Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1892-11-24

W
>;iundrrch rs she realized the horrors OF
that house OF woe and pest lcncc. The bar
racks or the women were utterly without
ccrn ort of any kind, and more than twice
The number Of occupants were there than
should have been according to the cubic
spac-. The result was that the air was
pcstiternus Rachel felt as if she
would die OF sutlocation and, in order
to get some rel CT she crcpt into the
stroi ely stocladed yard where armed
sentrcS pace to and iro; but at least the
air of heaven blew there uncontaminated,
and above. in the ebony sky, the bright
stars ShOne-
Rachel gazcd up to them, and somehow
She seemed to draw hope and courage
from them All night she crouchrd down
IN the yard, ,'""ing oGca SionalIy, and feel
ing very rely very desOlate, very unhap-
ny. But still her purpose sustained her.
and, looking at the stars OF heaven, she
thou hit
''rhey shine ever Sakhalin. My father
ianruisheS III Snklialin. | must 80 to him.
and he who holds the stars in His hand
and ctcated man will support me in this
my hour of trial. | am but 4 weak woman
nut womc. ere now have done great
deeds for love, sake"
Alter that first night she became more
rec nrlel to the situation; although it
vas impossible to conquer the repu"-
nance and loathing she felt for the awful
place. There were nearly two hundl ed
women and children crowded into the
horrible den. Some of the women were
politira! exlie>: some had been condemned
Tor criminal Oft NC $. while the rest We're
simp v accom- anvlng their male relations
to The land OF heir exile.
But on the faces o all was d settled look
of melancholy. How could it be other
wse2 For everything that could make liie
worth living lad been taken from them.
They were goin:. to the land o desoation,
horS i, fr1., tY1p1 nd n o.
vailed. and where neither sutft ring nor
SORROW could 81 ten the stony hearts Of
those who. with flexible determination.
carried out their orders iL the name OF God
and lie Gar.
For some days Rachel was an object Of
curiosity to the women. They wondered
who she was where she had come from.
and whittier she was going; and when they
discovered she was a Jewess. as of course
they speedily did, some OF them rcviled aud
Knocked her, and called her harsh names:
But there were others less bigoted and
stupid, who displayed q desire TO be riend-
ly. ID shaved her >ympathy. For her
beauty prevailed with them, and her gentle
mature won their hearts.
Anon st these was young woman about
her own age named Catherine Petrovna,
Whn was accompanying her husband to
Eastern Siberia. Catherine was coarse and
vuig r Us compared with Rachel. but still
she was woman OF intense ceiling, and OF
great ruwer OF will. Her husband Paul
was N'hilist. Compromising documents
had been found in his possession, and hn
had been condemned of er trial to hard
labor or life; first at Sakhalin, afterwards
at the kara mines with prospects OF being
allow ell to settle a. II C ZIONIST when he had
served twenty years of his sentence.
BY profession Paul was an architect and
had had excellent pros' ects; but having
managed to offend noble tor whom he
had been doing some work, the grand per
sonage struck him. Paul struck back with
interest. and ior that he was fined heavily
ond imprisone,.
The ,njustce-for I'M ustice it was-made
Nth list ct Paul. and when he came out
OF prison he allied himself with con-
spiracy which had for its object general
revolution. The conslirators. however
were betrayed by on OF their own number.
Tney were all arrested. Two were sent
to Schlu-selberg and were heard of no
more; the rest were banish"d to Siberia.
Such was the story hit Catherine poured
int" Rachel's ear; and in telling it she dis
played tiercrne,> that mad it ev dent she
could I've dangerous. She regardedher hus-
band as a deeply injured man. and she
spoke OF the ulhor'tles in terms UNI
measured hptred In whispered invective
she ahu ell the Gar. his advisers. ,hr rulers
generally, Hnd declared that Russia was
rolIrn tn ihe core.
woes. and SO bitter was her hated against
everyone III authnrlly-tnr she made no
dist nctlnn. she d cw no line of demarca-
ton! Al she wa unable t. refi"ct tiat
possibly he might be bet ayins herself in
10 the All so, The enemy in thus freely
unbu-d denim her mind TO stranger. But,
after al, there is a certain ma-netic
influence tx rci>ed by some people
wh,cr at n be.ets our co"fdence
and trust. P"-ib y it was so in this case,
and The woman Petrovna was in~ensbiy
drawn to Rachel. ami led to disclose hel
feelings even ainst her will. Rachel
listened aiently, with deep and absnr "
ing interest. AMI remarke at last, when
the other had nothin: more to tell:
"Y"u are o,mg with your husband O.
your own Tree Will?'
'Ye-."
Have YOU been married long?'
''Rut q year; and my Paul IS ne world
TO me. They have ruined him; but per
1.aps our dav will com"
''Husi," said Rachel. at is necessary
very walls have ears
True true murmured catherine. ''TlIe
ian'i is Cursed: and here is no freedom io
she common p opie. Even ones thought
are NJ. ones own "
There is all he more reason. then, why
we -hould be careful. and Rachel. regardIi.
CATHERINE. with fresh interest, sh
realized that there wa good deal i'll com
mon between them. They had 9th beer
wrnngrd; III hi both suffered; they it,
both been ru,lely forced by cirrunlstanc
from their homes. their irltntl>. aud b II
oftleir own fir will were j"urnrv,ng t
the lai d nt desolaton for The sake Of thos
they l"ved'
.'You are right" answered Gather ne
little tart y. perhaps l AIN Il .ool IL Tell
ing you my secrets"
II don't think So" replied Rachel. C
course you are aware" she added. ''tha
you will not be allowed to accompsn
your husband to Sakhalin?"
eyes. they told me. But can see hir
every three months. That is small M y
though, one must be thankful for it," The
she exclaimed. as if she had only ju,
thought OF it. "But you haye not ;oid III
who you are"
4 am voluntary exile" answers
Rachel sadIy