Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-08-25
CHAPTER TX.
THE RIOT AT IRKUTSK.

nave Deen 1OrCuuate, ue sdlu Ill
q grave voice. "Grodno was shot out
side of the stockade but few moments
ago, and the Turk will suffer the same
fate as soon as he can be moved to
Tomsk, bnt your sentence has been COM
muted, and you will 60, instead, to the
mines Of Kara
1.-The mines of KaraW exclaimed
Maurice blankly, and for the moment,
as his mind reverted to what he had
read and heard Of that dread place, he
felt half sorry that their lives had been
spared.
Then came revulsion of feeling,
and he thanked the lieutenant warmly
for his intercession.
Phil, to whom the mines Of Kara
meant nothing, fairly broke down and
was profuse in his gratitude.
"I did no more than my duty" said
Lieutenant Brosky coldly. II believed
your story and stated my belief to the
governor of the province. He was
pleased to commute your punishment.
Your original sentence, which l prom
ised to ascertain for you, was ten years
at the mines.
"That has now been increased to 30
years, so you can face the worst. Re-
member that what have done for you
is in return for your assistance when
those two ruffians attacked me. Here
our intercourse ends. 1t is not likely
that we shall meet again.
AS the lieutenant turned to leave the
prison Maurice, seeing his last chance
slipping away, sprang forward implor
ingly, but the officer motioned him
back, and in an instant the door had
closed behind him. ave ought to be
thankful that our lives have been
saved" said Phil as Maurice threw
himself, face downward, Oh the bed, and
presently he asked, Where are the
mines Of Kara and what are they?"
"You will know when we reach
there" said Maurice. "They are gold
mines that belong to the czar and are
nearly 2,OO0 miles from here That's
all care to say about them" And in
spite of Phil's entreaties Maurice firm
ly refused to talk any more about the
mines of Kara.
They spent two days of gloom and
hopelessness in the Tomsk prison, and
at daybreak Oh the third morning they
were rudely turned out into the lnclo-
sure, which was half filled with wretch
ed exiles waiting apparently for some
event Of importance.
The delay was brief. The large gates
were thrown open, and between lines
Of armed soldiers the convicts, answer
ing to their names, which were called
out by an officer with book III his
hand, passed outside, each man receiv-
Ing at the gate q sum Of money equiv
alent to 10 cents. On this they must
subsist two days, as the Russian gov
ernment allows it's exiles but cents q
day while on the march.
The boys almost forgot their own
troubles in the pitiful sights around
them, for many of the prisoners were
accompanied by wives and children.
The exile party was speedily made
up. The extra clothes and baggage
which many of the convicts possessed
were piled up in wagons, and while
this was going on pcddlers and peasant
women crowded freely in through the
guards with various kinds of food,
which was bought up eagerly.
At last came the order to start, and
the whole column was quickly in mo-
tion. A squad of Cossacks, in their
handsome green uniforms, led off and
were followed by the disorderly throng
of men, women End children marching
between three broken lines of soldiers.
The infirm and the sick and the very
small children came next, riding in tel
gas-a species of rude wagon-and u
sullen convoy of half dozen Cossacks,
guarding the baggage wagons, with
their loads of gray bags, brought up
the rear.
The boys turned once for last look
at Tomsk, already fast fading OH the
horizon, and then, with faces pale and
stern, they marched away to the east
ward, where thousands and thousands
march every year-ncvcr to return.
The period of suffering and misery
that began with the departure from
Tomsk almost deties description. day
after day they trudged on, living Oh
the scanty food that their meager al
lowance was able to purchase, and sleep
ing at night in foul, crowded exile sta
tion houses which are built along the
road at intervals of from IS to 20 miles
Every third day they rested. ant