Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1892-10-13
CHAPTER nj.
RACHEL MAKES A RESOLUTION.

RACHEL MAKES a RESOLUTION.
No man who had inflicted injury on an
other could have regretted it more sincere
ly than did Aaron Arama when he heard
how serious were the consequences Of the
blow he had given to Peter AlrXieif And
yet WAS ever blow more richly deserved?
The das;ardly insult of splitting in the
Jews face was one that no one
worthy the name of man would have
endured calmly. But Aaron was lover
of peace and an exponent of good
will towards all, irrespective OF faith or
color. The long years he had passed in st.
Petersburg had been without exciting event
until that unhappy day i'll the Gostinnoi-
dvor, when the newcomer to the city, the
ignorant and bcnightcd moujik Samuel
Skavronsky, assnied him. Since then
misfortune had logged his steps and those
he loved, until at last he found himself
imm urcd in the terrible and dreaded prison
of SchnsselburS. All now was lost, as it
seemed; and his one in ensc yearning was to
see his daughter for the last time and thea
turn his lace to the wall and pray for that
rest which man cannot disturb. But that
yearning was not likely to be gratilied as
regarded his daughter. He knew that
only too well; but with the deep, ingrained
philosophy OF his nature he abandoned
himself to his fate. whatever it might be,
with the devout resignation OF man who
fervcntly believed in 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 1ect in the path which he felt it was
duty to follow. Fortunate it was, perhaps,
for him that he was not aware of the storm
Of Indignation and eXecration that was
howlcd forth against him and his people
when the so-callcd outrage became
known.
With the uniarncss and partially SO
characteristic Of the Russian Press the aifair
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 Alcxeif.' The
very worst construction was put upon it,
and no mention whatever was made of the
foul indignty AIeXietf had subjected the
prisoner to by splitting in his face. Public
sentiment found vent in the most vi client
and inhammatory expressions and the au
thorities deemed it wise in the interests of
common decency to afford some protection
to the threatened Jews.
If Count Suvorof 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
mnssacres, more burnings, to chronicle.
But the count, powerful as he was, was
compelled after all to give some heed to
the voice of reason. Jew-baiting
was pleasant sport enough to the
Christian, and once INDUCED in
the votary found it difficult to satisfy his
desires for more. The Government, how
ever, Wanted itself as one that was emil
nently civilized and humane, and it was
important that some semblance Of the
character should be maintained.
In quiet way the Jews could be har-
ried and prosecuted. But the screams and
wailing OF women and children as they
were ruthlessly bu'chered 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
ofthc civilized world. And it was unde-
sirabe that Europe should rise up with
shout ofindisnation and exclaim:-
SHANE on you, Russia. You
who claim to rank i'll the van OF
nations are guilty of deeds of
brutality and darkness that would have
disgraced the medieval ages.
So it came to pass that display of force
was made to keep the mob in subsection;
and the papers were warned not to intiame
the passions Of the people by too frequ<,t
re erence to heincident that had occur
red in ST. Peter and Paul.
Now there was one person who could not
view with unconcern the course affairs
had taken. That person was Ivan Alexiett,
and he hurried to his father to express his
sympathy and sorrow. He found the Chief
furious with bitter anger, and he vowed
in his sons presence by all the saints and
sacred pictures OF his creed that he would
have deep and terrible revenge.
IAN eye for an eye" he Kissed The
hate III, cursed Jew has disfigured me and
blinded me- and he and his shall know
what it is to incur the hatred of Peter
Alexietf."
With singular indiscretion, and yet par
do !able on account of his youth, Ivan
nj; answer
III you desire vengeance, father, let it
fall OH Aaron alone. Why extend it to
those who have not injured your
The purport otthis remark was too APP
parent to be overlooked, and with show
Of passion that told how dangerous lie was,
Peter started up from his bed OF suffering,
his uuini ured eye being tightly bandaged
to exclude the light he could not see-he
cried out with perfectly savage ierceness:
boy, have care The Jews daughter
is in your mind, and she has woven spell
about YOU. But the law ofthe land gives
which l will make you respect. This Jeze-
bel, WHO has cast a glamour over you and
deprived you OF your senses shall be ren-
dered harmless, warrant you, and she
shall betool you no longer"
But father"
'Peace! or in order to save you from your
scl!and from disgracing your name and
kan red You shall be whipped and impris-
oned for disobedience."
Ivan pursued the argument no further.
He saw the uselessness OF it, but full of q
great sorrow and gravely troubled by his
fathers dark threat against poor Rachel,
the young man went secretly to the house
of Nekras>o1f the merchant. where for
many days Rachel had been lying oblvi-
Gus of the world end its woes. The ter
rible experiences of that Hateful night
when her people were attacked by the
brutal mob, added to the intense strain she
had endured owing to the arrest and con-
demnation of her lover and the serious
illness told upon her to such an extent
that brain fever set in and Frustrated her.
Ii is to the credit of Nekrassotf and his
family that they were greatly concerned
about her condition, aud, notwithstanding
the risks they knew necessarily incurred
by -sheltering the daughter o, one who
had incurred the hatered OF the people,
they were resolved to protect her and sue
cor her so far as they could.
Nekrassoff was an enlightened man,
and much travel in various parts OF Eu-
L a x,savv khokI o