Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1899-01-26
CHAPTER XIII.
The Russian Cruiser.

Won Mitsckka coolly helped himself
to a glass of claret; and then, turning
to the steward, said a word to him in a
half-whisper. The steward left the
cabin, and presently there came in a
tall man in a sort of rough uniform.
adorned with an immense black beard
and moustache.
''What is all this about, Dilinskig'
asked Won Mitschka. Speak out, man
never mind this gentleman" seeing
that the giant looked and hesitated.
well, sir, there's been another dis
turbance about the tobacco" said the
officer, speaking. of course, in Russian.
Number Seventeen says he will go
mad If he Is not allowed to smoke. /
refused to give him tobacco as it is
against orders, when he flew into a
rage and began making an awful row.
The other prisoners Joined in, and |
had to fire a blank cartridge or two at
the cage to frighten them before they
would be quiet"
| kept my eyes fixed on Won Mitsch-
ka. 1t was the first / had heard Of
prisoners being on board the Susan
nah, and 1 did not like the idea at all.
i understood now why l was not per-
mitted TO approach the main hatch.
."Tell Number Seyenteen that If he
breaks out again he will be put on
bread and water as long as he is on
board. If that will not do, i must or
der him to be logged. But / think
they had better be allowed tobacco af-
ter tomorrow, lieutenant. 1t must lie
dreary work for them, poor beggars."
The lieutenant saluted, as il to a mil
itary superior, and withdrew. l looked
to my most for an explanation, and he
at once answered my look.
Il had hoped that we would have no
prisoners on board this trip" said he.
with an assumed air of lightness; ''but
1t was ordered otherwise. At all event
their presence until we reached u
destination; but, you see, they have
rendered that impossible"
II suppose / must not ask any ones
tons about them; but / would remind
you, my dear sir, that l have not the
same reason for running my head into
a moose as you have. If the real char
acter of this craft should ever be
known, and it were proved that ] had
been on board Of her, / should have
much ado TO save my neck. / fancy IL
is piracy by the laws of nations"
II don't know whether 1t is or not.
and l confess l don't much care" said
my host, helping himself again to clar-
ct: 'fbut / can't see hat you run any
risk worth mentioning. If you were to
be seen by the prisoners, ard they We're
afterwards to escape-but these are
contingencies that are not In the least
likely 10 happen, so we need not dis
cuss them"
MAY l ask what rank in life your
prisoners belong tor
"Oh yes. Number Seventeen, the
man who Mas making such n row
about his cigars, was military govern
or of one IF the largest convent prisons
in Russia-tll about three weeks ago.
He disappeared N night. as he was
on his way home from the railway sta
ton. and ] hear the amiaDle govern
ment he served has spread a report
that he committed suicide on learning
that his accounts We're going TO be
o~yerhauled. He does not take kindly
to discipline, accustomed as he has
DteH W uiSSipiiuiHS otIeTS. L eNllecl
| Will have to tie him up and have him
logged before j am done with him."
You cannot meal IL"
II do. and when the time comes, l
will publish the fact in Russia i'm such
a way that every cruel hound in office
will know what he has to expect IL he
falls into our hands"
1T seems to me an outragev'
IA worse outrage than fiogging wo-
men, as this No. Seventeen has done
repeatedly? A worse outrage than rob
bing prisoners Of their food-which, 1
am told, Is, or was, quite a common
practice among Government officials?
Is 1t a worse outrage to fog a mntin-
GUS or d~isorderly prisoner than to fog
an unfortunate peasant who can't pay
his taxesy"
! was silent