Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1880-01-14
GMroMB ED ALIVE.
The Sssvrors oi siberian EStie.-'
Place or si0w Marder.

vi the treatment ~ poIi'ich' 'A"''
10 Siberia, 1 have before me thrill
lug description from tho pen OF Mr.
Robert Lemkc. n German writer VINO
has visited the various penal establish
ments OF Russia with 40 official legit'
ination. lie had been 10 ToboliSk,
after which he had to make a long,
dreary journey In a wretched car un'
I'll q high mountain rose up before
him. In q turn Of It's craggy Hank
the mountain showed n colossal open
iug, similar to tho mouth OF burnt
out crater. Fetid vapoG, which A.
mos, took away his breath, assembled
from Il.
Pressing his handkerchief upon his
lips, Mr.. Lemks entered the opening
Of the rock, where he found a large
watch house, with q picket Of Cos
sacks. Having shown his papers be
was conducted by guide Though n
long, very dark and narrow corridor
which, judging from its slop'ns d.
scent, led down into some unknown
depth, ln spite Of his good tur, the
visitor felt extremely cold. After
walk Of some ten minutes through the
dense obscurity, the ground becoming
more and more soft, vague simmer
Of light became observable. 1--WE
are in the mine!" said the guide,
pointing with significant gesture 10
the iron cross.bars which closed the
cavern before them.
The massive bars were covered
with Q thick rust. A Waterman ap-
poared, who unlocked the heavy iron
gate. Entering room OF consldera
bic extent, but which was scarcely a
mans height, and which was dimly
lit by an oil lamp, the visitor asked:
"Where are wet" ain the sleeping
room of the condemned Formerly
It WAS a productive gallery Of the
mine; now it serves as q shelter
The visitor shudiered. The sub
,errauean sepulcher, lit by neither sun
nor moon, was called a sleeping room.
Alcove.like cells were hewn into the
rock; here, on a couch Of damp, half
rotten straw, covered with a sack
cloth, tho unfortunate sufferers were
to repose from the days work. Over
ZACH cell a cramp-iron was fixed,
whetewith to lock up tire prisoners
like terocious dogs. No door, no
window anywhere.
Conducted through another passage,
where few lanterns were placed, and
whose end was also barred by an iron
gate, Mr.. Lemke came to large
vault, partly lit. This was TIE mine.
A deatenlng noise OF pickaxes and
hammers. There he saw hundreds Of
wretched figures, with shaggy boards,
sickly faces, Redeemed eyelids; clad in
,atters, some of them barefoot, others
in sandals, fettered with heavy foot
chains. No song, no whis,ling. Now
and then they looked at the visitor
and his companion. The water drip
ped from the stones; the convicls
were thoroughly vet. One Of them,
tall man with suffering mien, labor.
ing hard With gaspiug breath, but the
strokes of his pickaxe were not heavy
and firm enough to loosen the rock.
"Why are you bere'' Mr.. Lemke
asked.
The convict looked confused, with
an air almost Of conformation, aud
silently continued his work.
1T is forbidden to the prisoners"
said the inspector, "to speak Of the
cause of their Punishment!
Entotnbed alive; forbidden to say
wbyLf
"But who is the convict q Mr..
Lemke asked the guide, with low
voice.
1T is Number ll4!' said the guide
laconicslly.
"This / see" answered the visitor
"but wtst are the mans antecedents :?
To what family does he belong!"
HE is . Count replied the guide
- well-known conspirator More, l
regret to say, I osunot tell you about
Number HAP
The visitor felt as if he were stiaed
in the grsvelike atmosphere-as if his
chest were pressed in BY demon,cal
nightmare. He hastily asked his
guide to return with him TO the upper
world. Meeting there the commands.
Or Of The military establishment, be