The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1878-11-01
A Startling Adventure.
now APPEARANCES ARE NEVER cERTA1xs

The most remarkable instance OF AppG
ances being altogether opposed to fsA
contained in true incident which
Prasca Lenpowloff, the heroic Russian
who travelled on foot from Siberia to 81. -
tersburg, for the purpose of soliciting
pardon of her exied parents from the hauD
OF the emperor, upon which noble proof
a daughters love the tale of Elizabeth ~
the Exiles of Siberia" is founded. -
She chanced to arrive after nightfall in .
town the name of which she could never
learn exactly, and, knocking at the door Of
the first house she came to, it was opened BY
an old man of a most forbidding c0untev
nance. He rudely inquired what she wanted
and, when she asked for a nights lodginGs
shut the door in her face An irstant afteR
he called her back and said she might con- y
| in if she pleased. Prasca felt rather sohY
than glad thar he had changed his mind
| and the sight of his wife, an old woman,
even NOR. unplea~aut looking than himself
did not make her more comfortable.e Tn
r,om they were sitting in was large agl
gloomy, lighted only by pieces of pine wd
smelling strongly OF turpentine. These
STUCK into the wall in several places, anl
gave an uncertain Pickering light, that, p n
he mind OF Prasca, had something ii "A
"A yiul and unearhly. Her hosts bade
10 down, and before they offered hs
much as a crust of bread, began to crosl
anime her as to where she was goingko,
1 w.at money she had for her journey III 7
II lave eighty brass kopeks," she, said
'"'a we're given me at Kamonichief." 4
Ant sre fit at that moment how willinglJ
would .ir have given the whole sum to ht
= out Of their hands.
"Ttat cannot be-" said the old woman!'
- Eighty kopeks to go from Siberia to 81
Petersburg! You must have gold o. notes. -
"in3eol, tell you the TRUTH" said the
. .ooI gr. ''and, il you please, you may ~
my purse"
u Upon This they gave her a few potatoes
10 and told her to lie down in her clothes on .
u. sort Of platform over the stove, where Rus
at sian peasants, who are too poor toghhyeI
- beds, often pass the night. She did Sol
., taking the precaution, however, to leave be-
bar ON the floor, that it might be seen ~
..ai Uu lear If being searched. She could
IL not sleep, but lay still listening to what wAs
l. ing forward To her extreme terror, she
ay first heard he odd woman carefully bolt ti1o
81 d'o~ and f3-tau the bars of the window shut.
"a ter; fhru her husband said in a whisper II
NJ one saw her come in--we can do
/, what we please" 3
II, After a few minutes, during whieh dhf
nj concluded they were examining theeent
So, of her bag, he again said:
This j. all nonsense. She
ed money. Did you not see an oilsRin
ant round her neck ?'' sAsz -
err And presently the old woman clilkbedsy
Ir2 the side of the stove, and Pra- ca saw =
MT dreadful eyes peering at her as shGA -
Fearing they would murder her, sh sNss
no for mercy, and showed the little puisy ,si6
to the kopeks and passport, entreating them
a, leave the passport only, and take all th
nb rest. To this the old woman made no an
an swer, but felt in her pockets, pulled a off he
re. boots, examined her dress from head to foo
M aud at last went down again without hurtin
50, her, Frasca heard nothing more till, som
y time after, the deep breathing of her ho
and hostess assured her they were bot
rg- asleep, and, overcome by fatigue, she fe
Ii, asleep, also. When she awoke it was bros
daylight, and the old woman was up %
led cooking; and the first words she heal
81. to bid her come and have some stchi
cp. is SORT OF soup made of salt meat a
cabbage, on which the Russian
ass, live almost entirely.
or. The old man brought a jug of
nu beer made from the grain Of rye, OUT ~
am cellar, aud they both pressed her to sit b
> at with Jhem 10 breakfast The terrors
night appeared like dream till the old
mo- man herself alluded to what had happ
nd. Il wanted to find out, she said, "wh@
/ at YOU were an honest girl, o7 whether you
s64, 1etn telling us lies. We are satisfied all
you now"
tsa II ,pi,e Of the change in their behav
ser- 'ra- a tet no regret in quitting their nd
a, She got cut as quickly as she could,
p, u'Dr some time, she sat down under a
,,,,. and lad the curiosity to count the mo-
.;,, n ner bag. Wha; was her surprise "
n.taal Of so kopeks, she found 1901
mp, Strange couple had added 40 more