Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1905-01-20
'That is bad, if the Gentle has so far


to 60"
Il go to Luga. l am student and
have been sitting rather closely over my
books, so l thought the walk through
the country would clear my brains a lit
tle," l laugh.
The Gentle is right" agrees the ped
dler. There is nothing like the country
air for bracing the wits, or helping one
TO think out weighty matter. l make
all my calculations in the open. The
Gentle will feel the benefit of it even
though he should be obliged to continue
ms journey by post from Little Kolga.
lie VIII still inhale the fresh air."
After this he relapses into silence and
whips up his horses. When noontime
comes | share his frugal repast and fall
into doze until at nightfall we reach
the village of Little Kolga.
HAS the Gentle ever been to a hang
ing?"
L feel the blood rush tumultuously to
my smooth-shaven, tell-tale face. "a
hanging! l-hem-no, | have never
seen thing of the kind" | stammer.
Perhaps the Gentle likes not such
spectacles? l never miss a chance. l
like to see perish the enemies of our fatb
er, the Gar"
The peddler lifts his cap.
when l last visited the city I went
to see hanging. There were five of
them-fve gallows in row, and a man
for each. All, that was sight. There
were thousands went to see it. and |
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. l assure you.
rascals as they were, my heart glowed
to witness how they died! There was
one-what limbs the fellow had! He
was nobly built, the dog, and he had a
face as handsome as a saint. Such a
beard. Such eyes, dark and burning.
l 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 sin
ner, yet he was a brave one"
He looks straight before him as if
conJuring up the scene and continues:
And what an affair that was! Shall 1
ever forget it? The rope broke ere he
was finished. l was carried off my feet,
for the popuace in their rage rushed for
ward to effect a rescue Surely the
Noble must have heard of it?'
"Ah, well, | doubtless heard it spoken
of at the time, but l take little interest
in such things"
"No? Yet there are always students
at the hangings. There were many at
this one. There was one close to me
went clean mad at the breaking of the
rope, and made rush, but the soldiers
drove him back He had his sweetheart
with him, and she tainted. 1t is abom-
inable that delicate women will go to
see these sights They scream and faint,
and yet they like it. They will not stay
away"
| answer nothing. l have an unpleas-
ant feeling as of rope being tightened
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 pedder. "Will he
not sit awhile in the front of the wagon
for change of postion?"
| | gladly scramble to the front of the
vehicle where | 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 a laugh.
IL crave pardon" he says, "but just
such a frame had that sturdy rascal who
perished on the galows Just such length
of limb and breadth of shoulders yet
methinks he was stouter," still observing
me critically. Then doubtless perceiving
how l 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 fer
bid that should give offensev
After this he reapses 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 a long,
low wooden building, with benches and
tables before the door, where we make
halt. The pedder throws the reins on
the horses backs.
Il put up here" he says, "and thank
the Noble for his good company; there
is good accommodation at the post sta
tion, not five minutes walk from here "
l thank him for his kindness and slip
rouble into his hand. He begins to
expostulate, but with goodnight" and
wave of my hat, l turn from him to
ascend the unpaved, struggling stree
which constitutes Little Kolga
CTo be continued.'
| m In -, no