Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1904-12-30
CHAPTER l.


tening notes upward, until my eyes are
arrested by the grated window of pris-
on.
In an instant l have sprung from my
low pallet, where-God is pitiful!-I
have been sleeping away the last few
hours of my mortal existence. | stand
here on my prison floor, in full posses
sion of all my faculties, feeling the
warm, swift blood coursing in my veins.
l fall to pacing the narrow limits Of
my cell with rapid strides. burning
impatience of inaction is consuming me
IA pressing desire to be doing some
thing to bridge over the minutes which
must elapse before the moment arrives
when | shall stride to the scaffold, with
dauntless mien. to meet my doom. My
acute sense Of hearing detects the cink
of the trap i'll my door, A pair of eyes
are looking at me out of a brown, beard
ed face. / smile and nod affably.
Good morning Vladimir Alexandra
witch. | am glad to see you in good
spirits,' says my official.
And 1 thank you for your good
wishes, my friend" l reply. But my
breakfast? l tell you, l have a fierce
hunger upon me. Remember it will be
the last time | shall have the pleasure
of gratifying my keen appetite, until l
take my first meal of nectar and ambro-
sia, and they might chance to keep me
long waiting for it on the other side"
My official laughs. Keep your mind
easy, your breakfast comes; and look
you" lowering his voice, Just because
l love brave spirit, little brother l
will deprive myself of some caviar l
have in reserve for my own relish"
Thanks, my Christian friendr' l cry,
reaching my hand toward him through
the trap. May you never die hungry.
One minute. Tell me, if you know-if
you have seen him-the lad-keeps he
good hearth"
My voice shakes In my eagerness,
whilst | rifle my pockets for my last
fve-rouble note. Take it, it is all |
have, or / would give you more. How
bears he himself? He is but nneteenw
81 saw him even now" replies the
man, as he seizes the note. He does
badly. He eats not, and his strength has
left him. He lies on his bed and moves
not"
At these words the sweat starts to my
brow, and the water to my eyes.
Friend good friend" | whisper
hoarsely, ''see him again, Tell him that
Vladimir Alexandrovitch bids him be
brave. Tell him to eat-he must eat
ere he go FORTH
Listen. | will take your message,
just because you are brave one, and l
like you"
Il embrace thee, my brother." l muir
mur fervently and he hurres away.
am alone again, and continue my
walk; but now my mind is troubled with
a vision Of the fair-faced boy stretched
on his pallet, and anon | seem to see his
writhing body on the gallows. l shud-
der and smother a groan that rises to
my lips, and turn to seek comfort in the
reflection that it will soon be over for
him. He is sure to faint. God grant
it,"
Approaching steps in the corridor. My
door is unlocked, thrown open, and here
is my breakfast and the caviar When
the official enters | wear a smiling face
again, for l have character to sus-
tain. No man should have it to say that
he saw a cloud on the brow of Vladimir
Alexandrovitch Lubanoff on the morning
of his execution. The official Is watch
ing me curously.
How long now before the play be-
gins, my friend?" l ask between the
bites.
1t gratifies me to note how he fushes
red, and stares at me a space, as if taken
aback, before he stammers, Twenty
minutes, Excellency."
| laugh. The notion of an official
thrusting a title on a prisoner amuses
me- After another prolonged stare he
leaves me.
Twenty minutes! Half an hour hence
/ shall be lump of cold, senseess clay.
And that mysterious actuating essence
we call SOUL what of it? What will be-
come of it. forced from the tenement
wherein it has, for twenty-seven years,
,uled supreme? Will it, too be extin-
guished like torch that is stamped out
under the foot Of man? Away vain spec
ulations. Let me rather, in these my
last moments, sum up the good that has
been mine. | have tasted as much hap
piness as this world can offer, and |
leave it ere it begins to pail. l have
known the rare blessing of true friend
ship.
MY spirit flies out to meet thee, o
my friend, and clasp thee in farewell
embracew l have-I still rejoice in the
beauty and perfect excellence of wom-
ans pure and entire love
"Ah, my Maruscha, thou art my only
regret. Could but take thee with me,
my dove! My better soul! For | know
that without me thy life henceforth will
be but a joyless cropping through val
ley where there is no SIM"
am surprised by a tear on my cheek,
and dash it hastily away. Boom! 1t Is
the quarter bell sounding from the fort
ress clock. l close my eyes, and grad
ually feeling Of peace descends on me.
Now l can pray. My hands meet and
into rlace.
spirit Of perfect Good, forgive me my
sins. Fortify me and my comrades In
our last agony. Let the evil we have