The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1891-12-24
SELECTED.
A Tragedy of Siberia

There comes from Vladivosfok a story
remarkahl, for jts naihns and TRACED,
even among the dark tales thai make ur
the record of Siberian life. At that city
a. has already been announced. the con
struction of the trau-slberian rairoac
was begun some months ago. The WORK
was formally entered upon with imposin.
fornalities at the time Of the visit of tn,
Czarewtch For this purpose numbe
of convicts were taken thther, as labor
ers, under strong military guard
Among these convicts was one white
haired old man Of patriarchal aspect lie
was native of kporok, aud had always
been a law-abidng subject. But on ont
occasion the Government surveyors were
measuring of a slice of his ground, which
they proposed to se.ze. lie protest &c /,
and in his earnesttess CHANGED to step up.
On the surveyors chain, as it lay on the
ground before him. Now, the surveyor
was the representative of the Gear and
his chain for the time being represented
the imperial sceptre The old peasants
misstep therefore, was an act not only OF
gross disrespect to the little father but high
treason Itself. The culprit was instantly
arrested put in irons and lockt d in cell
On being br ought TO trial, however, he
succeeded in convincing his Judges that
his fault was accli, ntal and not intention.
al, and accordingly the utmost lenieacy
of the tribunal was extended to him.
He was not sentenced to death but was
sent to toll in a Siberian chain gang for
the remainder of his life.
Working on the railroad at Vladivostok
this poor old man one day noticed the sol.
dier who, with loaded rifle acted as guard
der looked wonderfully familiar TO him,
and the old man gazed at him SO steadily
AS To neglect his work and to bring upon
himself from the overseer a reprimand
and a threat of the kuout After a time.
the workman edged his way so close To
the guard that he could speak to him,
and lie asked him who he was and
whence he came. The soldier. of course.
made no rpnlv and did not even motto,
who was addressing him. T4e military
law sb,olutelv forbids a soldier To sneak
TO a convict or to notice him in any wav,
unless to shoot him if he tries to escape
/ But those of his comrades who stood neal
saw the soldier turn deathly pale. and
then brace himself M with more than
ordinary ripidity.
But The old man pors, yrred. IIeedles,
+.
down his tools. left his work. and stag
nered mn Ia the Guard. who remained ii.
lent and motiouiess Their ewes met. the
old mans streamirn with tears. the sol.
diel's dry and fixed AS those of the dead
"Al, xis NV son, Is it thou? Is it
thou" cried the hosry headed convict.
SIN military discirline kent the puar1
as silent and motiopless as a statue. His
face was pic.ure of mortal torment.
Their. despite his efforts to control him.
self his Inns culver, d. his knees trembled
He swayed to and fro. He grasped hi.
rife convulsivelv and drew himself M A.
if on dress.parade. The next momen,
his arms +, II ia his sides. his rifle dropped
to the ground and. without n word, o,
even yroar he fell at his fnthc,,s feet
annaren,Iy a corpse.
Tine convict threw himself upon his
son,s hodv covprinu IL with kisses sud
utltrinr wild cries of pndearment and of
grief. The oyersear snd the other guards
| seeire what had ham, ned. but rot under
staining it. rushed to the spot. They
supp0sed thst the old convict had attack
ed the soldier. pethaps killed him. II
was IN, ir business to supDOSe that. any.
way. So thew raised The butts of their
rifles and in a moment would have knock
ed ont the old mans brains But one
suggested that thoy should first drag the
couy Ct from the soldiers body. lest some
of their blow. should fal upon the htter.
This they struggled in vain to do. Though
half a dc zen Of item tugetd at them, they
could not separate the two bodies. and
the old man never noticed them even,
but kept ON kissing his unconscious son
and u1iering his wild. iuarticulate cries.
A cart was then brought, and the two
bodjes jpsepnr, bly clasped together,
were laid in il AMI taken under strong
guard, to the hospital, where the surgeou
wonld quickly cut eft the old mans arms
and thus part the two. But when the
snruaon saw th,m the truth dnwnpd nm.