Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-09-04
THE EXILES.
A RUSSIAN STORY

Die ShelUef OF leaves something charming. a
delicious nest soft with moss and perfu,ned
with flowers; at the door, in the guise OF 3
curtain hung a great mass of ivy torn by
Ladislas from one of the veteran trees of the
forest; thick furs spread upon the floor over
dry leaves served her for bed. YegoT
had made for his betrothed rustic table and
chair formed of the roots Of tree felled by
the wind.
Upon the table, between two thin boards,
was enclosed the young girls most precious
possession, her fathers LAST poems, written
in days of trial and trouble, which she de
signed to publish if she should ever set foot
upon land of liberty
Above, the Holy Image, carried every.
where by Nadege in her exile-as the an
clients carried the lares of the earth-stood
out from background Of gold, suspended
beneath garlands of moss.
Meanwhile, the honest and good NJ. LAT.
leur suffered less from having lost his shoes
than from being deprived of tobacco. Think.
ing to return to Yakoutsk in few days, he
had neglected to supply himself with it. His
nose of respectable dimensions planted
like red standard in the centre OF his
parchment-lil8e face, had become melancholy
from lack Of snuff, and was visibly falling
away. Tobacco was evidently as necessary
for that nose, with its wide nostrils resem
bling two thimbles, as the dew for the plant
and the manure for the fields. M. Lahem
necessarily drew his silver snuff-box from
the depths of his vest pocket, and, opening
it with sad air, shook his head and rubbed
his nose; then he restored the snuff-box tt
his pocket, tutoring deep sigh.
M Ladeur who claimed that his ideas
had vanished with his TOBACCO, nevertheless
found one. Tobacco, S id he, was brought
from America to Europe. Suppose | Were
to look for sa.}o similar plant: In certain
countrie5. tn. replace bread by the potato
and even b., tree bark" So he began t.
search, and, as all who seek find, he thought
that species of arnica which he encounter
ed in his walks would supply the object O.
his desires
He dried the leaves of that plant upon ar
iron plate ana succeeded in reducing then
to a suitable powder.
The first Whit of this chestnuthued snuff
made the good NJ. Latleur sneeze for half al
hour. His nose seemed transformed into {
mitrailleuse. 1t exploded, Numbered anC
ragged, He laughed at it, with tears in his
eyes "Ah!" cried he, Il believe my nose is
firing salute Of joy"
Thus the first week of the encampment
passed away. A few days more and the
Yakouto would return with his sledges an6
reindeer That would be freedom, almos'
deliyerance Yogor, without allowing his
fever4sn imaitiaGl,.5 - De seen. counted the
hours ;,id the minutes. NJ. Laheur still
natle~cl hisns' Fl !. nc hope that Yer
mao dctld and no Witness of his completely
he. V,Iv
ouo,G.
Thvi fe'. ua.. .'.'-'..} t.r%o'rt tAe fugi.
tiy..a "a IT, -. ... |r..- H. ,y.',loless,
ca:a,.-.t. =. X. .'.a .:%2s-', II watch
full. Moor the cnclmpment was an elevs-
ton, crowned wish enormous pines, which
overlooked the rest Of the forest Morning
and evening, LadislaS climbed to the top of
one Of these trees to scan the vicinity; it
was the fugitiyes' lighthouse and post of
observation. From it. the glance embraced
the immense forest, rolling away like a sea
of leaves, of which the conical points of the
frs simulated the waves. And, affair off in
long grcenish perspective chains of bare
mountlins formed as it were, the steep
shores Of this ocean of verdure. Away
above, huge birds floated like shreds of torn
III a tempestuous sky.
One morning, the exiles found the trees
and the ground covered with snow. The
flakes continued to fall one by one slowly
and silently weaving white winding-sheet
for the earth, putting swan's-down around
the trunks of the aged pines, and on the
branches of the larches, heaps resembling
stalagmites Of virgin wax. The bushes,
sprinkled as if with cotton, produced most
picturesque effect. and every breath of life
beneath the leaves and in the thiczets was
hushed and suspended
Not the note of q bird, not the hum of an
insect but a heavy, sad silence. One
might have thought that this sudden irrup-
ton of winter in the green forest had frozen
with terror all its inhabitants. But, for the
fugitives, winter, cold and snow, leveling
marshes and boys. were instruments OF de-
iverance.
Yet Nj, Lafieur shivering, displayed .
veNed look. Finally, towards noon, the
flakes came in lessening numbers and the
snow ceased to fail. The dancing master
cast his eyes over the vast stretch of white
ness, which suggested an immense glacier
of the primitive epoch, when part of the
world was slumbering beneath thick en-
velope of crystal.
That day. after the few hours duration
to which the sunlight was reduced, they
lighted in Nadeges hut the great copper
lamp intended to furnish both heat and il
Elimination.
The young girl made and served tea, re-
counting the while to NJ. Latleur the suffer-
ings endured by her father and herself or
their journey to Siberia, in the midst of 3
severe winter. during which they encounter
cd several of those terrible hurricanes Sc
frequent beyond the Ural Mountains.
They saw wolves running on each side
of their sledge, ready to leap upon the
horses if they should fall or relax their pace
Such experiences were dreadful for an old
man and young girl so stepped in misfor.
tune They reached Nertchinsk exhausted,
after journey of more than forty-seveu
hundred miles, accomplished under the
worst conditions
''Poor fatherl" murmured Nadege, as she
finished her recital.
Poor Nadege!" said Yegor, extending his
hands to his betrothed.
MY friends" said the Partisan, ''you de-
serve better fate! But patience; it will
come! Filial devotion will have its re
compense, and the energy and courage OF
him who is to be your companion in this life
Mademoiselle, will also be rewarded"
While they We're thus talking the night
had advanced. M. Lafeur smoked a final
pipe, discreetly putting out-of-doors the
clouds of his doubtful tobacco.
At last bedtime came Yegor and the
Partisan babe the young girl and her broth.
er goodnight and retired to their hut.
The preparations for bed did not cost
them much toll the two men put on fun