Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1892-11-17
place really. that the machinery OF the q:


OF health. but not disheartened, dark a. the
prospects were she had TO face and boldly
she presented herself before the high and
mighty official OF the bureau. and told her
sorry; and when the chic bedizened in a
gorgeous. blue and gold uniform, had heard
her tale and read her passport he
shrugged his shoulders contemptuously,
pulled great volume of smoke from the
cigarette he was smoking, and muttered:-
Wet"
Rachel shuddered as she always did
when she heard her father Spoken, of as a
convict, and her face Redeemed and her eyes
frightened with anger, but she held her
peace, for she had come to understand how
| imrortant it was that she should be
cautious lest her schem" DO thwarted.
Then coursely the Chief addressed her.
why do you wish to go to your father,
"Wny?" she asked, looking at him in
Heavenly Father. has planted in my heart
powerful affection for my earthly iather;
and ain wou d comfort him in his mis-
cry, tend him in his old age, and when he
dies die with him"
"Ah. pretty sentiment" remarked tho
| official, with sneer. You father has
been exilcd to sakhulin, has he not'"
The Chief of the Exile Bureau was evil
IDENTIFY interested in Rachel's story.
Know you, then, that you will not be
allowed to live upon the island?" he en-
qured.
so was given to understand. But
occasionally I can visit my father. And
some day, mayhaps he will be allowed
freedom Us all exile colonist. Then he
Can come to the mainland, and l shall be
with him."
What crime was he condemned for"
s'He was guilty ofno crime" answered
Rachel, her indignation showing itself in
her eyes and tone. For some moments the
Chief Looked at her stcrnly and threaten
ingly. Then he struck bell. and an at
bring certain book. which he designated
by number and letter. Tho man re-
tired. and the official turned his attention to
! some government documents that lay be.
fore him, and he seemed to ignore Rachel's
presence altogether. She had up to this
being weary and exhausted, she seated her
self on q form that WAS placed against the
wall. Then did the great one look up from
his papers and thunder iorth:-.-
''Woman. know you not that you are
guilty ofan offence in sitting in my pres
ence? Have you no respect for the uni
form wear and tor my position as rep,
rssentative Of our Little Father---the Czar?"
Rachel rose slowly. The words she
would have uttercd--.the words that would
have expressed her digust and contempt
from finding expression, though with great
difficulty. And trying to appear meek and
to speak meeklv, she said
/ Forgive me, your nobleness, l amBl-
most ignorant Of the ways OF the great
world. At least I was so up to a COM
er's only daughter. l was nurtured ten
derby, guarded jealousy, and those who
loved me paid HOMAGE to me, and tried to
anticipate my wants. But alas times
and things have changed. | am snppli-
ant for your iavors. l will sit in your
presence no more"
The official regarded her with some Gu
riosity. not unmingled with anger begot-
ten OF wounded pride, for he was not indif-
ferent to the irony ofthe latter part OF her
little speech; and in his overbearing AFRO.
gancc he considered it little short Of
should treat him with what he was pleased
to think was disrcspect. But now there re-
entered the attendant with 4 huge tome
and his entry diverted the current of the
great mans thoughts, and so put al end to
the strained relations between him and his
visitor.
The tome was laid apon the desk. 1t
was an official record of every exile who
had been sent to Siberia for that year. 1t
contained the most exhaustv description
OF the exile; stated whether he had cen
tried by court or simply condemned by
an order oil the Minister of the Interior, the
nature OF his oftense. where he had been
and so forth. The Chief ran his finger
down the index, then turned over the
ponderous pages until he found what he
wanted. and he read out slowly:
Aaron Arama. Jew. Born in Russia.
Age sixty-two.. A dangerous political; a
cOnspirator and revolutiolist--"
''1is ialsel" cried Rachel. in choking
tones, feeling that sho must give the lie to
that false record
"Silence, woman. "roared the Chief, brist-
lin with anger; and though Rachel hated
him, and would have liked to have spoken
her mind freely, she remembered the object
that had brought her to Siberia, and she
said no more. So the official continued
his reading repeating as il on purpose to
still further wound her.
"a conspirator and revoiutionist, con.
demned for Staying moujik. Imprisoned
first III st. Peter and Paul, afterwards in
IBERIA. Destination, Sakhaln. Sentence,
lie. Condition. hard labor. Reached
Tiumen on the 18th Of October. Forward
ed with all exile party ola hundred and
ten Oh %)tl, of December same year. Med.
ical rerort. health feeble. Police report
conduct good"
He closed the book as he ceased reading
the particulars which were pitiless in their
circu,ns.antiality. Rachel had listened
with n bursting heart. She tried hard,
very hard. 10 keep back the tears,
which would Tow. however, in spite OF
her efforts. Indeed, she would have been an
entirely different woman to what she was
had She been erabled to listen with dry
eyes to that cruel record. especially to the
pAr; TINT described his health rs feeble.
Perhaps" shethought. me is already
dead" Then she closed her eyes and set
her teeth. and her face seemed to change.
The sweet, womanly soitness faded out of
it, and an expression OF subdued fercencss
took its place.
The cliei was not affected by the tears.
He was Used to tenrs. They were wo-
mans weapons. but he had hardened him.
self against them. He had been stationed
in Tiumen for six Or seven years, and dur
ing that time he had seen thousands of ex-
ilea-nc;:. women and children-pass
through on their way to their living graves
and the tears he had seen shed would al
most have hoated Il frigate. Therefore .
.Jrwcss in tears was not in the least, likely
to disturb his serenity of mind.
'Aow tell me. wonlai,," he said. sternly
and br.rquely .'a!e you still desirious OF
going forward?"