Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-09-17
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MEETlNG OF ExiLES.
Observations Made ~ ~. Gsan4s In d
Mines NJ KArs.


Observations Made - ~. gsan.s IN sisS
Minss ~ KArs.
One by one the political convfets 81 |
the free command began TO assemble III
Miss Armfcldt's house. Every few
minutes low signai-knock would be
heard at one OF the window-shutiers
and Miss ArnfeIdt would 90 cautiously
70 the door. inquire who was there. and
when satisfied that it was ono Of her
companions would take down the bar
and give him admission. The small.
dimly lighted cabin. the strained hush
Of anxiety and apprehension. the soft.
mysterious Knocking at the window
shutters, the low but eager cDnversa-
ton. and the group Of paie-faced men
and women wiso crowded about me with
Intense, wondering interesf AZ ii
were man that had just risen from
the dead. made me feel like one talking
and acting in 4 strange. vivid dream.
There was not. ia the whole environ
ment. single suggestion Of the rea..
commonplace. outside world and when
the convicts. with bated breath. began
TO tell me CHASTITY stories OF cruelty,
suffering. insanity and suicide al the
mines, felt almost as II had entered
the gloomy gate over which Dante saw
inscribed the dread warning, Leave
hope behind"
About nine O'Clock. just az ! had
taken out my note book and began to
write. a loud. imperative knock vas
heard at the side window shutter.
Madam Koieakina exclaimed 10 a low.
hoarse whisper. Its the geDdarmes.
Don't let them come in. Tell them
who OF Us are here, and perhaps they II
be satisfied" Every body was silent.
and 1t seemed to me that could hear
my heart beat while Miss Armfeidt
went to the door and with cool self
possession said TO the gendarTnes: We
are all here; my mother. Kurteyef.
Madame Kotenkiua. and the other
names | could not catch. After a mo-
ment's pariey. the gendarmes seemed TO
go away. Miss Armfeidt shut and re-
! barred the door. and coming back into
the room said with smile. They were
! satisfied; they didn't insist on coming
in" Then. turning to me. she added
in English: The gendsrmes visit Us
three times day to see what we are
doing and to make sure tina. we have
not escaped. Their visits, however,
have grown to be formal. and they do
not always come in. Conversation
was then resumed. and for two hours
or more listened TO stories OF convict
! life in prison, ON the road or ut the
mines. and answered as well as could
the eager questions OF the convicts With
| regard to the progress OF the Russian
+, revolutionary movement In the course
| Of the talk my attention was accident
| ally attracted to a person whom |
had not particularly noticed be-
/ Tore and TO whom had not
| been introduced. II was q man thirty
Or thirty-fye years OF age with a color
| less, strangely vacant face and large.
protruding blue eyes. He had seated
! himself on q low wooden stool directly
/ in front of me, had rested his elbows on
his knees with his chin in his open
hands. and WIS staring up at me with
steady and at the same time expires.
sioRless gaze in which there seemed to
be something unnatural and uncanny.
At the first pause in the conversation
be said to me abruptly. but in strange,
| drawing, monotonous tone: We
| have-a - graveyard of-our-own-
here. Would - you like-to-see-
its''
| was 80 surprised and startled by
his manner and b. the nature of his
| question that did not for a moment
reply; but the conviction suddenly
flashed upon me that it was political
convict who had lost his reason. A.
the knocking at the gate after the
murder in Macbeth seemed TO De
Quincy IN deepen the emotions eX
cited by the tragedy and to reaec'
back a sort OF added horror upon al
that had preceded it. so this strange
unprompted question. with its sugges
tons of insanity and death, seemed Il
render more vivid aud terrible I'll,
stories of human suffering that | had
just heard, and 10 intensity all sh'
emotions reused in my mind by tn,
great tragedy of penal servitude-
George KEENAN,. IN Century.
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