Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1881-07-28
RUSSIAN EIILES.

On MS arT1val the prisoner is ulfea
straight to the police ward, where he is
inspected by the ispfavnik, o police
officer who IS absolute lord and master
of the district. This representativa of
the Government requires of him to en-
swer the following questions His
name? How old? Married or single?
Where from? Addres. of prents, or
relations, or friends Answers to al OF
which are entered in the books. A sol
emn written promise is then exacted Of
him that he will not give lessons Of ony
kind, OF try to teach any one; that
every letter he writes will go through
the ispravnik's hands, and that he will
follow no occupation except shoemaking,
carpentering, or field labor. he is told
he is free, but at the same time he Is
solemnly warned that should he attempt
to pass the limits Of the town he shall
I've shot down like dog rather than be
allowed to escape, aad should he be
taken alive, shall be sent off to Eastern
ssibt ria without further formality thsn
that Of the ispravnik's person i order.
The poor fellow takes up his little
bundle, and, fully realizing that he has
now hidden farewell TO the culture snd
material comfort Of his past life, he
walks out into the cherries street. A
group of exiles, ell pale and emaciated,
are there to greet him, take him to some
of their miserable lodgings, and fever
ish!y demand news from home. The
newcomer gazes on them as one IL a
dream; some are melancholy mad,
others nervously irritable, and the re-
mainder have evidently tried to find
solace in drink. They live in commu-
mites of twos and threes, have food,
scanty provision OF clothes, money, and
books in common, ond consider it their
sacred dntv 10 help each other in every
emergency, without distinction Of sex,
rank or age. The noble by birth ges
sixteen shi!hngs month from the Gov
eminent for their maintenance, and
,ommoners only ten, although many OF
them are married, and sent into exile
with young families. Daily a gendarme
visits their lodgings, ;nsrects the promi-
yes when and now he pleases, snd now
md then makes some mysterious entry
IN his notebook. Should any Of their
number cauy e warm dinner, pair of
newly-mended boots or change of linen
to some passing exile lodged for the
moment il the public ward. 1t is just as
likely as Dot marked against him as o
crime. 1t is q crime to come and seea
friend OIL, or accompany him little on
the way. In fact, should the ispravnik
feel ont Q! aorts-!he efect Of cards OF
drink-he vents his bad temper on the
exiles and, as cards and drink aro the
fayorite amusanents in tho-e dreaiy
regions, crimes are marked down against
the e1iles in astonishing numbers, and
a report OF them sent regularly TO the
Governor of the province.
Winter hsts eight months, period
during which the surrounding country
presents the appearance of nciseless,
ifeless, frozen marsh-ro roads, 10
communication with the outer world,
no means OF escape. III course OF time
almost every individual exile is attacked
by pervous convulsions, followed by
prolonged apathy snd prostration.
They begin 20 quarrel, and even TO
hate each other. Some Of them con-
trive to forge false passports, and by
mira lie, as it We're, nake their escape,
but the great majority of these victims
OF the third section either go '.uad,
commit suicide, or die OF delr um
tremens. Their history, when the time
comes for it to be studied end pub.
lished, will disclose . terrible tale OF
human suffering, and administer d
evils anl shortcomings notlikely to hnd
their equivalent in the contemporar!
history OF any other European state
London Standard.