The Monticellonian., 1916-10-12

in some degree, but he was still con
fident. He knew that Charles had II
weakness for putting everything off to
the last minute. Also. his majesty had
Il fondness for dramatic effects. and it
would be just like him to wait until
the last moment before issuing par
don or reprieve. The jeering turn
keys suggested that the king had for
gotten him, but he knew the king bet
ter than they did.
The day of execution came and the
seaffold was erected ia the street. All
Of London was there to see what they
might see. Pepys records that he stood
on the wheel of a cart and WIS much
cramped. The scaffold was a primitive
affair, without modern comforts or
conyeniences. 1t consisted of a plat
form and beam overhead, from which
WIS suspended the moose. That moose
having been adjusted about Il doomed
mans neck. he was pushed overheard.
In those days it was the custom to
allow condemned men to talk rs much
as they wanted to, and the condemned
seldom abused the privilege. They
usually made a few stereotyped re-
marks, asking all and sundry to profit
by the example before them and then
passed out
Colonel Turner appeared upon the
scaffold hrayely mrayed, with Il broad
brimmed plumed hat upon his head.
He was a fine figure of man He
WAS escorted by the sheriff, tie ordi
nary (chaplaim of NeWgate the hang
NTH and that fHnctionary's first assist
ant He looked long and earnestly in
the direction of Whitehall Ne doubt
he expected 10 see Il man on horseback,
forcing his way through the crowd,
bearing fePrieve. But there Wis no
such horseman. But the colonel's faith
in his friend. the king, was firm. All
eeedingS until his majesty's messenger
eaHe.
So the colonel began 10 talk. He had
a fine voice and knew how to Use il.
Had he lived in our day. he'd have
been on the chautauqua circuit. lie
tOttt tIlt sun. VI Ills iiit iIbiil any,
To the current hour lie told Of NOV
ing adventures and hairbreadth es-
capes and the great crowd cheered
him. When he had talked for an
hour the sheriff tipped him ON the
shoulder and told him he was abusing
his privileges. 1t was time To get
down to BRASS lacks, said this official.
The colonel gazcd again, perhaps
somewhat despairingly, i'll the direction
of Whitehall, and saw no horseman
coming. He wiped some cold sweat
from his brow, and then turned in and
roasted the sheriff to delicate brown;
then he took up the prison system of
England, and showed that it WAS out
raee0uS. He c0ntraSted it With the
system of the Low Countries and of
Spain, to its infinite disadvantage. He
discussed this subject for an hour and
i half, and the crowd seemed 10 be
with him. But the ordinary Wis grow
ins inpatient. So he stepped up to
the colonel and limited that il was
quite rude 10 delay the proceedings
after that fashion.
The colonel turned once more toward
Whitehall. No horseman One can
look back 250 years and see the trou-
bic i'll his hasgard face Had the king.
then. forgotten him. He would hold
out IL little longer So he turned in
and lacked UP the ordinary, and all
the race of ordinaries. back to the time
Of King Alfred. The little chaplain
fairly shriveled up in the blast of his
oratory, and the crowd yelled with de-
light So the colonel talked and
talked, until the shadows grew long,
always with the corner of his eye to-
ward Whitehall, and alb in vain. AT
last the sheriff and the hangman would
be put off no longer. And the colonel
WAS SO hoarse he could say no more.
He had talked for six hours. \ beau
tiful woman was gazing upon him with
eyes wet with sympathy. Your serv-
ant, mistress" said the colonel. Us he
dotted his hat, and minute later his
body was whirling AT the end of
rope.
The king who had been playing with
his Spaniels all afternoon laughed
heartily when he heard the story