The Worthington advance., 1878-07-18
A STARTLING ADVENTURE.

The most remarkable instance of an.
pearances being altogether opposed to
facts is contained in true incident which
befell Prasca Loupowlof, the heoric Rus
sian girl VINO travelled on foot from 81 :
oeria to St. Petersburg fo1 the purpose
of soliciting the pardon CT her exiled
parents from the hands of the Emperor,
upon which noble proof of a daug hter's 8
love the tale OF Elizabeth: or, The Ex-
lies of Siberia is founded.
She CHANGED to arrive after nightfall in
town the name of which she never could
learn exactly, and knocking at the door
of the first door she came to, it was OPEN
ed by an old man OF a most fOrbidding
countenance. He rudely inquired what
she wanted, and when she asked for a
nights lodging, shut the door in her face
An instant after he called her back and
said she might come in if she pleased.
Prasca felt rather sorry than glad that he
had changed his mind, and the sight OF
his wife, an old woman even more un-
pleasant looking than himself, did not
make her feel more comfortable. The
room they were sitting in was large and
gloomy, lighted only by pieces OF pine
wood. smelling strongly of turpentinc.
These were stuck into the wall in sever
al places, and gave an uncertain, flicker
ing light, that, tu the mind of Prasca, had
something in it awful and unearthly.
Her hosts bade her sit down. and before
they offered her as much as a crust of
bread began to cross-exa mine her as to
where she came from, where she was CO.
ing to, and what money she had for her
journey.
II have eighty brass kopeks,' she said,
that were given me at Kamonichieff."
And she telt at the moment how will
ingly would she have given the whole
sum to be out of their hands.
t. That can not be-" said the old wo
man; "eighty kopcks to go from Siberia
Or St. Petersburg! You must have gold
or notes.'
"Indeed, I tell you the TRUTH" said
tb . poor girl; "and if you please, you
may see my purse"
Upon this they gave her few potatoes,
and told her to lie down in her clothes
on sort of platform over the stove,
where Russian peasants, who are too poor
to have beds, often pass the night. She
did SO taking precaution, however, to leave
her. bag on the floor, that it might be seen
she had no fear of being SEARCHED. She
could not sleep, but lay still, listening
to what was going forward. To her ex-
tremc terror she first heard the old wo-
man carfully bolt the door and fasten the
bars of the window. shutter; then her hus-
band said in whisper:
No one saw her come in; we can do
what we please"
After few minutes. during which she
concluded they were examining the CON
tents OF her bag, he again said;
=. "This is all nj nsense She must have
money. Did you not see an oil-skin bag
tied round aer neck?'
And presently the old woman climbed
up the side of the stove, and Prasca saw
her dreadful eyes peering at her as she
lay. Fearing they would murder her
she begged for mercy, and showed the
little purse With the kopeks and passport,
entreating them to leave the passport only,
and take all the rest. To this the old
woman made n6tanswer, but felt in her
pockets, pulled of her boots, examined her
dress from head to foot, and at last went
down again without hurting her. Prasca
heard nothing more till, some time after,
the deep breathing OF her host and hostess
assured her they were both asleep, and
overcome by fatigue she fell asleep also.
When she awoke it was broad daylighte
and the old woman was up and cooking;
and the first words she heard were to bid
her come and have some stcAi with them
before she continued her journey. Stchi
is o sort = Isoup made of salt meat and
sour cabbage, on which the Russian peas
ant, live almost entirely. -
The old man brought a jug of kras, or
beer MADE from the grain Of rye, out of
the celler. and they both pressed her to
sit down with them, to breakfast. The
terrors Of the night appeared like. dream
till the old woman herself allu ded to
what had happened. ,. 80 -
II wanted to find out" she said,
"whether you were an honest girl or
whether you had been telling US lies. We
are quite satisfied about you now"
In spite of the change in their behav-