The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1885-10-22
AN ESCAPED CONVICT.
Why the 'Politzia" Did Not Take
Him the Third Time.

Lliil-uduu6 uOs Dub NY u6du was SeG tu6
right way On my shoulders, and I got to be
ar overlooker. Five and twenty years
ago, when a great English firm, whose
operations extend over many parts of
Russia, started a cotton mill at Ekaterin-
burg, l was offered a post as manager.
E~katerinburg is, as l dare say you know,
on the Siberian side of the Ural Noun
tains, and in the heart of the Governmen
mining districts. A nan thinks twice be-
fore he transports himself and his family
to such a place, but I had made up my
mind to get on, and this was a good chance
to one in my position.
1 was not disappointed. I looked after
the mill, and it prospered. We north
country operatives are a thrifty folk, and
like living in a plain way. Isaved money:
and as it was the policy of the firm to keep
me in my post, n to give me a personal
interest in the undertaking, ] was allowed
to invest my few hundred of roubles in
the mill.
These common place particulars about
my own affairs can have very little in
terest for you, sir. / only tell them be-
cause otherwise you would scarcely under
stand what has to follow.
One evening, late in our short Russian
summer when the long days were fast
drawing In, we were in our family sitting
room, 1 engaged with some of the mill ac-
counts, and my wife with her sewing,
when Lottie, our eldest daughter, rushed
in, and, without a word, tainted right
away ON the floor.
myself than it surprised us, for Lottie was
a sensible girl, and had never given way
to any hysterical fancies before. We knew
that it must have taken a good deal to up.
set her in that way, and as soon as we had
contrived to bring her round. we made her
falI tro rUhaf hQd haar tho rrnoffar
1t seemed that she had been alone in her
room, when, turning suddenly towards the
window, she became aware of a face
pressed closely against the glass and
glaring at her. What the face was like
sic was unablet to describe, but it appeared
too ugly and horrible for a human being.
If it could have been called that of a man
or woman, she said, she should not have
been SO frightened.
I went out and looked round the house.
Nothing was to be seen. We knew Lottie
to be a sensible girl, but were inclined to
think that her fancy must nave played her
q trick for once.
After a time my wife left the room to ses
about our supper. My wife (she has been
dead now this nine years) had as strong
nerves as any woman that I ever knew
nothing ever seemed to knock her off her
balance. 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 I opened the door of the
kiddouoy" (the larder that is) 81 heard
something at the window. Whatever il
may have been it took alarm, and did moi
let me see it.; but it has left it's marks OF
the lattice"
l followed her silently to the klddouOy
AL was now quiet there. I examined the
fort0chkd-as in Russia we call the little
windo of such a place. In summer time
its glass easement was removed, and it was
now only protected by a lattice of crossed
strips of fir-wood. These strips were
slightly displaced, as if some one had tried
to force them out, and thus to gain en-.
trance. The J0rtochka was about large
enough to have admitted the body of
man.
Nothing was to be seen by looking out.
for though a reasonable amount of twi.
light still remained, it was only enough tt
show things with any distinctness in
the open, and I had sheltered the back Of
our house by planting a number of young
fir trees. 1 whispered to my wife that sht
should go back to Lottie and that 1 would
stay where l 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 il
was zoo labo LOT any OIL our mill people TO OF
about, and they were our only neighbors
Indeed, we had no near ~neighbors. My
house, n one adjoining it (intended fol
another employee, 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 (ths
door, as we call it,, while their front.
looked on a public ~thoroughfare. Thus oul
back premises were strictly private after
the gates to the mill had been closed; ant
the person-if it was a person-who hat
got to the windows must either have Sc,
GREETED himself within the door, or hav,
gained access to it in some improper man
ner. Now, however, all was still as coul
be.
Down l sat, to watch, close by the doc
of the kIddOuOy. l chose a dark corner
and one where, in the dusk, it would hav
been a hard matter to see me, but I had
full view of the lattice. 1 waited till m,
patience was beginning to wear out, an
then fancied that / heard some ;ligh
sound outside under the fOTtochkd. 1t wa
SO slight that at first I was not sur
whether it might not be merely fancy, bu
after a little pause I heard it again, Ioude
and more distinctly. sat still as a mouse
and kept a sharp lookout.
Slowly and gradually something raise
itself before the opening. 1t was a head
but in the uncertain light I could not sa,
W. ether it was a human head or that G
some brute creature. Whichever it Nigh
be, I could see enough of it to know that
was such a wild, haggard, unearthly look
ing thing as / had never looked upon be
fore. Any quantity of shaggy hair we
hanging about it, and its only features t
soak of seemed to be eyes. Eyes it ha
past all mistake. Never did l see any
thing like the way in which it glared 9
our good provisions within. l have see
what a famished wolf looks like, and
should hardly tnink a famished wolf wort
comparing with that creature. 1t we
ra 7enous after what it saw Up besid
the head came two punches of long claw
which wrenched at the wooden lattice as
to tear it down. But they were too veal
The strips held fast. And then the thin
fell to with its teeth to gnaw a wa
through.
c5ntrived 10 slip quietly from my dar
corner by the door, and catching up a hi
AHek, went oft ~ the back Of the house,