The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1889-01-12
eANlsHED TO SIBERIA FOR LIFE.
Something About Felix volkhofski and
His Devoted, Heroic Wife.

His Devoted. Heroic Wife.
10 mo. perhaps. the most attractive and
sympathetic Of the Tonlsk exiles was the
Russian author, Felix Volkhofski who was
banished to Siberia for life In 1878 upon tho
charge OF Belonging to a society that in-
tends. at a more or less remote time in the
future, to overthrow the existing form of
government" writes George Kennan in The
Century.
He was about 80 years Of age at the time
made his acquaintance, and was n man of
cultivated mind, warm heart and high aspi
rations lie knew English we'll, was familiar
with American history and literature and
had, believe, translated into Russian many
of tho poems of Longfellow.
He spoke to me with great admiration,
remember, Of Longfcllows "Arsenal Mt
Springfield" and recitcd it to me aloud. IIe
was one Of tho most winning and lovabe
men that it hos ever been my good fortune
to know; but his life had been terrible
tragedy.
His health had been shattered by long inn
prisonment In the fortress of Petropavlovsk; /;
his hair was prematurely white; and when
his face was in repose there seemed to be an
expression Of profound melancholy in his
dark brown eyes
became intimately acquainted with him
and very warmly attached to him; and
when bade him good-by for tho last time
on my return from Eastern Siberia in 1856,
he put his arms around mo and kissed me,
and said: "George lvanovitch, please don't
forget usl In bidding you good-by, feel
as If something were going out of my life
that would never again como into it,"
Since my return to America have heard
from MIR. Volkhofski only once. He wrote
me profoundly sad and touching letter, i'll
which he informs mo Of tho death of his wife
by suicide. He himself had been thrown out
OF employment by tho suppression of tho
liberal Tomsk newspaper, Tho Siberian Ca
zette, and his wife, whom remember as n
pale, delicate, sad faced woman, 25 or 80
years of age, had tried to help him support
their family of young children by giving
private lessons and by taking III sewing.
Anxiety and overwork had finally broken
down her health, she had become all invalid,
and i'll morbid state of mind, brought OH by
unhapplneSs and disease, sho reasoned her
self into tho belief that sho was IN incum-
brance, rather than help, to her husband
and her children, and that they would uti-
mately bc better OFF if she were dead.
little more than Il year ago sho put an
end to her unhappy life by shooting herself
through the head with pistol. Her hus-
band was devotcdly attached to her, and her
dcnth under such circumstances and in such
way, was n terrible blow to him.
He sent me with his letter small, worn,
leather matchbox, which had been given by
Prince Pierre krapotkin to his cxlcd brother
Alexander, which tho latter had left TO Voil;-
hofsii, and which Volliholski had in turn
presented to his wife short time before her
death.
Tho czar may whitcm tho hair of such men
US Felix Volkhofski in tho silent bombproof
casematcs of the fortress. and he may send
them i'll gray convict ovcrcoats to Siberia;
but timc will come, in tho providence Of
God, when their names will stand higher
than his on tho roll of history, and when the
record of their lives and sllrcrings will be IL
source of heroic inspiration to ull Russians
who lovo liberty nnd their country.