The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-02-10
Russian Exlles.

On his arrival the prisoner is driven
stralgnt to the police ward, where he Is
inspected by the ispravnik, police off,
Ger VINO IS absolute lord and master of
the district. This representative OF the
government requires of him to answer
tne Following questions: His namep
How oldP Married or sihgleP Where
fromr Address of parents, or relations,
or friencsp Answers to all of which are
entered in the books. A solemn written
promise is then exacted of him that he
will not give lessons of any kind, or try
to teach any one; that every letter he
writes will go through the ispravnik's
hands, and that he will follow no occu-
patton except shoemaking, carpenter
ing. 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 he town he shall be shot
down like dog rather than be allowed
to escape, and Should he be taken alive,
shall be sent off to Eastern Siberia
without further formality than that OF
the ispravnik's personal order.
The poor fellow takes up his little
bundle, and, fully realizing that he has
now hidden farewell to the culture and
material comfort of his past life, he
walks out into the cheerless street. A
group OF exiles, all pale and emaciated,
are there 10 greet him, take him to some
OF their miserable lodgings and fever
lshly demand news from home. The
newcomer gazes OH them as one in a
dream; some are melancholy mad,
others nervously irritable, and the re-
malnder have evidently tried to find
solace in drink, They live in COM
munities OF twos and threes, have food, a
sca1ty provision OF clothes, money and
books in common, and consider it their
sacred duty to help each other in every
emergency, without distinction of sex,
rank or age. The noble by birth get
sixteen shillings month from the gov
ernment for their maintenance. and
commoners only ten, although many oi
them are married, and mt into exile
with young families. Daily gendarme
visits their lodgings, inspects the premi-
ses when and how he pleases, and now
and then makes some mysterious entry
in his note book. Should any of their
number carry o warm dinner, a pair ol
ewly-mended boots or a change oi
linen to some passing exile lodged for
the moment in the public ward, it is
just as likely as not marked against
him as crime, 1t is q crime to come
and see friend off, or accompany him
a little on the way. In fact, should the
ispravnik |, ell out of sorts-the effect oil
cards or drink-he vents his bad temper
on the exiles; and, as cards and drink
are the favorite amusements in those
dreary regions, crimes are marked down
against the exiles in astonishing mum.
bers, and a report of them sent regul ,rly
to the governor of the province.
Winter lasts eight months, period
during which the surrounding country
presents the appearance of noiseless
lifeless, frozen marsh-no roads, nc
communication with the outer world
no means OF escape. In course of time
almost every individual exile is at
tackled by nervous convulsions, followed
by prolonged apathy and prostration
They begin to quarrel, and even to hatt
each other. Some of them contrive {
forge false passports, and by miracle
as it were, make their escape, but tn,
great majority of these victims of thu
third section either go mad, commit sui
eide, or die of delirium tremens. Thei
history, when the time comes for it Il
be published, will disclose terrible
tale of human suffering, and admin
istered evils and shortcomings not like
to find their equivalent in the contem
porary history of any other European
state. London S,dndITd.