The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-03-11
For Humanity's Sake.

Tcopyright. 1901

Moses Kamoff, a Jew in Russia, IL
pursuing his studies discovered thingi
that other men coveted One OF then
was dye for weavers. 1t was d pop
ular color at once A certain weayel
saw that there was money in it, anG
because he could not buy the secref
at his own price he went to the police
and charged the Jew with talking trea
son. His evidence was unsupported
but it was enough At twenty-thres
years Of age, just as be was about te
graduate with honors, Moses started
out enc evening to pay a visit to a
young lady. That was the last heard
OF him for six years. Then a pardoned
convict returned from Siberia to say
that he had met him there.
Six years later, after serving In the
mines for twelve years, Moses Ka-
mon received a pardon and returned
home. A pardon for what? He had
been punished again for being loyal.
The car had no more loyal subject IN
all the Russias. He had not expected
or asked for pardon. They simply
removed his chains one day and told
him be was to return. He reached
home old and bent and a stranger even
to his mother. He was glad, and yet
In the midst Of his gladness be was
told that that was not the end. When
the Russian police have once arrested
man he is never forgotten. They
follow him up. He is fair game. A
relative had died and left Moses fair
~ wealthy. He had not been home n
month when the police began to bleed
him. He must pay for being let alone.
He wanted to live quietly and obey all
laws and praise the car, but it would
and did cost him so much money per
week to pay bis fines that 1t ruined
him.
In two years more he became but 1T
tie better than beggar. The police
had stripped him. Then Moses found
situation with chemist, but held It
only week. The man had to let him
go or be arrested himself as sympa-
thizer with suspect. The quicksilver
mines Of Siberia had made a wretched
old man Of him, but he shouldered
peddler's pack and began a tramp. In
three days he was arrested and his
goods con6scated. Two weeks later all
who were giving him food and lodg-
ings and sympathy we're warned and
had to drive him from their doors. He
was arrested as a street beggar and
kept for weeks In d cell. Whenever he
got free the police were ready with an
other complaint.
There came winters night when
Moses Kamoff huddled in doorway,
weak with hunger and exhaustion and
knowing that he was freezing to death.
He was glad of it. After death the po-
lice could not longer prosecute him. In
their rage they might kick his frozen
body, but all feeling would have pass
ed from It, In half an hour the man
would have been dead had not the door
opened and hand drawn him inside.
He was given food and drink and
comfortable bed, and he awoke next
morning to find himself still alive. He
knew at sight to what class his reseuer
belonged. He was an anarchist If he
hadn't private wrongs to avenge, then
he would avenge the wrongs Of the I
public The man knew Kamoff by sight /
and had heard the story Of his wrongs.
and he argued that the Jew would be /
fierce for revenge. 1t was but natural \
that he should have been. For two |
days and nights the old man was fed |
and made comfortable, and then the
other said to him:
You will not betray me, for you
have suffered. | have also won your
gratitude. The police have bounded
you to the brink OF the grave. It is
time you turned and had your revenge.
1t is for me to show you how you
can secure it and run no risk"
Il am loyal man and wish only to
obey the law" answered Kamoff.
Eyes. you have been loyal. but the
police have punished you for it. For
years I have worked on an invention
that I might make myself feared.
have suffered almost as much as you
have, but it is over and done with now.
Tonight we will both begin our re-
Tenge."
and with that and trembling and
laughing in his excitement the an
irchist brought out a rife, It's power
was compressed air and its bullet an
explosive one. Its discharge made no
iound. There was neither smell nor
imoke nor flame. Once on housetop
With the weapon one could shoot down
| pedestrian a block away, and no liv-
ng man could tell from whence the
Juliet came. 1t could be fired from any
mbush in the suburbs from behind
vail or tree or bush. From window or
louse roof the car could be picked Off
s he rode out. officials could be shot
own enc after another. and those who
Ived would carry worse than death In
heir hearts. Kamoff looked the weap-
n over and over again. He saw that
/ would do as its inventor said. It
vas a terrible weapon Neyen in the
ands Of q coward There was death +
Fherever II pointed grim, swift mys- {
erious death. In day he could re- 5
enge his years Of wrongs. A smile !
ame to bis face as he thought Of this;
ben It faded as he thought Of hui
lanity. It was giving one man the
over Of life and death over hundreds,
lousands and that man with the :
lst to kill in his heart. It was whole
lie murder. It was inhumanity. It
-. A.. -. .......s.-a LII.