Morning journal and courier., 1891-12-04
PATHOS IN SIBERIA.
An Aged Convict Recog nfzes His Son
 as one of His Soldier Guards.

An Aged Convict Rccog niZes His Son
 as one of His Soldier Guards. lSt. Petersburg Correspondsnce of the London
 Telegraph
 An interesting account of a tragic meet ing between father and son, who, after & long separation, deserted each other stand ing on different sides of the impossible gulf that divides this worlds sheep from the goats, has just reached me. It oc cured near the city of VlAdidostock, where the construction of the new Siberi- an railway was lately commenced in honor of the Czsrowitz's visit.
 Among the workmen or helots, whose guerdon is many stripes and no pay, there are some thousands of the least criminal convicts in the country. Many of them are known to be innocent of the crimes laid to their charge, while others are being punished for acts which have absolutely nothing in common with moral crime. Among the latter was one hoary old man of venerable aspect, a native of Koo- rok, who had deliberately trodden on the chain of the governmental surveyor as he was measuring the ground because he was suspected of an intention to transfer some of the peasants land to the crown.
 The imprudent act was labeled violent resistance to the lawfully constituted au- thorities," the old man was found guilty, and as the rigors of Siberia were deemed inadequate to give this daring spirit his due, he was deported to the more terrible island of Saghalien.
 When the security of free workmen be- gan to be felt he was taken from there, conveyed to Siberia and sent to work along with one of the convict gangs. One day he was struck by the familiar look of the soldier who, with loaded rife, guarded his gang; and he made bold to ask him whence | he came.
 To this question the soldier, forbidden | by the military rules to enter into conver- sstion with the conyicts, gave no reply. The old man, however, grew more and more fdgety, soon ceased work altogeth- CT and fixed his dark, piercing eyes on | the soldier. At last, unable to control himself any longer, he pronounced 8 Christian name softly, calling out, My dear, dear son."
 The soldier quivered, grew pale, with an effort compressed his lips, conyul- sively clutched his gun and pulled himself | together for moment-but it was only one moment; the next his emotions had completely mastered him, his hands | dropped helplsssly 10 hls sides his rl1t slipped with dull thud to the ground and he himself fell heavily without 8 word or moan, as if cut down by scytne.
 The old father threw Himself on hii body, called him tenderly by his pet nam, and covered him with tears and kisses The other guards and taskmasters seeing without understanding what had hap pened, rushed to the spot, surrounded th' convict, who, it was evident to them, hst felled his guard, and raising the butt end of their guns prepared to dash out hi brains.
 Some of them next tried to remove hin by force, but he held the unconsciou guard so tightly locked in his embrace kissing him and muttering to himself "He knows me, yes. he knows me now my dear boy" that they were powerless l. separate them.
 At last they were both removed on , dray to the hospital, and the true signif canoe of the scene dswned on the inturis ted soldiers, who were now deeply touched
 by what they had witnessed "It was, , writes my correspondent, 'fa most har rowing scene-one that I shall remembe with 8 shudder to my dying day"
 The next morning the doctor declares
 that the soldier had lost his reason an must be removed to a msdhou.e. Tn
 convict, on being informed of this and ol } dered to begin work as usual, refuse
 quietly at first, then rosred and raved lik
 a maniac, and was at last put in s stIaigh . waistcost and confined along with the ott
 CT medmen.