The Dickinson press., 1892-10-15
CHAPTER ri.
ArMrLMaKr rs a RESOLUTION.

L CtClSDlIS lluu DeCil hlLllOul cSCltlllp event
until that unhappy day in the Gostinnoi-
dvor, when the newcomer to the city, the
ignorant and benighted mouiik Samuel
Skavronsky, assai led him. Since then
misfortune had logged his steps and those
he loved, until at last he found himself
immured in the terrible and dreaded prison
of Sclllusselbury. All now was lost, as il
seemed; and his one in'cnseyearning was to
see his daughter for the last time and the
turn his lace to the wall and pray for that
rest which man canno disturb. But that
yearning WAS not likely to be gratiticd as
regarded his daughter. He knew that
only too we'll; but with the deer. i%ngrained
philosophy OF his nature he abandoned
himself to his fate. whatever it might be,
with the devout resignation OF a man who
fervently believed i'll the goodness and
wisdom of the God he worshipped, and
who was conscious of having humbly
striven all his days to be honest, upright,
and Just and to walk truly and with rcver-
ent feet in the path which lie felt it was
duty to follow. Fortunate it was, perhaps,
for him that lie was not aware of the storm
howlcd forth against him and his people
when the so-cailed outrage" became
known
With the untairness and partially so
characteristic Oft the Russian Press the affair
was described a, the BRUTAL and dastardly
attack by the jew prisoner, Aaron Arama,
on the President OF the Police, the respect
ed and high-minded Peter Alexietf." The
very worst construction was put upon it,
and no mention whatever was made ofthe
foul %indignity AleXietf had subjected the
prisoner to by splitting in his face. Public
sentiment found vent in the most violent
and intlammatory expressions, and the au
thorities deemed it wise i'll the interests of
common decency to afford some protection
to the threatened Jews.
If Count Suvoroi had had his way he
would, to use his own iavorite phrase, have
let the bloodhound mob fly at its prey
again and there would have been more
massacres, more burnings. to chronicle.
But the count, powerful us he was, was
compelled after all TO give some heed to
the voice OF reason. jew,baiting
Christian, and once INDUCED in
the votary found it difficult to satisfy his
desires for more. The Government, how
ever, Wanted itself as one hat was emil
nently civilized and humane, and it was
important that some semblance of the
character should be maintained.
In a quiet way the Jews could be har-
wailing OF women and children as they
were ruthlessly bntehered could be heard
far beyond the confines Of Russia, vast as
it was; while the flames ofincendiary fires
would cast their lurid glow over the rest
ofthe civilized world. And it was unde-
sirable that Europe should rise up with q
shout of Indignation and exclaim:-
who claim to rank in the van OF
brutality and darkness that would have
disgraced the medieval ages"
SO it canle TO pass that u display of force
was made to keep the mob i'll subsection;
and the papers were warned not to int1ane
the pas ions ofthe people by too frequ<lt
a re to theincident that lad occur
red ,n Peter and Paul.
Now there was one person who could lot
view with %unconcern the course affairs
had taken. That person was Ivan Alexietf,
and he hurriedto his father to express his
sympathy andsorrow. He found the Chief
furious with u bitter anger, and he vowed
in his sons presence by all the saints and
have q deep and terrible revenge.
"An eye for an eye" he Kissed. ''The
hateful, cursed Jew has d%istigured me and
blinded me, and he and his shall know
what it is to incur the hatred of Peter
Alexieff."
With singular indiscretion, and yet par
dolableo II account of his youth, Ivan
M lie answer
"liyou desire vengeance, father. let it
fall OH Aaron alone. Why extend it to
those who have not injured your"
The purport ofthis remark was too APP
parent to be overlooked, and with q show
of passion that told how dangerous he was,
Peter started up from his bed OF suffering,
and saving the hair wildly with his hands
to exclude the light he could not see-he
cried out with a perfectly savage fiercencss:
"Boy, have a care. The Jews daughter
is in your mind, and she has woven a spell
about you. But the law ofthe land gives
ME, your father and lawful guardian, rights
which l will make you respect. This JeZe-
bel, who has cast a glamour over o and
dcred harmless, l warrant you, and she
shall befool you no longer"
"l'us father"
'.Peace! or in order to save you from your
self and from disgracing YOU name and
kin red, you shall be whipped and impris-
oncd for disobedience."
Ivan pursued the argument no further.
He saw the uselessness oil it, but full of q
great sorrow and grayely troubled by his
fathers dark threat against poor Rachel,
the young man went secretly to the house
Of Nekrassotf, the merchant. where for
many days Rachel had been lying obliyi-
Gus of the world end its woes. The ter
rible experiences of that hateful night
when her people were attacked by the
UIutdl llOD, duueu lO tle Intense strain she
had endured owing to the arrest and con-
domination of her lover and the serious
illness told upon her to such an extent
that brain fever set i'll and Frustrated her.
1t is to the credit of Nekrassotf and his
family that they were greatly concerned
about her condition, and. notwithstanding
the risks they knew necessarily incurred
had incurred the battered of the people,
they were resolved to protect her and sue.
cor her SO far as they could.
Nekrassotf was All enlightened man,
and much travel in various parts Of Eu.
rope had broadene1 his views. so that he
by no means shared the public sentimen,
Of dislike for the Jewish popula.
lation. Moreover, he had experienced at
the hands of Arama the greatest kindness,
and but for the Jews generosity he would
then have been q ruined man and rottine
in q debtors prison. Gratitude may be 8
rare thing, out at least Nekrassof possessed
Ivan AlexieF had heard of Rachel's ill.
ness with q concern he could not conceal
and though he knew that he was closet,
watched by his fathers spies. he manages
to get daily news of her condition. and tn
sorrow he felt manifested in his looks
Neither time nor events had sottened tn
passion her beauty had engendered in him
and with the fervor ofyouth about whor
the spell ofloye is woven, he rocked not G
consequences; and he believed that withou
her the world for him would be but as
waste, IN which neither pleasure nor prof
was to be found.
After that last stormy interview, how
ever. with his father his eyes were opene
to the ever-present danger that menace
the beloved woman he regard
ed as essential to his ~happines.
And so he too counsel with Nekrasso
and told him all that the Chief ofthe Po1ic
had said.
MATTERS are very serious" remarke
Nekrassotf. thoughtiully, for your father
vengeance will fall upon me and mine
he o that l am giving shelter to th
. Jexess. Something must be done"
. But surely. you will not abandon her?
|. cried Ivan i'll his distress.
r NO, no. shall not abandon her, for
am neither coward nor migrate. But yo
Will see with me that something must |