Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-01-11

| you
He hesitated moment and then hello
out his hand. The door was now open
l could see the throng Of repulsivs. vii
lainous faces-the faces of his fellow
prisoners. l could hear the jabber o.
curiosity and wonder. l could smell
the foul odors coming from that reekins
den crowded with filthy humanity,
And in such a place As this, with such
associates, a man of education, culture
and refined tastes, was doomed to spend
his last days. 1t was fearful punish
menti
Yet it was well merited. As he stood
on the threshold with outstretched hand
felt this To all iptents and purposes
the man was a murderer. Much moved
as | was by his fate could not bring
myself to grasp his hand. My refusal
may have been harsh, but could not
do it.
He saw that I did not respond to his
action. A flush Of shame passed over
his face; he bowed his head and turned
away. The soldier took him roughly
by the arm and thrust him through the
doorway. Then he turned, and bis
eyes met mine with an expression that
haunted me for days. He was gazing
thus when the heavy door was shut and
hid him from my sight forever.
turned away sick at heart, perhaps
regretting had added anything to his
shame and punishment l sought my
obliging friend, the Captain. and 10
ceived his word of honor that any
money / left with him should be ex-
pended for the convict's benefit
placed considerable sum in his hands,
and can only hope that q part of it
reached its destination.
Then l found my interpreter. and
ordered horses to be at once procured
and the tarantass brought out l would
start without moments delay for En-
| gland Pauline.
In half an hour all was ready. Ivan
and l stepped into the carriage; the
yemschik flourished his whip; the
horses sprang forward; the bells jingled
merrily, and away we went in the
darkness, commencing the return Jour-
ney which counted by thousands q
miles. 1t was only now, when burning
to find myself home again, that l real
lied the fearful distance which lay be-
tween me and my love.
A turn of the road soon hid the
gloomy ostrog from my sight, but it
was not until we were miles and miles
away that my spirits recovered anything
like their former tone. and it was days
before l ceased to think. at nearly every
moment, of that terrible place in which
] had found Ceneri, and to which saw
him again consigned after my business
with him was finished.
As this is not book OK travel will
not recapitulate the journey. The
weather nearly all the time was favor
able, the roads were in good condition.
My impatience forced me 70 travel al
most day and night. spared no ex-
pense; my extraordinary passport pro-
cured me horses when other travellers
were compelled to wait-my large
gratuities made those horses use their
best speed. In thirty-five days we
drove up to the Hotel Russia at Nijnei
Novgorod, with the tarantass in such a
dilapidated condition that in all proba-
bility another stage would have finished
its work in this world. bestowed it,
free gift, upon my guide, who, believe,
sold it Immediately for three rubles.
From Nijnei by rail to sioscow; from
Moscow to St. Petersburg only tar
ried in the capital long enough to pay
my respects to Lord -, and once
more thank him for his assistance;
then, having collected what luggage l
had left there, away for England!
On nv road back from Ekutsk J
found letters from Priscilla at Tomsk,
at Tobolsk and at Perm. also more re-
Gently written ones at St. Petersburgh.
All up to the date of the last was going
on well. Priscilla had taken her charge
to Devonshire. Having been reared in
that county the old woman had 3 great
belief in its virtues. They were at 8
quiet, but beautiful little watering
place on the north coast, and Priscilla
averred that Pauline Twas blooming as
a rose, and seemed as sensible as Master
Gilbert himself"
No wonder after hearing this good
news was eager to reach home-long-
ing. not only to see my wife again, but
to see her as had never yet seen her,
with her mind restored. Would she re-
member me? How should we meet?
Would she at last learn to love me?
Were my troubles at an end or only
begun? These were the questions which
could only be answered when England
was reached.
Home at last! How delightful to
stand among ones own countrymen,
and hear nothing but good Ineligible
English around me. ! am bronzed with
exposure to the wind and sun, my beard
has grown to a great length; one or two
acquaintance I met when reached
London scarcely knew me. In my
present trim l could not hope that l
should awaken any recollection in
Pauline's mind.
By the aid Of q razor and fresh ap-
parel was soon converted to a fairly
good semblance of my former self, and
then, without having apprised even
Priscilla of my return, started for the
West, to see what fate had in store for
me.
What is a run across England after a
man has made such a journey as my
recent one? Yet that pitiful hundred
and fifty miles seemed to me as long as
thousand did month ago. The last
few miles l had to 90 by coach, and,
although four splendid horses spun us
along, each individual mile seemed as
long IS Siberian stage. But the jour
ney was at last ended, and, leaving my
baggage in the coach Office, l sailed
forth. with beating heart to find
Pauline.
went to the address given in Pris-
elias letter. The house was quiet
little building, nesting on wooded
bank, with sloping garden in front,
full of late summer flowers. Honey
suckle twined round the porch, great
sunfiowers stared fiercely from the beds.
and carnations sweetened the air. As
/ waited for the door to be opened l had
time to approve Priscilla's choice of
resting-place.
1 inquired for Mrs. Drew. She was
not at home-had gone out with the
young lady some time ago, and would