Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-07-28

Russian official high in the favor OF
the emperor. l was never happy witt
him. In the second year Of my married
life / discovered an intrigue of his with
a woman of birth attached to the car
mas person / was young and passion
ate. and in my resentment committed
the folly of threatening my husband
that / would expose this woman to heI
imperial mistress. He made me no re-
ply. but the look in his eyes l snail
never forget. That very night, at a
ball in Moscow. / received summons
from a special messenger to attend the
czarina Immediately at the Kremlin. !
entered the carriage which awaited me
without suspicion and was driven al
once. not to the Kremlin, but to the
depot of the secret police. l was con-
Quoted into a room in which one OF my
husbands confreres was seated at a
desk writing. | said: I am summoned
by the empress; why have you brought
me here?"
"He answered without looking up,
Go into the next room and put on the
clothes you will find. You are about
to take journey. and cannot travel as
you are
$50 far had no suspicious, but when
! entered that room l guessed the truth;
for the clothes that lay in readiness for
me were those of convict doomed to
exile. Twenty minutes were allowed
me but at the end of that time, when
the official and his messenger entered
the room, was still standing in my
white satin ball dress, with the wreath
of stephanotis in my hair. My captors
made no more ado, but laid rough hands
on me at once, tore my ball dress from
my shoulders forced me into the coarse
wooden garments. bound my hands and
feet, and would have gagged me. be-
lieve, had not fainting fit saved them
further trouble. l was placed in car
rage and did not come to myself until
we must have been some time on the
road, for we were out in the open coun-
try.
II was carried on in this way, sur
rounded by a mounted guard by day,
locked into some cell or barraek room
at night. for three or four weeks at
least; always going north. as | knew
by the change of temperature, but to
hxr hot /
could not tell At last We passed a
little hamlet. and just beyond it came
to building divided into two tenement
houses. surrounded by an enclosure
walled in with high walls. Into one Of
these tenements I was thrust, and left
under the charge of an official from
the harlet. His duty towards me con-
sisted in providing me with the bare
necessaries of life, and in giving me
permission TO go into the open air
of the enclosure by day, while locking
me into my cell at night.
For two years as nearly as l can
count it, | lived thus. seeing no face
save that of my neighDor who occupied
the other half of the dwelling, and
sometimes sang TO himself, 'Pestels
Lament, and the songs our peasants
sing in the harvest fields.
'One day as | sat idle in my cell, l
heard the sound Of wheels. then curses
and exbostulations in strange voice;
and my neighbor suddenly ceased sing
ing Two minutes later my door was
unfastened, a man in convict garb was
thrust in, and the door again locked
upon him
What does this mean asked,
starting up The newcomer, man of
sad but noble aspect, looking at me in
surprise as great as my own, an
swered:
3" I do not know. A stranger has ar
rived and they have put him in my cell.
Have patience. Possibly | am to go
The hour of the evening inspection IS
at hand We shall know then
Presently our gailor arrived, and
my companion addressed him, If 1 am
not to return to my CELL he said, how
are you ordered to dispose of me?"
The man lifted his shoulders, I have
no orders as 20 you. he said You must
remain here
Here?' | cried You have no or
ders, and yet you do this thing?
is the lady then released.' the
stranger asked
Our gaolOr shook his head. TT seems
one Of you has been forgotten said he.
I have received a prisoner with in
structions to keep him alone, where he
can have speech with none. There are
these two apartments only. l cannot
make third by whistling for one; and
SO the thing rests. have made a re-
port, If that will satisfy you, and must
wait for Instructions
Then he went out and locked the
door upon US.
My heart was burning with indlgua-
eion' if my rank was forgotten. if
was no longer a Russian countess. but
only number did they dare m toll,