Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-05-29

mus equipped, he stole away at night
from the settlement Of Ekaterinski- Zavod
by a cross-road. 1t was freezing very
hard, and the flying seet glstened in the
moonbeams The Irish, his Rubicon,
was soon passed, and, hurrying along the
road to Tara, he wondered how lar be
could get before day-break, when his es-
cape would be discovered, and what would
become Of him afterward
/ Hardly had he crossed the Irish when
he heard the sound of a sledge coming up
h-hild him Though somewhat alarmed,
he determined to wait for the nocturnal
traveller, and, as happened more than once
on his dangerous journey, what he dreaded
as peril became an unexpected means of
escape. The peasant driving the sedge
asked where he was going, and, being
bound for the same place, agreed to take
him TO Tara for fifty kopeks ten sous). A
half hours rapid drive brought them 10
Tara, where PiotIowski, leaving his guide,
went up to the first posting house, and,
calling loudly through the windows in
russian fashion, asked if he could get any
horses to take him to the fair at Irbite
In few minutes a bargain was struck
and the horses were ready and harnessed
to a sledge. To the question Of the inn
keeper where he came from, he replied
+ that he was the clerk of merchant in
Tomsk that his master had gone on before
him to the fair at Irbite, and, having had
to stay behind to attend to some matters
Of his own ne was now very late, and,
fearing his employer would be angry, offer
ed to pay the man something extra if he
would drive quickly.
The peasant whistled, and the horses
started off at full speed Suddenly the
sky became overcast and the snow fell so
thickly that the driver lost his way After
wandering about in all directions, they
we're obliged to halt and pass the night in
the forest. As they were only four leagues
from Ekaterinski-Zavod, Piotrowski was
IN great anxiety, expecting every moment
to hear the bells Of the kioit-kas sent in
pursuit of him. At daybreak they started
again, and found the right road, to the
great delight of the fugitive Remember
ing, however, how his countryman. Col.
WysOcki, was given up to the gendarmes
by his guide after being detained night
in the forest, he felt considerable uneasi-
ness Fortunately, these suspicious were
untounded The peasant took him to a
friend house, where be got some tea, and
was provided with fresh horses TO continue
his journey. Thus going on, changing
horses at moderate prices, he arrived late
at night at a village called Soldatskaia,
where, not having change enough to-pay
the driver, ne went with him to an inn
where there happened to be a number Of
drunken men, for it was near the end Of
the carnival. Taking two or three bank
notes from under his Waistcoat intending
to get them changed by the landlord,
movement Of the crowd pushed him back
from the table on which his papers were
placed, and they were seized ard carried
off in an instant 1t was in vain that he
made his loss known the thief was not to
be found and, as the Pole was afraid to
summon the police, be had to be resigned
to misfortune The loss Of forty-fve ru-
bles was itself a serious matter, but what
alarmed him still more was the disappear
ance Of two papers Of the utmost impor-
tance one being q list of the towns and
villages through which he must pass on the
way to Archangel, and the other the pass
port, on stamped paper. that he had been
to 50 much trouble to procure Thus, on
the first day Of his flight, he had lost a
quarter Of his modest savings, the paper
which was to have been his guide, and the
pIakatny the only document capable Of
disaTming the suspicious of curious people.
He was in despair
The reflection, however, that it was too
late 70 % back, that his fate would be the
same wherever captured, and that every
step brough; him nearer to freedom, now
urged him on.
Striking into the high road to Irbite, he
mingled with the swarm Of travellers 90
Ing to or returning from the fair, and the
thought Of the difficulty Of being discovered
amid this vast crowd gave him renewed
courage On the third day Of his flight,
notwithstanding the delay in the forest, be
reached the gates of Irbite, when he was
startled by he voice Of the sentry shout
ing HalJ, and show your passport .''
Luckily he added in low tone +" Give
me twenty kopeks, and through with you"
This opportune modification Of the law
in his favor was very gratifying to
PiOtrowski, who quickly paid the required
sum aud passed through the gates.
After spending one night at Irbite, he
left the town by different way from that
which he entered it, without being question
ed by the sentry. The journey and losses by
theft having reduced his money to seventy
five rubIes about eighty francsl, he was
obliged to set out on foot. 1t was very
severe winter, and, though the weather
moderated a little on the morning of his
departure from Irbite, the snow fell so
thick that it was difficult to make any head
way. About noon, however, the storm
abated, and ira Yelling became easier. The
fugitive generally avoided villages, but,
if itwere necessary to cross one, he walked
through as if he belonged in the neighbor
hood and needed no information. Even
when in great doubt as to the right road
to take, he only ventured TO inquire at the
last house of a hamlet. When hungry he
took a piece of frozen bread from his bag
and ate it while walking along or sitting
at the foot Of a tree in a remote part Of
the forest, and slaked his thirst at one Of
the holes made in the ice by the people Of
the country for the purpose of watering
their cattle. Sometimes, however, he had
to content himself with letting snow melt
in his mouth.
The first days tramp after leaving lr
bite was very hard, and the evening found
him completely exhausted. His fatigue
was increased by the heavy clothes he had
worn, but he was afraid to part with them.
At night he adopted the method used by
the Ostiake in their deserts Of ice, making
a bed in the thickest part of the forest by
following deep hole under snow-heaP.
He awoke next morning in haif-frozen
condition, but, by vigorous walking and