Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1902-07-02
SIBERIA OR
FREEDOM



More than half century ago. before
the serfs were cmancipated in Russia.
the Count and Countess Gedeonovsky
owned beautiful girl. Liza. Ivan
Panshlne. who had inherited fortune
from his father. merchant, fell In
love with her, and bis love was re-
turned.
One morning Count Gedeonovsky
upon opening his mail received an offer
from PanshIne OF $500 rubles for Liza.
the young man stating that be wished
to marry her. Liza, who knew the offer
was before her master, was listening
at the door. peepIng through crack to
hear and see what chance there was
for her and her lovers happiness. Her
heart sank within her when she heard
the count exclaim:
what impudencei This man. whose
father grew rich beside me while /
grew poorer every day. now thinks to
deprive me OF my most valued serf.
Liza, Llxal Come herer
When Liza came, the count showed
her the letter and asked her II IL had
been written with her consent. She ad.
mitted that II had, whereupon she was
dismissed by her master with the
words, Il will teach you how TO form
plans without consulting me- Then
he wrote a l.ttcr to ranshine declining
the offer aud warning him never TO APP
proach Liza under peril OF the law both
for himself and her. Panshine knew
what this meant. The count was in
favor with the government, and a word
from him with trumped up charge
would be sufficient to send both the
lovers to Siberia.
Panshine. who was a determined
fellow, pondered long seeking for some
plan TO possess himself OF Liza. At
last he concluded TO fight the count
with his own method. He would make
a charge against Liza OF being mem.
Der Of band Of reyolntionists, get Der
Into his posse - on and carry her be-
yond the borders Of the empire. No
one but the most daring would attempt
such plan: for. II suecess meant hap
plncss In marriage. failure meant mis-.
cry In prison.
Panshlne knew well the corruption
OF Russian officials He approached
one Of them whom be had long known,
MikhaIevieh. and made him an offer
Of 10000 ruhies II he would arrest
Liza and then secretly turn her over to
her lover, TO be carried beyond the Dor.
ders Of Russia. The offer was accept
ed. Panstiine sold his estate and sent
the proceeds, except what be needed
to help him in his flight. TO a bank in
America. when he had arranged for
relays of horses 60 cover the distance
to the Prusslan border. a hundred
miles. all was ready for the attempt
One evening Mlkhalsvich appeared
at the counts estate and read u war
rant for the arrest OF Liza on a charge
OF conspiracy. The count was aston.
ished. lie dared not resist an officer;
but. suspecting plan to get his serf
out Of hix hands. as soon as a drosky
could be got ready he drove after the
officer and his charge. He had not
gone far before he came upon drosky
overturned. Mlkhaievich being in the
snow crying for help aud Liza no
where 10 be seen. As soon as the
count couid stop Mlkhalcyich's cries.
which he kept up as long as be dared.
the officer said that be had been set
upon by panshine and a number of
his friends and the girl taken from
him. Fortunately for the coant. be had
the best horse In his stables. one pos.
sessed 81 remarkable speed and sndar.
ance
Liza was astonished NJ her arrest
and. supposinG that her master had In.
surated IL. was In despair. When sud.
denly drosky turned from ayroad,
Panshlne jumped out and she was
transferred 10 his conveyance, her dis.
tTess was turned into an exciting hope.
She asked for no explanation, well
knowing that liberty and happiness
were now TO vie with prison and mis-.
cry.
ranshine had studied the route and
made his preparations accordingly. He
had with him petroleum. cotton and
pitch pine for the purpose OF burning
bridges after he had passed over them.
Reaching a bridge across branch OF
the Vistula. be fired the structure.
IL was In flames when the count
appeared. Insulating a moment. be
dashed through the flames and across.
The lovers had gone on. but were now
only half a mile in advance. Never.
theless they had fresh horses, while the
counts horse had followed them for
twenty miles.
The count, realizing that he must get
change, stopped at farm long
enough 90 do SO. then pressed on. He
felt sure that they would take the
nearest road TO the border, through
Warsaw, and did not stop TO ask their
direction. From Warsaw but one road
led straight eastward. and he took
this road. Coming soon after TO an
other branch Of the Yfstula, he saw
that the bridge was i'm flames. Here