The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1837-06-16
THE VICTIM.
A RUSSIAN ADVENTURE.

willing 10 60 alone, succeeded IN inducing
my friend Saville to accompany me. men.
ton him poor fellow, as he formed prem.
inent feature in the little adventure | am a.
bout to relate. | will pass over the Incl.
dents of our journey until we arrive at St.
Petersburg, when, having transacted my
business, | to favor Sayllle's wish, deter.
mined to proceed TO Jarosley, where he had
relations. Instead, however, OF going the
direct route, we visited kerlloy, small
town on the Scheksma, branch Of the
Volsa, for the purpose OF seeing = renowned
hermit who we were told was an English.
man. This was inducemen, enough for Us,
circuitous as the route was, We went.
Arriving lale at night, we with consider.
able difficulty succeeded in getting lodgings,
which though very mean and wretched, We
al las, entered.
The landlord, laxative man, told Us
during our repasr, all the news and scandal,
which in a small town generally abounds
Among other things he told US, that the
next morning, the punishment of the knou
was to be pertormed-for there this horrid
barbarity is considered quite spectacle, 10
see which, people flock from all parts
I The culpri, was young JeNess, remarka.
/ bic for her beauty, aud the crime was the
murder of her father. Ii the punishment
Of the knout did not end her existence, the
wheel was IN readiness 10 complete the scene
OF blood.
From has accoun, II appeared that the
whole circumstance was veled 70 no slight
obscurty, inasmuch az the only evidence
against the poor girl was that when CUES.
toned as to where her missing father was,
she shed floods Of tears and was SILENT
This 10 Russia was enough To seal her fate.
She was accordingly condemned, and was
! in prison when we arrived.
Being much interested for the poor girl
VIC (Saylle and i determined 10 see her.
We went and BY means Of handful Of sl.
YER we succeeded IN bribing the goaler to
admit US. The prisoner was gloomy 30 a
degree and never did see so lovely a
creature as met our ewes. She seemed
scarcely above twenty, II so much. She,
4 like her race, was dark, with intensely
bright ewes, which even her misery could
not quench. She spoke 10 Us IN French,
and 10 plteous accents protested her Iuuo.
cence. Her story was soon told. Beloved
BY Russian and Protestant, her hear,
would no, obey the stern commands Of her
father, with whose murder she was charged,
Her father reyiIed her, and here she stop.
ped and burst into tears. More We could
not elicit. Even the goaier, stern as he
was, seemed touched by something like
pity.
Savile, hasty in every thing, determined
TO attempt to save her. Hurrying of he
FASTENED to the head S5irr or police, aud
in VAIN attempted to purchase her release
( He was referred TO higher authority al
Saint Petersburg. Tmther then, regard
less Of the utter impossibiiiy Of beng 10
time, he hurried that very evening. re-.
NAMED 10 try 10 console the victim. Rev.
er shall | forge. the spcndor Of those dark,
swimming eyes, when cast up N ieryenl
prayer for the success of her aui.cioa,, !
delivery. The night passed heavily enough.
She could not BE- brough, 10 comprehend
the awtulness Of her hopeless sltUatl0n.-
Yet she shUddered rs she drew Der slight
shawl over her exqulsilely moulded Shout.
ders, so soon 10 be lacerated by the uapliy
/ ing strokes Of the lash The gray morn.
chill and comiorIess, came at last, and
with il tie fatal hour Of the victims pun
Ishment.
( Though almost senseless when led ou, +,
faint blush, and one Wild expression ol
terror, fitted over her features as the rude
hand Of the execu,oner tore the upper
covering from her shoulders. She was
tied to the scati,id, aud-bu, why proceed
nay, cannot proceed to describe the
disgusting and hotrld ceremonials. 1t i.
enough to say that, though no sound Of
agony escaped her, as the white aud qulv
ering flesh was torn from her beautiful
back, yet when after nearly fifty stroke,
Of the Lash, human nature gave @ay, she
sighed forth, Non pre-, moa pere, rou.
etes trop tard," and expired Nv poor
friend SayilIe, worn out by his irul.Iess *
ertlons, fell victim to a fever then preva
lent, bat not before he had brought to JOS
lice her lnhuman father, Who vas alive
and who had thus sacrificed his daugh
ter, because she refused to marry a merco
nary william Of her fathers choice. He hat
FIRST bound her BY most solemn oath no
to reveal his place of conceaIment, an,
then lett her, taking care 10 tx suspicion OF
her, his only and beautiful child.