The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-05-31
The CrOSS--A Short Story
BY johann Aho

With long strides. an old man was
hurrying along the narrow path lead
ing from the village to the parsonage.
quite close to the parsonage for he
wanted to enter it without attracting
any attention.
Everyone was still asleep at the par
sonage, except the old minister, who
had just opened window and was
enjoying the crisp morning air, and
who hurried to open the door to his
early visitor.
The old man entered quickly. He
was all out of breath as he greeted
the minister and began with the
words:
Now she has done it, Now she has
dcne 1t, She has done what she has
long threatened to do"
is it about his wife that Anti wants
TO speak to mes''
Yes. 1t is not the first time have
to speak to your reverence about her
but in spite of all the good advice
you have given me, matters have con
tinually been going from bad &c
worse. Several times she has tried &c
hit me with cane, once tried to pol
son me, but this time she nearly sue
ceeded in roasting me alive
Roast you alive?"
Yes, indeed she tried to roast me
alive She piled some old brushwood
under the wooden stairs, set fire to II
and ran away. She had locked the
door from the outside and must have
felt sure we would all be suffocated
But woke up. l tried to break open
the door, but it was too strong, so
had to break window to get out and
put out the fire.
And you succeeded in putting il
out?"
Yes, in the last moment. II the
fire had reached to the straw-thatched
roof it would have been all over with
u.s."
The old minister. who had been lis
tening intently now asked:
And what do you intend to do"
Il don't know. That is why came
to you. Should l not make a com
plant to the sheriff.
Have you any proof to show thai
nobody but your wife could have done
thisc"
Have any proof" Anti cried
Hasn't she threatened me thousand
times in the presence of Others, thai
she would set the house on fire? Was
not the door locked, and had not she
gone away in the middle of the night?'
The minister saw that there coult
be no doubt, and said gravedly:
This crime must be punished ant
the guilty one brought to justice, ever
if she be your own wife. 1t is not on
ly your right, but your plain duty te
turn her over to the police, your dut,
to God as we'll as to men,"
Anti drew a sigh of relief at these
words and an expression of happiness
came into his eyes.
Il can find someone to look after my
children who will take better care OF
them than she ever did. Didn't she
always neglect them?'
So it was decided that Anti must
| swear OUT complaining dSdIuSL HIS WiIS
for arson and attempted murder. and
when he left the parsonage and start
ed for the sheriff's residence his heart
was lighter than for years.
To Anti this seemed like the dawr
of a new life, from now on his days
would be full of peace and joy and his
children would be brought up to be
come good, respectable, law-abidine
citizens. He would no longer hesitate
to ask his friends to come to the house
for the weekly prayer meetings and
perhaps even old Paavo himself would
consent to come and say the prayers
and read the gospel to them. Khat II
he went little out of his way to tell
the good news to the kind old SOU
who had often comforted him during
the long hard years of trials and mis-
cry?
Paavo was sitting outside his cottage
fastening his scythe to the handle
Anti went straight towards him and
shook his hand warmly.
rs it good news you have?" asked
Paavo.
In a way, yes-quite good"