The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-12-15

gall0p. Inc ROAD was as SmOOtn as u pOllSueu
| floor, the cold stinging; in half an hour we
were at Tara. The peasant left me in the
street and drove off. l approached the win,
| dow of the inn, and shouted in loud voice
after the Russian fashion.
Are there horsesr
where to go." responded sleepy voice
| from the interior.
"To the fair at Irbit."
''There are horses"
"a pnir!"
ayes, o pair.n
"How much the verstl"
"Eight kopeks"
~ can not give so much; six kopeks!"
''Too little-but-you can have them."
In q few minutes the horses were ready
and harnessed to the sledge.
| "Where do you come fromn said the
landlord, ns took my place in the sledge.
"From Tomsk; am the clerk of Messrs.
N. MY master has gone on to the fair,
and am very late; he will be angry; and If
you will reach there in time, will give you
D pourboire."
"The peasant whisted to his horses, and
they set off at full speed. Suddenly the
sky clouded over, the snow began to fall,
the wind rose; we were in a whirlwind of
| light, fine snow. My peasant lost his way,
| and then lost heart, and confessed that he
| had done 80. will not attempt to describe
the terrible agony of that night passed in
sedge, not twelve miles from Ekaterinin-
ski-Zovod, in the midst of a tempest of
| snow.
At last day began to break.
"Let us return to Tara" l said: II will
engage some one who knows the road, and
you shall be given up to the police for hav
| ing made me lose so much time.n
But with daylight my conductor recovered
himself and found the road. From that
moment he made every effort to make up
for the time already lost, and drove with
| lightning speed. But / was not satisfied
What fugitive ever is sol A horrible
thought haunted me. / remembered the
fate of our poor Colonel Wysocki, who, after
| having been delayed for a night in the forest
| by his guide was delivered in the morning
| to the gendarmes. Was l to be so treated 7
and l grasped my poniard. Vain fears !!
Unjust suspicious My peasant drove me
| to an inn, where 1 drank some tea and
| changed horses. In this way drove on all
through that day and far into the night.
where at my last halting place, the village
| of Soldatskaa, was, while drinking tea in
| a crowded cabaret, robbed OF forty rubles in
paper (about eighty francs) and OF the en-
velope in which they were contained, which,
alas also contained a list of the villages
through which had to pass on my journey
to ArchanSel, and also my passport.
One thing sustained mo in the face of this
terrible loss, and that was the utter i'm
possibility of doing any thing but go on. /
continued my journey, therefore and on the
third day of my flight found myself at the
gates of Irbit and thousand kilometres
| from Ekaterininski-Zovod. "Halt! and
show your passportv' exclaimed the guard
at the city gate. Fortunately for me, he
added in a whisper: "Give me ten kopeks,
and be off with you."
FASTENED to comply with his demand,
| and soon after found myself in crowded
inn of the poorest class and among swarm
| of peasants from all parts of Siberia. an
nounced that had left my passport with
| the authorities, and the next morning after
breakfast slipped out, avowedly to get it
and show it to the landlord, but really for
the purpose of leaving Irbit, which i did at
once, and unchallenged, by the northern
gate. During the night, while apparently
asleep. had reviewed my resources. and
| had come to the conclusion that could no
longer proceed in sledges nor sleep in even
the roorest inns, but must husband to the
| utmost the l25 francs which remained. l
walked therefore all through the day, from
l
dried fish which / carried in my bag, and
ouenching my thirst at the holes cut by the
peasants in the Ice for the purpose of water
| ing their cattle When night began to
draw in, resolved to prepare an Ostiak
burrow to sleep in.
| Where the snow is deep and dry it is not
by any means impossible to sleep warmly in
the very heart of q forest, provided always
that one knows how to prepare an Ostiak
burrow. This is done by following sort
of horizontal cave in the snow. Into this
the Ostiaks creep, and after piling up the
snow ut the entrance OF the burrow, so as to
exclude the cold air, they lie down and sleep
in perfect security and warmth. succeeded
perfectly in preparing my Ostiad bed, but
was imprudent enough to cover myself with
thsfurred side of my pelisse turned inward,
and slept so warmly in consequence that the
snow melted at the door of my burrow and
let In the cold air, 30 that woke at day
break with my feet almost frozen, and had
To rise ana begin my journey at once. 1t was
a terrible day. The work of toiling through
the snow was hard enough, but toward noon
rose the terrible icy wind of Siberia, which
drove in my face with binding force, and
! whirled masses of dry light snow before IL.
Still. toiled on. The short day was closing
in when had to confess to myself that
must rest or die. Fortunately was near o
small solitary hut and knocked at the
door. II was at once opened by young
woman, who motioned mo to enter. saluted
her and her mother In the Russian fashion,
and In reply to the usual inquiry where
was going, and ''where the good God was
leading me,n / answered that was work.
man from the government of Tobolsk, and
was going northward to the iron founderies
of Bohotsk. The woman gave mea hot sup
per. and had tho infinite relief Of being able
TO take off and dry my clothes. l then
stretched myself on a bench and fell asleep
with an indescribable sensation Of relief
and contentment thought that had neg
lected no precaution, nevertheless the wo
men began to suspect me. had four shirts
too great luxury for Siberian. i was
sinking into deep sleep when was awak
ened by rude grasp on my shoulder, and
saw myself surrounded by four peasants
who demanded my passport.
And what right have you to demand my
passport" exclaimed In feigned anger
''Is one OF you government ofiiceri"
'None OF US IL is true, but We are a
home"
SIS that truei' asked, turning to an ols
| neasant woman,