Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-08-07

CHAPTER lu.-IRKOUTSK.
The morning was fine, though cold The
autumn was advancing. Nevertheless, the
very few stunted and squatty trees, which
stood here and there, had preserved all the
solid luxury of their sombrc foliage, which
no red or golden fruit relieved. In Siberia
the trees produce nothing, not because heat
is wanting, but because of the extreme rigor
of the frosts, which damages the roots and
destroys the action Of the sap The cloud
less sky had the limpidity of a lake of azure,
and huge Aoclzs of wild geese sailed through
it like white hotillas.
In the midst of the sad and monotonous
plain, the road scarcely marked by the
wheels of the vehicles rolled away as far
as the eye could reach animated only by the
rapid passage of troil<a drawn by three
draught horses, with grayish white hair,
belonging to that small and strong Siberian
race similar to that of Corsica.
The troika went the faster as it carried
but a single Traveller, whose light baggage
consisted of leather valise.
This traveller was YegOr Semenoff.
Since he had breathed anew the free air,
since he had again found sunlight and verdi
ure, a resurrection had taken place in him
He no longer bent and his eyes had recover
ed their brightness. With glance lost in
the vague Whiteness of the horizon, he
thought of the past and was not frightened
by the future
The remembranceS of his childhood now
thronged about him, like a joyous and
laughing cortege amid the sad and silent
solitude.
He was no longer in Siberia, in exile but
In that old manor where he was born and
which he never should have quilted. He
ran with his sister beneath the trees of a
beautiful park, and on horseback secured
the open country with her. Oh! the happy
years With what tenderness he remem-
bered them! What balls, what fetes! He
again saw the parlors brilliantly illuminated,
the stairways full of servants, and the ter
races encountered with the long trains of
the ladies, who had gathered from all the
lordly residences of the neighborhood.
One day, they danced longer than usual.
Yegor's sister had just married captain of
the merchant marine of Riga; the wedding
had been celebrated at the dwelling of the
SemenoffS
On the morrow, when his sister departed,
Yegor ran into the wood and wept. Six
months afterwards, he in his turn, quilted
the paternal ROOF to become q student at the
University of Kief.
There he found second family in that of
the poet Davidoff professor of Slavonic lit
erature at the university, and second sis.
ter in the charming Nadege, the only daugh-
ter of the writer.
His dreamy thoughts, rocked by the pace
of the horses, carried him back to that bless
ed family, to their hospitable dwelling.
where the youth of the university received
such a kindly welcome. Each evening, re-
unions took place, at which some literary
question was discussed some one read
verses, or a musician improvised d moroccan
or played airs from an unpublished opera.
Nadege served the tea; then, in her turn
she seated herself at the piano and sang
one of those popular Russian songs, with
words and rhythm SO melancholy and SO
sweet.
One Sunday, this lively and pleasant
houSS suddenly found itself empty and de-
serted. Those who came, according to Gus
tom, were informed that NJ. Davidoff had
departed on a long journey The truth was
that the police, rendered uneasy by these
reunions had become alarmed at them, and
that the aged poet suspected of belonging
to the advanced liberal party, had been ar,
rested between two and three o'clock in the
morning and sent to Siberia by simple ad.
ministrative measure. In consideration Of
his years, they had permitted his daughter
whom he adored and separation from whom
would have killed him, to accompany him il
his exile.
This dolorous event filed Yegor with I'm
spealSable grief
The reunions of the poets friends, how
ever, were not interrupted; YegOr offered
to hold them at his house. Three years af
forwards he was arrested, in his turn, and
without trial, without sentence, was sent
like Davidotf, to Siberia.
These last remembrances recalled to hin
all his sufferings since the night he had
been torn from his bed. thrown into dun
geon and afterwards dragged for nearly
three months, with irons on his legs, in d
hbltka, over the long and cruel road OF
exile
At last, his lot had received a sudden an6
unhoped-for amelioration. It was almost
liberty that had been given to him by The
grantee of the mines, NJ. Nadeieff
eff l should find" murmured Yegor
''Davidof and his daughter alive-really re
siding at Irkoutsk! Alas perhaps they
nave ued from bad treatment, fatigue an(
privationl''
This though Iroze his heart-he had sucl
an ardent dc ire to see his old friends again
He would so like to devote himself to them
make their life easier, and bestow upon then
words of consolation and hope.
He adroitly questioned the coachman:
''Have you ever heard tell, at Irlzoutsk
of an exile by the name of Davidoffl" asked
he.
''In the first place, 1 don't know any yer
max (exile) either there or elsewhere al
swered the coachman, who probably wishe'
to say nothing
The third day, after two nights passed il