The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1876-08-25
THE SNON-FLOOD.
|. Tale OF Eastern siberia.

Aucl lc Uis AtAA NbNf aLAN Jul Al
force, and there will be blazing roofs,
and blood spilled all along the Chinese
frontier, from Kara Sou 10 Dostvcrnik,
We are safe enough, of course, here in
kiachta, behind Onr strong stockades
and brass cannon. But there is scarce
" post 10 the eastward that can be-
called secure, now the Mongols are over
the border"
s'Surely, however" said I. looking
up from my desk and the invsice in
which / was duly recording packages
of brick tea, coarse silk, the white
sonOrous brass peculiar TO China, and
other imports from Tie Elowcry L.ad,
"the MOngols will content themselves
with sweeping off some hOcks and
herds, and not venture on attacking the
settlements. The Russian military
power"
''Its far cry, as they say in my
country, TO ST. Petersburg, or even 70
the WOlga," grimly rejOined the first
speaker, whose name was GILLIAN.
"These Tartar thieves know well
enough that, short Of Irkutsk, there are
but some weak detachments 10 bar their
way. Even the sotnia of COssacks has
been Withdrawn. and, for the moment,
the whole of Eastern Siberia lies at
the mercy Of the MongOls."
This was serious news % me, for, al
though my colleague from the Land of
Cakes was quite correct in his assertion
that we were safe at kiachta, a fOrti-
fed position too strOsg to be attempted
by the barbarian foe, thore was one
whose life held deaTer than nv own,
and who, should the tidings Of 4 MOngol
inrOad be confirmed, might be exposed
to sore peril.
/, Frank Richards, had been, during
two cut Of the three years which / had
passed in this out-Of-the-way corner of
the Russian DOminiOns, clerk in the
firm o. Merton a PaulOyitch, the manag-
ing partner OF which resided az Irkutsk,
: and was, as his name implies, like NY
self, an Englishman. Mr.. Merton, how
ever. was one of those Anglo Russians
of whom many are 10 be found in the
hie her mercantile society of ~. Pc
tersburg. and who have taken root, as
Il were, in the country in which the
greater part of their lives have been
spent BE was a man of considerable
property. and as a member Of the Fur
Trading Guild was possessed OF certain
valuable privileges, which almost
amounted to : monopoly.
IL was with anger and ANNOYANCE that
the rich merchant learned that his clerk
was in love with his only daughter, e.
len, and tina. the sentiment was recip-
rocal. Mr.. Merton, as was very natural,
had other views for his daughters es-
adjustment in life. He was ALWAYS
looking forward to the day when, leaving
the active conduct Of the business in
younger hands, he should withdraw 10
the Capital, where Miss Merton. as a
well endowed heiress, might very proba-
bly, marry COsnt, or possibly Prince.
IL was pitiful antiikesis 20 such exalt-
ed visions that she should bestow her
hand on n mere subordinate in the
house Of Merton & Paulovitch.
al like you, Richards, the merchant
had said 10 ne, not unkindly; 4" and If
you, and Ellen too, will but be reason
able and promise to forget this folly
An, well, then, there is no help for il,
see.m
And thereupon we parted. I was a
good linguist, and well trained 10 the
routine Of business IN that remote re-
gion, so that il was easy enough for me
TO obtain employment in a mercantile
house at kiachta, az n higher rate of
salary than that which | had hitherto
drawn. | doubt, however, IL / should
have cared to continue any longer in
my self-impOsed exile from the civiliza-
ton of Europe, had IL not been that I
could not muster the resolution to tear
myself away from country Of which
Ellen Merton was still an inhabitant.
Even this poor consolation was, IL
seemed, soon TO be taken from me. for
the gOssips Of the colony were unani-
nous that the ensuing winter was the
last that would see the Mertons resi-
dent in Siberia.
And then, preceded by certain threat
ening umOrs, 20 which scanty credence
had been attached, there had occurred
the MongOl incursion, prompted, as
there was reason 10 suspect, by the Chi
nese authorities. OF whose sentiments
toward the rival Empire, pressing year.
~ closer TO their extensive frontier, few
doubts could be entertained by even the
most optimistically disposed Of the mot
ley European community - Russian,
German, Polish, and British-whOse
task il was 70 develope the great natural
resources of this long-neglected corner
of the earth. We were well aware that,
in reply TO diplomatic remOnstrances,
the Mandsrins az the helm Of state
would disclaim all responsibility for the
acts Of a tribe Of turbulent marauders,
while al the same time they would
'ehuokle slyly at the injuries thus vica-