The Dickinson press., 1892-10-08
crime of having wilfully slain a man, aud

crime of having wilfully slain q man, aud
using seditious language calculated to in
flame the minds of the Cars peaceful SUBJ
lects; That charge was one that he was
more, then. could his enemies desire?
When the poor old man entered the
gloomy fortress on the banks OF the Ncva,
he himself felt that his life was done.
Crushed by the death of his wife, to whom
he had been passionately attached, he had
else. Even anxiety about his daughter was
deadened, but when his thoughts did turn
to her he tried to believe that she was safe,
and that i'll c%onsigning her into the keep
ing of Ivan Alexiett he had placed her in
good hands. Perhaps, too-even in his
blank despair.he had some shadowy idea
that he and she would meet again. This
idea, however. was killed when the an
nouncement was made to him that he was
to be removed. He knew too much of Rus
sian administration 10 be Indifferent as to
what tins meant.
1t was night time when he was taken
from his cell. He was loaded with chains
When he was brought up he beheld his
arch enemy, Peter Alexieff. and a troop of
gendarmes, and he was handed over by
the Governor of the fortress to custody OF
the Chief of the Police.
"Whither would you take me now?" he
asked as he was thus once more confronted
with the man from whom. of all Others, he
knew he had the most to lear.
ITO a place of greater security" answer-
ed Peter, bruSquely.
Arama smiled sadly as he asked
'Is an old and broken man considered so
dangerous that the great fortress OF st.
Peter and Paul is nots Strong enoughto hold
him? My lie hickers but teebly now lit
tie puff will extinguish it. Why not do
that here?!"
"Jew," exclaimed the Chief of the Police
contemptuous!y, ''even one who has of
'ended against the law as deeply as you
have is 10 condemned unheard. We who
administer the law are not assaSSins."
Aaron turned upon the speaker with the
energy offs sudden uprising ti%erceness.
.Peter Alexicff." he cried, "many a man
who has suffered the laws vengeance ior
murder has been less Ofan assassin than
you are. The lies uttered by your lips can
l can. When the great day of judgment
ome the souls of those who have suffered
at your hands will rise up to bear witness
against your infamous deeds of cruelty"
For a moment or two Alexietf stood
dumbfounded by the very udacity of these
words. Then, his passion overcoming his
discretion, he spat i'll the Jews face, and
Kissed forth these Words
"Dog of an unbelieying Jew, think you
that Heaven will ever punish me for aught
that l have done to ANY of your thrice &C.
cursed race, against whom the gates OF
Paradise are for ever shut?"
The insult was more than even Arama
could Withstand, and with the passion be-
gotten by his deeply-wounded, pride. he
twisted the cham that bound lis hands,
and struck the Chief of Police across the
face with such torce that blood gushed forth,
n he fell stunned to the ground. Then
arose asudden cryof alarm amongst the po-
lice and soldiers grouped around, and they
swooped down on Aaron, and seemed dis
posed to rend him in pieces. But the Gov
ernor interposed. and babe them bind the
prisoner still more securely, as the chief
magistrates order would have to be COM
piled with. Then a doctor was hastily sum-
moned. The wounded man was raised up.
Blood was flowing freely from a terrible
cash in his face that had cut deeply into
one of the eyes. When the surgeon came
and examined him he pronounced the
wound serious, and said the sight on one
eye was entirely destroyed, and the other
might also become affected.
They carried him into an inner part OF
' the fortress, where he could receive the
. necessary surgical attentions and the poor
Jew, bending beneath the weight of his
chains, was thrust into a wagon, and, aft
er q terribly rough journey, he was taken
by boat to the island on which Schlussel-
burg stood. and in the cold grey light of q
dismal morning he entered the gloomy
prison, and the great iron gate changed
ominiously behind him.
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