Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-10-02
sENTENOED TO SIBERIA.

am Lancashire man and rose from the
ranks. began life much as other mill hands
do; but my head was set the right way on
my shoulders, and got to be an overlooker
Five and twenty years ago, when great Eng
lish firm, whose operations extend over many
parts Of Russia, started cotton mill at Ekat.
erinburg, was offered a post as manager
Ekaterinburg is, as l dare say you know, or
the Siberian side Of the Ural mountains, and
In the heart Of the Government mining dis
tricts. man thinks twice before he trans
ports himself and his family to such place,
but had made up my mind 10 get on, and
this was good chance TO one in my posi-.
tion.
was not disappointed. looked after the
mill, and 1t prospered, We north-country
operatives are thrifty folk, and like living
In plain way. / saved money; and as Il
was the policy Of the Arm to keep me In my
post, and 10 give me a personal interest in
the undertaking was allowed to invest my
few hundred Of roubles In the mill.
These commonplace particulars about my
own affairs can have very little interest for
you, sir. l only tell them because otherwise
you would scarcely understand what has to
follow.
One evening, late In our short Russian
summer, when the long days were fast draw
ing in, we were In our family sitting room, 1
engaged with some Of the mill accounts and
my wife with her sewing, when Lottie, our
eldest daughter, rushed in, and without a
word tainted right away on the floor.
This did not more frighten my wife an d
myself than 1t surprised US, for Lottie was a
sensible girl and had never given way to any
hysterical fancies before. We knew that 1t
must have taken good deal TO upset her In
that way, and as soon as we had contrived to
bring her round, we made her tell us what
had been the matter.
II seemed that she had been alone in her
room, when, turning suddenly toward the
window, she became aware of face pressed
closely against the glass and Rlaring at her.
What the face was like she was unable TO de-
scribe, but it appeared too ugly and horrible
for human being. II II could have been
called that Of man or woman, she said, she
should not have been so frightened.
l went out and looked round the house
Nothing was to be seen. We knew Lottie to
be sensible girl, but we were inclined 10
think that her fancy must have played her Q
trick for. once.
After time my wife left the room TO see
about our supper. My wife (she has been
dead now this nine years. had as strong
nerves as any woman that l ever knew-noth-
ing ever seemed to knock her of her balance
Well, she came back in q minute or two, and
beckoned me TO the door She was calm
enough, but could see by her face that
something was wrong. She would not say
what she had to say before the girl for fear Of
frightening her again. So she whispered to
me outside. Lgttie must have been right,
there Is something about When opened
the door Of the kL1d0U0y' (the lArder, that is)
II heard something ct the window. What
ever 1t may have. been II took alarm, and did
not let me see 1t; but 1t has left its marks on
the lattice"
followed her silently TO the kLad0Uoy. All
was now quiet there. / examined the for.
tocllkd-as in Russia we call the little window
OF such place. In summer time its glass
easement was removed, and il was now only
protected by lattice of crossed strips of FIR
wood. These strips we're slightly displaced,
as II some one had tried to force them out,
and thus TO gain entrance. The fortOchkd was
about large enough TO have admitted the body
of O man.
Nothing was to be seen by looking out !;
for though q reasonable amount Of twilight
still remained, 1t was only enough to show
things with any distinotness In the open, and
l had sheltered the back of our house by
planting q number Of young FIR trees.
whispered TO my wife that she should 90 back
TO Lottie and that would stay where was
for bit, and see whether the robber-if It
was a robber-would come again.
It was scarcely 10 be called late, yet II was
too late for any Of our mill people TO be
about, and they were our only neighbors. In
deed, We had no near neighbors My house,
and one adjoining 1t (intended for another
employe, but at that time unoccupied), stood
partly within the high wooden fence Which
inclosed the mill that is, their backs opened
into the inclosure (the door as We call ID,
while their fronts looked on q public thor
oughfare. Thus our back premises were
strictly private after the gates TO the mill had
been closed and the person-if it was per-
son-who had got TO the windows must either
have secreted himself within the door, or
have gained access to II in some improper
manner. Now, however, all was still as could
be.
Down / sat 10 watch, close by the door of
the kLddOU0y. l chose dark corner and one
where, in the dusk, 1t would have been 9
hard matter 10 see me, but had full view
OF the lattice. waited till my patience was
beginning to wear out and then fancied that
heard some slight sound outside under the
J0rtOchtG. 1t was SO slight that at first was
not sure whether II might not be merely fan
cy, but after . little pause heard II again,
louder and more distinctly. / sat still as
mouse, and kept q sharp lookout. Slowly
and gradually something raised itself before
the opening. It was head but In the un-
certain light could not say whether it was q
human head or that Of some brute creature.
Whichever 1t might be, could see enough
of it to know that 1t was such wild, hag-
gard, unearthly looking thing as had never
looked upon before. Any quantity OF shaggy
hair was hanging about II, and its only feat
ures to speak of seemed TO be eyes. Eyes il
had past all mistake. Never did l see any
thing like the way in which II glared at our
good provisions within. have seen what Q
famished wolf looks like, and / should hardly
think q famished wolf worth comparing with
that creature. 1t was raVenous after what It
saw. Up beside the head came two bunches
OF long claws, which wrenohed ct the wooden
lattice as II TO tear II down. But they were
too weak. The strips held fast. And then
the thing fell to with its teeth to gnaw q
way through.
While the creature was thus engaged, Oon-
trived TO slip quietly from my dark corner by
the door, and catching up big stick, went
out at the back Of the house. stole round
as noiselessly as could toward the window.
There were, as l said, young fr trees on that
side OF the house, 80 that with little care, Il
was not difficult TO approach the place unob-
served. When l got 10 within few yards,
saw that the man-for tho creature was .
man-wAs still hard at work trying to force q
way in.
dropped my stick and made rush at him,
and bad him before he knew anything about
IT, He did not give up quietly. He struggled
desperately, l may say. But, bless
you he'd not the ghost OF chance with me.
l am tolerably strong man still, as men go,
and was younger then. ] could have un'
deTlaken three such as he, and thought moth.
ing OF II. The poor wretch had no sort OF
condition about him-he was mere skin and
bones-no muscle at all. He was nothing