Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-10-29
SENTENCED TO SIBERIA.

the right way on my shoulders, and
got to be over locker. Five and twenty
years ago, when a great English firm,
whose operations extended over many
parts of Russia, started cotton mill
at Ekaterlnbu | was offered a post
as manager. Ekaterinburg is, as I
dare say you know, on the Siberian
side Of the Oral Mountains, and In the
heart of the government mining dis
trIcts. A man thinks twice before he
transports himself and his family to
such place. but had made up my
mind to get on, and this was good
chance to one IN my position.
l was not disappointed. [ looked
after the mill, and it prospered. We
north-country operatives are thrifty
folk, and like living IN a plain way.
[ saved money; and as it was the
policy of the firm to keep me In my
post and to give me person interest
In the undertaking, | was allowed TO
invest my few hundred of rubles 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 fol-
low.
One evening late IN our short Rus
sian summer, when the long days were
fast dra wing in, we were in our family
sitting~roOm, | engaged with some of
the mill accounts, apd my wife with
her sewing, when Lottie, our eldest
daughter, rushed in, and, without q
word, tainted right away on the floor
This did not more brighten my wife
and myself than 1t surprised us, for
Lottie was a sensible girl, and had
never given away to any hysterial
fancies before. We know that 1t must
have taken a good deal to upset her in
that way, aud as soon as we had con :
trived to bring her sound we made her
tell us what had been the matter.
It 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 glazing at her WHAT the
face was like she was unable to de-
scribe, but it appeared too ugly and
horrible for a human being. IF it
could have been called that Of man
or woman, she said, she should not
have been SO frightened.
| went out and locked round the
house. Nothing was to be seen. We
knew Lottie to Oe a sensible girl, but
we were inclined TO think that her
fancy must have played her trick
for ence.
After q time my wife left the room
to see about Our supper. Ny wife (she
has been dead now these nine years.
had as strong nerves as any woman [
ever kneW-nothing seemed TO knock
her off 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 some
thing 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: 'Lottie
must have been right, there issome>
thing about. When I opened the door
of the kladoyoy (the larder that is) I
heard something at the window.
Whatever it may have been 1t took
alarm and did not let ma see it; but It
has left its mark on the lattice"
| followed her silently to the klad-
ovoy. All was now quiet there. I
examined the fortochka-as in Russia
we call the little window of such
place. In summer time It's glass case
ment was removed, and 1t was now
only protected by lattice of crossed
strips of frwood These slips were
slightly displaced, as if some one had
tried to force them out, aud thus to
gain entrance. The fortochka was
about largo enough to have admitted
the body of a man.
Nothing was to be seen by looking
out; for though a reasonable amount
of twilight still remained, it was only
enough to show things with any dis
tlnctness in the open, and | had shel>
tered the back of our house by plant
ing a number Of young fir trees. [
whispered to my wife that she should
go back to Lottis and that would
stay where | was for bit, and see
whether the rOboer--if it was a rob-
ber-wouid come again.
It was scarcely to be called late, yet
It was too late for any Of our mill peo-
pie to be about, and they were our on
~ nelghbors. My house and one ad-
joining it Gntended for another em~
ploye, but at that time uncccupied)
stood partly within the nigh wooden
fence which inclosed the mill that is,
their backs opened into the Enclosure
(the dvor, as we call it,, while their
fronts looked on public thorough
fare. Thus our back premises were
strictly private after the gates to the
mill had been closed, and the person
if it was person-who had got to
the windows must either have secret
ed himself within the dvor or have
gained access to it in some improper
manner. Now, however, all was still
as could be.
Down I sat to watch close by the