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

AL IaSI. ne tapped genlIy With his SUCK
The door opened.
Upon the threshold appeared young girl,
clad in the costume of a Siberian peasant; q
small corsage held by a crossed strap over
white body with pulled sleeves, and skirt
of red serge.
YegOr sprang towards her.
s'Nadeger' cried he; ''do you recognize
me-"
She drew back, frightened; but the SOUND
of his voice had found such an echo in he1
heart that she returned to the young man
She examined him for an instant exclaimed
''Yegor!" and fell into his arms.
Then, taking him by the hand, she led
him into the second apartment of the isba,
in the centre of which was seated, upon
rough stool, pale old man, with white
hair and beard, dressed also in the costume
of Siberian peasant; a long caftan tied
about the waist with red SASH and green
boots.
''Yegor! Yegor Semenoff! :" cried Nadege,
conducting the visitor to the old man.
Eyes. father, it is T. said Yegor, embrac-
ing Davidof
You, what brings you here?"
Yegor hesitated to reply
"Banishment! said he finally
; ''He also!" said the aged poet, as if talking
to himself. "Ah! poor child!"
Yegor was forced to tell him in detail OF
his arrest, how he had been sent to the cop
per and verdigris mines of Nertchinsk, and
how. by chance, NJ. Nadeieff, the grantee OF
the mines, having need of a secretary, had
taken him into his service
Father, why do you not look at me?" said
Yegor, at last seeing that the old man kept
his eyes persistently closed.
''Look at you? I am blind, my son!" said
the latter. "But see you all the same,
| heren' And he laid his hand upon his
heart.
| They spoke for a long while Of their ma
| tive land and of the sufferings endured upon
| the soil of exile. Davidoff described to
| Yegor his journey with his daughter, in a
| sledge. through the snow, during which
all their nights were sleepless. It was in
| consequence Of the fatigue then endured that
| his eyes had become weak and he had lost
| his sight.
Yegor visited the house of his friends on
| the morrow, and every day thereafter.
He found Nadege seated at her spinning
wheel, like genuine peasant girl, or en-
| gagged in preparing the meal. A young
| child of thirteen years, Ladislas, the son of
| a Pole who had died in exile, aided Nadege
| in her domestic tolls. Thanks to his ingenu-
Gus and charming character, the little Or
| phan succeeded in softening the sad lot of
those who had adopted him.
| M. Nadeieff had retained to Irkoutsk, and
| Yegor had worked for several weeks under
LIS uIreoJL0ll. Inc graIitoo OF TIC Nvfu-
| chinsk mines was greatly pleased with his
secretary and allowed him the utmost liber
| ty. Not day passed that Yegor did not
| visit his venerable friend and his family.
| Unhappily, Davidoff S strength failed visibly
| they saw MIN dying, as dies the fame of a
lamp that has no more oil.
| One evening Yegor found Nadege and
| LadislaS in tears: the old man, stretched
upon his bed, could scarcely breathe. They
| made him swallow few drops of brandy;
a salutary effort seemed to be produced, but
it was only momentary. His pulse dinin-
ished black circles surrounded his eyes and
his lips grew white.
Well fathers" said Yegor, taking seat
beside him.
| Davidoff slowly turned his pale, thin
face, strove to open his eyelids, as if he
| could still see and uttered few incompre-
hensible words
Aided by Nadege, Yegor endeavored to
lift up the old man, whose body was already
| stiff
His lips moved anew; he had recognized
| Yegor's voice talking to Nadege and direct
ing little Ladislas to run for physician.
This is better, I thank you" muttered he.
I'VE have arrived at Kieff, have we not?
Oh! how long the journey has been!"
He was delirious.
He delivered an address to his former pu-
pills. speaking to them of Russia's future and
the triumph of pity.
Yegor and Nadege held each others hands
and wept
At last, the physician arrived. He was
also am exile-a resident doctor in a military
hospital of ST. Petersburg, banished for
having circulated prohibited pamphlets
| The dying man had sunk into a lethargy
of bad omen. His respiration. growing short
er and more painful produced sound SINH
lar to stiaed kissing.
The physician felt his pulse and listened
to the beating Of his heart; them he departed,
whispering in Yegor's ear:
He will not last through the night"
About eleven o'clock, Davidoff recovered
from the lethargy into which he had again
fallen. Yegor raised him and gave him a
| little brandy, saying:
| Drink this, father, it will do you good"
! The old man drank it as obediently as a
child
| Then, his hands came out from under the
| coverings and began to search for something
in space. They encountered Yegor's hand.
! The old man seized it eagerly. and held it.
| Then he said in low voice:
| ''Nadege, your hand!" And having taken
it, he placed it in that of the young man and
added: "Yegor, I confide Nadege to you.
Be father and protector to her. Swear
to me that you will never abandon her."
Il swear it." said Yegor, in a voice choked
with tears.
Twill you marry her?' asked the dying
| man.
Il Wilt answered Yegor.
"Ah! my daughter! your father can now
die TRANQUILITY"
He fell back heavily upon his pillow, as il
this last effort had killed him.
Nadege uttered a heart-rending CRY and
threw herself upon her father. She kissed
| him, amid flow of endearing language, and
| smiled at him through her tears, as if he
could see her.
| Davidoff was dead. But the expression
of his face was so calm and peaceful that he
appeared to have fallen asleep, solaced
The exile's sufferings were over!
| CHAPTER v.-THE CHIEF OF POLICE.
The death of her father taught Nadege
how much help Little Ladislas was to her.
The child strove to assuage her deep at
foction, he devised means to aid her in the
thousand difficult things attending life
of Punishment. The care he required, in
his turn, took the orphans attention from
|