The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-10-24
GFrom London Society,"
SENTENCED TO SIBERIA.

From London society,"
SENTENCED TO SIBERIA.
lam Lancashire man and l 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 overlook
er. Five and twenty years ago, when great
English firm whose operations extend over
many parts of Russia, started cotton mill
at Ekaterinburg, was offered a post as
manager. Ekaterinburg is, as dare say you
know, on the Siberian side of the Ural
mountains, and in the heart of the Govern
ment mining districts. 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.
/ was not disappointed. looked after the
mill, and it prospered. We north-country
operatives are thrifty folk, and like living
in plain way / saved money; and as it was
the policy of the firm to keep me in my post,
and to give me personal interest in the un-
dertaking, l was allowed to invest my few
hundreds of roubles in the mill.
These commonplace particulars about my
own affairs can have very little interest for
you, sir. only tell them because otherwise
you would scarcely understand what is 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, l
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 brighten my wife and
myself than it surprised us, for Lottie was
sensible girl, and had never given away 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.
1t 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
describe, but it appeared too ugly and hor-
rible for human being. If it could have
been called that of of a man or woman, she
said, she should not have been so frightened.
L WCub Oub anu lOOhCu lOuhO ohAO AiohoN'
Nothing was to be seen. We knew Lottie to
be sensible girl but we were inclined to
think that her fancy must have played her a
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
nothing ever seemed to knock her off her bal
ance. Well, she came back in a 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, "Lottie must have been right,
there is something about. When l opened
the door of the kladovoy" the larder that is)
81 heard something at the window. What
ever it may have been, it took alarm, and did
not let me see it; but it has left its marks on
the lattice"
1 followed her silently to the kladovoy.
All was now quiet there. l examined the for
tochka--as in Russia we call the little win
dow of such place. In summer time its
glass easement was removed, and it was now
OlilJ PIObCCbCu Ny d lduelSO VI SAOoo oN1iPo "a
fir-wood. These strips were slightly dis
placed, as if some one had tried to force them
out, and thus to gain an entrance. The for
tochka was about large enough to have adj
mitted the body of 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 distinctness in the open, and had
sheltered the back of our house by plant
ing. number of young fir trees. whispered
to my wife that she should go back to Lot
tie and that would stay where | was for a
bit, and see whether the robber-if it was a
robber-would come again.
1t was scarcely to be called late, yet it was
too late for any of our mill people to be
about, and they were our only neighbors.
Ny house, and one adjoining it INTENDED for
another employe, but at that time unoccu-
pied, stood partly within the high wooden
fence which inclosed the mill; that is, their
backs opened into the Enclosure (the dyor, as
we call it,, while their fronts looked on pub
lie thoroughfare. 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 secreted himself within the
dyor, or gained access to it in some improper
manner. Now, however, all was still as
could be.
Down | sat, to watch close by the door Of
the kladovoy. l chose dark corner, and one
where. in the dusk, it would have been ahard
matter to see me, but had full view Of the
lattice. waited till my patience was begin
ming to wear out, and then l fancied that l
heard some slight sound outside under the
fortochka. 1t was so slight that at first was
not sure whether it might not be merely fan
cy, but after little pause heard it again,
louder and more distinctly. sat still as a
mouse, and kept sharp lookout.
Slowly and gradually something raised it
self before the opening. 1t was head; but
in the uncertain light could not say wheth-
er it was human head or that of some
brute creature. Whichever it might be,
could see enough of it to know that it was
such a wild, haggard, unearthly looking
thing as had never looked upon before.
Any quantity of shaggy hair was hanging
about it, and its only features to speak of
seemed to be eyes. Eyes it had past all mis-
take. Never did l see anything like the way
in which it glared at our good provisions
within. | have seen what famished wolf
looks like, and l should hardly think fam
ished wolf worth comparing with that crea-
ture.. 1t was ravenous after what it saw. Up
beside the head came two punches of long
claws, which wrenched at the wooden lattice
as &c TO tear it down. But they were too
weak. The strips held fast. And then the
thing fell to with its teeth to gnaw away
through.
While the creature was thus engaged, L
contrived to slip quietly from my dark cor