The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1852-08-05

The journey passed rapidly, and Wanda Wen
ski scarcely left the sled which was truly her
home, for she ate and slept in it. No one won
dered at this singular manner OF life, least Of
all the Cossack, who had understood that bis
charge was insane, and who therefore carefully
| protected her The travellers had already left
! the country between the Ural and the Wolga
behind, and were beyond Simbirsk, when the
carriage stopped at little station TO arrange
| the passports and to change horses. As every
where else, the Cossack stepped into the Office
to make the necessary report, and had gone out
again. He had no desire to undertake CONVEX
sation with his dumb companion, constantly lost
! in gloomy thought But as he came out from the
office he leaned upon the back of the sled, where
| Wanda did not see him, while the horses where
changed. As he stood here he suddenly heard
in the box, which held the cofins, slight noise
| Terrified, he sprang aside, yet presently recov-
cred himself sufficiently to approach the myste-
rious box and apply his ear to it. All still.
Most other men would have supposed they were
mistaken, and would not have sought further
But not so with the Cossack. The duty
which in the minds of every genuine Russian
| takes precedence OF all other feeling. the
hoiesl urged him back into the Office to men
ton what he heard. Immediately Official
accompanied by an Inspector, approached the
sled, and requested Wanda, who had suspi-
cion of what Lad happened, to alight- They
proceeded to search, and the unhappy wife, now
utterly deprived OF courage, sunk poweriess--
They removed her from the carriage, anu lsld
her upon the ground in order prosecute the
search more *naethOdically. The hrst object
which fell under the officers eyes were the two
| little coffins, which had served Wanda for seat.
! The box IN the rear OF the sled concealed the
living Menski.
OF course, they were both Immediately arres-
| ted and placed under strict surveillance Wan
da was no longer the wife Of the exile, but
| criminal. .She had sought to assist a fugitive
from iustice.S The examination instituted on
| the spot. disclosed that Wanda, in despair st
! the condlIiUIruf her husband, had sought some
means of projecting the beloved Of her heart,
and saving him from suicide. BY her advice.
he played the part of insane man, weary Of
of life, and finally disappeared, while his wife,
in the darkness of nj sht, carried his cap and
coat TO the banks of the Ural, and left them
there. Through incredible suherlngs and dam
gers she concealed him in the house, and the
moment the.sled came into the court, Wenski
crept unnoticed into the place destined for the
collins and was there fed and nursed by his
faithful wife 1t seemed If heaven smiled
upon her heroic effort, for no one suspected the
secret. But by evil chance one of the boards or
the box slipped from its groove and pressing the
side of the prisoner, drew slow cry of pain
from his lips, which the Cossack heard, and al
the ingenuity, the sacrihce, the suffering we're
nought.
Vain were all promises and prayers. Even
the glitter of gold against which the RUSSIANS
not always proof, was this time poweriess- Inc
unfortunate pair were returned 10 OremberS as
criminals. In Simbrisk, where a long pause
IL fl,ay-h a
5cial favor, that the children, whose parts were
PLAYED out, might be buried Permission was
given, and even no hindrance Was offered to 8
public funeral. The little town containing some
l., 900 inhabitants offered that day an inina-
tel spectacle for everybody turned out TO OatUeEd
TIE unfreouent ceremony see the man who had
known so melancholy fate, and the vale who
endured everything TO save her husband. II was
q heart touching sight, when the heaTse moved
slowly through the street; the wretehed father,
laden with heavy chains, following, and the
mother a figure of sorrow, totterIng after, sup
ported by several men. No eye that saw the
sight was fearless. and the multitude could
not express their sympathy in any other man
ner they did so by gifts which were showered
upon the unhappy pair from all sides Among
the rest came u poorly clothed man, who threw
a warm skin over Wandas shoulders and disap-
reared Another did the same to Wenski. As
great was the hatred for the Cossack, who was
reckoned the cause of all this unhappiness, as
sympathy for the Victims and even charac-
teristic was expression, that whenever he show
eds himself there muttering of curse.
and imprecations, especially among the wot
men. Nothing remained for the officials but TO
conceal the '.dutiful" Cossack until the depar-
ture of the criminals.
Wenski and his wife soon entered 0remberS.
but with different feelings from those with which
they had quilted it. Then the hope of freedom
smiled upon them, even if pain and suffering
lowering around Now they were sure of n
terrible fate, and justly so, for the place of their
future residence was Nertschnk. wenski was
conde.nned to perpetual Imprisonment. His
wife was TO see him more. This gave her
the death blow. She followed her husband to
the frightful Nertschinsk and wandered around
the walls within which her husband languished.
But her heart was broken, and before year
had passed she lay upon her bier. The Siber.-
an heaven fosters no blossoms upon the grave,
and the Needless wanderer steps upon the lite
mound which covers the victim 10 conjugallove
J May her memory be green TO our hearts fr
! ever
] The poor Constantine Wenski, whose fair fate
IL was to be loved as few are loved, survives vet
forgotten by the world, amiserable being For
! gotten even by his family, who might do some.
| thing for his relief, he is prey 10 the most
wretched suffering. The Russian Government
| does not forbid aims 10 the exies The post
| goes TO Nertschinsk, and Gods blessing conse>
crates every mite sent GitLer for the siisviasion
] Of en- unhappy nan.