The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-08-14
A RUSSIAN EXILE.

| Mrs. Ivan Tcicenko nee Annie Rather
daughter of Mr.. Moses Rather Of 3O3 South
Market street of this city, arrived in Wich-
! tia day before yesterday direct from ST.
IBERIA The journey occupied two months
! and she was so much fatigued that she
was not able TO talk much Of her exper-
| fences until yesterday evening. For the
| last three years she has been a Siberia
political exile and little daughter nearly
three years of age has shared her hard
ships. Her term OF Punishment expired on
May but owing TO the severe weather
she could not undertake her homeward
journey until June 10. She came by way
of St. Petersburg, Berlin, London and
New York
Mr.. Moses Rather was formerly dry
goods jobber in Karchoff in Southern Rus
sia but on account OF his family moved TO
America settling in western Kansas and
three years ago moving TO Wichita.
This daughter was educated for a teacher
IN the higher grades of education and her
fearless expression Of opinion made it seem
prudent TO the Russian government
70 condemn her TO exile Her first
arrest was five years ago when she was
about IS years Of age, and during the two
years they were making up their minds to
send her 70 Siberia she was kept in prison
n ROstof Her husband and an elder sis
ter are also in exile, and it viii be several
years before she has any hope of seeing
them. In exile they were widely separ-
ated, the two sisters being probably 500
miles apart. This sisters place of exile
was Main, q village of probably 200 Dopu-
lation, situated in a kind Of bog twenty
miles from the White Sea. She has
brought with her many things character
istic Of the place, but they are not pleasant
reminders TO her. She finds this climate
rather warm at present, but the little girl
complains more of the heat. The political
prisoners at this place are allowed the free
dom Of the village, but on no account are
they allowed beyond its limits Instead
Of serving ont rations, as to common pris-
oners, each is allowed a stipulated sum
each month for their subsistence, and
they may spend il is they please The
amount depends upon their stand
ing in society previous to their
Punishment, but III no instance
l. 1t more than sufficient for a bare sub
sistence. Many of the exiles would starve
was ii not for the assistance from friends
Their physical sufferings are not serious
and arise mainly from the severity Of the
climate and the unhealthy locality. The
monotony of the place is a source of great
mental torture and has a very pernicious
effect on the mind in many instances.
Three out Of five exiles that accompanied
her from her home committed suicide,
their minds having become derang ed. The
utter hOpelessness of their future, aggra-
waited by the oppressive mOnotony Of the
place, was too much for them. The adj
mInistratOr and the guards are usually
very ignorant people, and by their AFRO
gance and Overbearing manners make the
lot Of the exiles still more distressing. The
pleasure experienced by the family in this
reunion can better be imagined than de-
scribed
Mrs. Tcicenko IS in her Esd year, a little
below the medium height, and making a
slight allowance for the fatigue of her
journey Is the picture of health She
probably weighs 100 pounds. She has the
graceful carriage and self posses
sion which characterize a lady of
natural refinement and culture.
Her hair and eyes are dark brown and her
voice cultivated and low, IAN excellent
thing in woman" Her little daughter
strongly resembles the mother, having the
same cast of coUntenance and the same
eyes and hair Looking affectionately on |
the little girl, the mother said that had it /
not been for her companionship she would /
have experienced all the horrors Of a Sibe- |
rian exile.
As yet all conversation is carried on with |
the members of the family who act as in |
terpreteTs, but it will only be short time |
before they master the intriCacies Of the |
English language. The little one is quite |
willing TO learn and already can say yes /
and no. In addition TO these two words /
she has another which she invariably uses !
provided yes or no do not suit the occasion I
and that i AL right She manages to (
understand almost everything and IL is .
simply astonishing how much the can say /
with that limited vocabulary and artIess /
ways. As soon as Mrs. Tcicenko is suffi- |
GENTLY recuperated she will be pleased to |
give a more detailed account of her expert |
ences as an exile.