The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-08-17


transportation to Siberia as convict of
the second class
II heard no more! was stunned by the
suddenness of this end of all my hopes, ana
Inconsistencies mercifully ended my sui
ferings. awoke to find myself again In
ried off with good many others to the
railway station to begin my long exile. One
idea was ever uppermost in my mind, to
let my wife know what had happened to
me. had noticed that one of the police
who was present at the breaking
t Hp OF At our meeting sna ~ss emSo1d
ened to try to gain his help. With
some difficulty approached nearer to him,
and telling him where lived, begged him
to acquaint my wife with my fate. This he
promised to do; and with that small
amount OF comfort left Moscow Tor MINI,
Novgorod. Arrived there. we were packed
on board large barge covered with strong
iron netting, effectually cutting off all
means Of escape, and for days were towed
down the Volga river. But why describe
the anguish and misery of that journey?
AT last we reached Ekaterinburg, and mere
we were separated into different parties,
and prepared for the long tramp of months
to our several destinations in Siberia; some
to the quicksilver mines; others, myself
among the number, to the salt mines of
Irkutsk.
And now the hardest trial of all was to
happen to me. While standing waiting Or
ders at the Siberian gate, on the outskirts
of the town, heard my name called by the
guard; and on going to him, was taken to
the guard-house, and there, travel stained
and worn by grief and fatigue, found my
dear wife. She had received my message;
and after selling everything in our home to
get sufficient money, had set out to follow
me across Russia. After hardships innum-
cradle, she had at last found me, and owing
to the kindness of the chief inspector at
Ekaterinburg, received permission from
him to say goodbye to me. Afterward, we
should be lost to each other for five
loug years. Need dwell on the touching
scene of our final adieus? After kissing
me for the last time, she took from around
her neck the charm that every Russian
wears, and placed it around mine, calling
down Gods blessing on me, and assured me
that her daily prayer would be that it might
preserve me from every danger in my life.
That charm consisted of a silver ruble,
given to her when child by her father,
and roughly engraved by him with the ina-
age of Greek cross. have never seen
her since! We were hurried off that after
noon.
II lived for two years in the salt mines,
doing work that killed those around me in
hundreds. Day and night in semi-darkness
we labored, our only rest being two hours
in every twelve. For two years I say l
suffered, but the wild longing for freedom
grew in me stronger and stronger, until one
shelter in the neighboring woods. What
became of my companions never knew.
For days, weeks. months, l wandered west
ward, living on the charity of the people in
the occasional villages through which I
passed, sometimes getting rough work to
hunger. Fortunately for me, my escape
took place in the early spring. and the
warmth of the summer months enabled me
to live and sleep in the open air without
hardship. One day. almost famished. l
had begged for food at a wayside post
to desperation, I remembered my silver
charm. The temptation was too great to
Withstand; and enjoyed the first food
had tasted in two days at the expense of
my wife's parting gift. Can you blame me?
It saved my life then, and little thought,
ever set eyes on it again.
1.-THE summer of 1874 slowly passed. After
many adventures I reached Tomsk, and as I
regained strength, determined to save all
could to enable me eventually to reach
my home. L had written to
to me, and it was two years before had
saved enough and started again on my
journey. At Perm l learned that the war
in Servia had broken out. Every one pass
ing through the country was closely ques-
toned, and being unable to satisfy one par
marched off to the nearest station for in
Quiries to be made. Afraid to give them
my real name or destination, my evasive
answers made them suspect that all was
not right, and I was drafted of to the
barracks to find myself enrolled soldier Of
his majesty the czar.
s'The Servian war ended. the troubles
| xus+l, rkopn ov, oupo6 mi pI1u nar,k
was ordered to the front, to take its place
in the army then forming on the southeast
frontier.
! "You know my history. After being in
many hard-fought engagements and being
twice slightly wounded. our conquering
hosts crossed the Balkans, and You know
the rest. You also know now why your
silver ruble has such an interest for me-"
At this stage exhaustion overcame him,
and when left he had sunk into q heavy
slumber. The following day heard from
the doctor that he had had a relapse, and
feeling that perhaps my long interview the
preceding day had something to do with
causing this determined to hnd better
| nursing for him than he could possibly get
at the hands of the one overworked doctor
in the place.
| Events favored me. The Turks, beaten
back at all points, were even then falling
back from the pass; and during that day
our numbers were increased by the arrival
of some hundred and fifty wounded, in
charge of Red Cross ambulance. No
sooner had they found quarters in the vii
lage than went to request that a nurse
might be sent to the wounded Russian.
This they promised me should be done.
That evening after my frugal dinner was
finished / walked up the street with the in
tention of seeing how he was going on. All
was quiet in the house, and entering soft
II, pushed open the door of his room,
There, on the floor, her arms around his
neck, with her white cheek pressed to his. I
saw the hospital nurse; and at that moment
understood what it did not require words
to tell me-Ivan Dolgatcheff had found his
wife.
Within three months from then I was
again in London. with the memory of their
waving farewell to me as the steamer in
which sailed glided ont from the granite
quays of Cronstadt harbor.
often hear from them. Little children
have come to them to bless their lives. but
they tell me that among all the gifts which
Providence has given them they still cher
ish most the silver ruble.-Chambers'
Journal.
Floods In Beloechistan.
LONDON, Aug. l6.-Recent foods in Be-
loochistan have done enormous damage to
pEopsEty and many persons we're drowned.