The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-02-10
SUNNY SIBERIA. ]
All OF the Land IL Not bleak and
Desolate as Generally Supposed,


All OF the Land ID Not bleak and
Desolate as Generally Supposed.
Thomas G. Allen, Jr.. who some years
ago made tour of the world awheel. has
written an article on ''The Boys of Sibe-
ria" for ST. Nicholas. Mr.. Allen says:
"As dreary and cold us Siberia" is an eX-
preston that has come to be almost
proverb. The very name has always con-
jured up a scene of desolation and per-
petual winter, enlivened, perhaps, by a
band of criminal eXiles plodtling along
some lonely highway or practically buried
alive in some gloomy mine-pit. In mag
nation we have even heard the clanking
of prison chains the moaning of suffering
men, and the sobs Of distressed women.
And yet, however displeasing the picture
which the name Of Siberia never fails to
convey, its very mysterious and melan-
choly associations have ever eXertel 4
strange fascination. l must confess that
I have been no exception to the general
rule. At a very early age developed the
desire to visit this mysterious country,
and to discover for myself, if possible,
some of its terrible hidden secrets.
1t has been my good fortune, on two
recent occasions, to crafty this maynard
ambition: and from what l saw and eX-
perienced can assure my youthful read
err that his general gloomy notion about
the ''land of snow and exiles" is. in the
main, incorrect-that there is another
and Il very bright side to the Siberian
picture.
Not raising the question of the deplor-
able Siberian exile system, l would i'm
press upon the reader that Siberia itself,
in it's southern portion at least, is re-
gion where the vegetation is as varied
and luxuriant, where the birds MARBLE
Just as sweetly, where the children play
and the people laugh and sing just as
cheerfully, as i'll our own country. In
fact, that portion of Siberia which is
now reached by the new Trans-Siberian
northern promised land Of milk and
honey" for in its teeming soil, genial
summer climate, and fabulous mineral
wealth it is second to none in the world.
His Dreams Shattered.
He staggered into the room and sank
upon the nearest chair, says the Cleveland
Plain Dealer. There was an expression
on his face that betokened acute mental
suffering.
.Billingsr," cried his loving wife,
The unhappy man groaned and turned
his head away.
Speak to papa. Billie" cried the af-
frighted wife to their only son and heir;
ASK him what has happened!
The chubby hand stole over the horny
one.
"What it ISIS, daddy?'' said the little
one.
The strong man groaned.
'Alas, Maria,' he feebly murmured.
this will be sorry Christmas in the
MEG oozle family"
But, tell me, Billinger, tell me all. l
can bear it. What has happened?
He looked at her fondly.
II had promised you a sixty-inch seal
skin, and little Billie here diamond rat
tie and Il team of goats, and we were to
have Il new grand piano, and pony phae
ton, and trip to Floridy. Well, it's all
up We don't get 'em! The golden goose
is cooked
'Billinger McGoozle!' shrieked his
wife, what has happened?"
And little Billnger chung to his papa S
legs and screamed.
yesterday" cried the unhappy hus-
band and father, yesterday my vote in
Chicagos city council was worth 10000
plunks, today it wouldn't bring a cussed
cent?
And he buried his head in his hands,
and for some time naught was heard but
smothered groans, and infantile yells, and
the long, low bowls of woman in sore
DISTRESS