet there are always students
at the hangings. There were many al
this one. There was one close to me
went clean mad at the breaking Of the
rope, and made a rush, but the soldiers
drove him back. He had his sweetheart
with him, and she tainted 1t is abom-
sroL ALo4 Io1s %
see these sights! They scream and faint,
and yet they like it. They will not stay
away
| answer nothing ! have an unpleas-
ant feeling as of rope being frightened
about my neck, checking the free course
Of my breath. l take out my handker-
chief and mop my face with it.
"The Gentle feels it warm under the
cover" observes the peddler. will he
not sit awhile in the front Of the wagon
for change Of position?'
I gladly scramble to the front of the
vehicle, where l sit crouched like a
grasshopper, because of my height. The
peddler regards me from head to foot
with twinkling eyes, and at length
breaks into laugh.
II crave pardon" he says, ''but just
such frame had that sturdy rascal who
persisted on the gallows. Just such length
Of limb and breadth of shoulders; yet
methinks he was stouter," still observing
me critically. Then doubtless perceiving
how color under his fixed gaze he adds
quickly: ''The Noble has a splendid body, |
and so had the fellow l speak of, but |
there the resemblance ceases. God for
bid that l should give offense!''
After this he relapses into silence and
whips up his horses, for the light is fad |
ing from the sky in which the evening |
star is Frightening. We soon begin to |
pass a smoke-stained cabin here and |
there by the roadside, and then long, |
low wooden building, with benches and |
tables before the door, where we make |
halt. The peddler throws the reins on |
the horses backs.
Il put up here" he says, "and 1 thank
the Noble for his good company; there |
is good accommodation at the post sta
ton, not five minutes walk from here"
l thank him for his kindness and slip |
a rouble into his hand. He begins to
a wave or my nat, tdrn from MIN TO
ascend the unpaved, struggling street
which constitutes Little Kolga.
CTo be continued.l