Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-10-12
rHE BrRp SAVED HIM.

W. ! - y
rHE BIRD SAVED HIM.
Thus, TO reach Siberia they were COM
PEELED TO return TO Petersburg and take
up their journey from that place. The
exiles travel slowly, never moro than
twenty-five versts being passed in one
day. and every fourth day Is devoted en-
tirely 10 rest. II is only at every fourth
station that an etape officer IL found,
and these are the reeting places. At the
other stations the gendarmes who &C.
company the exiles perform the part Of
that of{icial. I soon became weary Of
this slow, monotonous way Of travelling,
and the prisons where we were forced
10 sleep were such foul smelling, Ill ven.
tflated places that / felt ! would soon
fall III u I continued 10 occupy them.
The prisons are cleaned but once year,
and the accumulation Of filth and YER
min found in them IL simply appalling.
The walls and floor are damp and alto
together unfit for human habitation.
Ny only hope in bettering my condition
lay In finding some means Of separating
from the exiles. This could only do by
teigning sickness and letting the others
proceed without me. Twenty -four hours
altar their departure found mo conva-
lesoent and ready to resume my journey.
A. man Of rank, by law was entitled
10 tbs privilege cf one horse, and BY the
kindness Of the etape officer was en-
abled 10 obtain q second horse for the use
ef the gsndarme who accompanied me.
Thus equipped, l had no difficulty In
ovsgtsking the party on foot, in addition
- possing three. .etape stations In twenty
fout hours. At the last Of these I de-
oideN 10 spend the night, ~ was becom.
tng exhaugted from hard riding. When
about to resume my journey In the morn.
ing ] was informed by tho etape officer
that would hnd much difficulty In pass.
ING the o6acial ct my next halting place,
without experiencing considerable delay,
- hs would In al probability detsin me
until the party from which had parted
wooh reach there. Ho said tho officer
q that station was an old soldier, one OF
the guards OF the time OF Nicholas !, and
man known throughout the country for
Ais brutal Treatment Of prisoners.
u was with no pleasant thoughts that
lpayted with the officer who had volun-
tesrsd such disagrseable information,
During my short s.Ay under his roof lie
had ahown me every kindness, and no
doubt told mo what he did TO put me on
ny guard and prepare me somewhat for
Ne reception I was likely to meet. !
wao within fifteen versts of the prison
over which Ivan Dimitrievitch Durakofi
exarcised such absolute control. and
whils busy with my thoughts as how
Bet 70 approach the old tyrant, q mujik
(peasant) suddenly appeared In the road
way, carrying In his hands o live black
grouse. 1t flashed across my mind that
b would be good idea to secure the bird
- present 70 the old soldiers wife. I
thought such . gift might softer the old
oGcer's heart, for 1t Is seldom that a
black grouse IL caught alive, and Is there
fore regarded as q curiosity. Stopping
The mujik inquired how much he would
taks for the bird. "Only fifteen kopekas,
your honor" was the reply. So the mujil
got his fifteen kopekas and the bird.
Fortune favored me, for on reaching
the station the much dreaded official
was absent, and my first meeting was
with his wife, into whose good graces
ingratiated myself by presenting her
with the black grouse. l told her she
must keep it In remembrance Of a pris
oners visit to her home. ] then ex.
planned to her the situation of affairs,
and also related in detail my fear of be
ing locked up by her cruel husband and
the endless trouble such delay would
cause me, as was in great hurry to
reach Petersburg as quickly as possible.
Mme. Anna Durakof was u stout mid.
die aged woman; she had kindly gray
eyes and beautiful long hair. She
laughed at my fears and assured that no
such direful calamity as l predicted
would befall me.
She replied: "You shall have three
good horses for the next thirty versts,
the only use shall make of my power
will 30 to have you arrested until dinner
h ready. ! am broiling nice spring chick
ems, and we have plenty of milk, vegeta.
bles and tea. You surely can desire
nothing better, and after you have had
. good meal you can proceed on your
journey. Ny husband is not at all the
bad man people represent him to be. II
10 true he 10 strict In the discharge
of duty. but withal kind hearted and
generous to a fault. and you need fear no
harm st his hands. Win you please be
seated while attend to the dinnerY' And
with . smile and a soft excuse me-" she
departed.
The room In which was seated gave
evidence Of considerable taste in the fur.
nishing, Notwithstanding that every.
thing In II was old fashioned. The halls
were adorned with old family portraits,
whils at one side Of the room an ancient
piano formed the chief attraction. In
Russia II % not usual to carpet the floors,
rugs bsing employed instead, but in this
cess The 6oor was simply painted, and NJ
elsan - soap and water could make Il.
While waiting madane's only child ap-
peaSsd on the scene, carrying In her
arms the bird which had just presented
hss mother.
M daughter, Elena, was pretty, in
ssessting girl Of perhaps IL years. She
was very much pleased with the black
srouAe. calling 1t moy miloy (my love-
and IN every way evincing her pleasure
- the unsxDected gift had been