Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-12-10
CHAPTER XIII.

formed officers and fashionably attired
ladies passed from them into the spa
cious rooms. The governor himself
was at his best and was proud of the
beautiful relative for whom he had
given this suddenly arranged recep-
ton.
Princess Olga, who had slept much
of the day after her wearying expert
ences Of the night before, showed no
effects of her exhaustion, but received
the guests with that calmness, that
queenly style, which was all her own.
The garrison band blared Its Russian
music, and the atmosphere in the rooms
was laden with perfume 1t was n
strange and motley gathering, but o.
ga, who had travelled much in strange
places, as well as in centers of civiliza-
ton. looked upon the crowd with com
placency.
A colonel of cavalry, with his hand
some wife. when they came to greet
her was followed by Cossack chief
clad In the barbaric splendor of his
rank. A Manchurian mandarin, with
a long sword on one side and a short
one on the other, wearing his native
dress. marched with the crowd a dis
finctiye figure. He had come to Tomsk
to confer for his government with Ne
slerov concerning the crossing Of the
border into Manchuria. The new rail-
way brought to Tomsk mighty men
from places never before heard Of by
many who lived in Tomsk.
A Persian prince who had but the
day before arrived from Tobolsk,
where he had spent week studying
the convict system-a system impossi
bic to his country-added his gorgeous
ness to the throng.
II Olga was surprised that at SO
short notice so great a gathering
could be summoned in that Siberian
capital, she gave no sign. She accepted
the homage as one who was born to it.
Young officers We'd with one another
to be near her. Grizzled veterans
looked at her and smiled, for 1t made
them glad to see SO lovely n princess
at Tomsk. By far the most dlstin-
guished looking man in the throng was
the colonel of cavalry. whose wife
had long been semi-invalid. He
found time to devote some attention
to the princess while his wife rested
from the WEAKNESS the excitement
brought upon her.
Olga, whose travels had given her a
clear insight to human character,
singled Colonel Barakoff out at once
as n man of sterling integrity and a
fearless soldier. To him she was ex-
tremely gracious, and encouraged him
to talk, and he was proud Of her at
tention. When the dancing began, the
crowd scattered through the palace,
and 1t was not long before Colonel
Barakoff and Olga found themselves
sitting in retired spot with the
colonel's wife.
ut is the first time In my expert
cnce," said the colonel, "and that has
not been a short one, that one of our
noble ladies has condescepded to visit
our capital. And now one Of the pow
erful house OF Neslerov is here. It
causes wonder that she would forsake
the pleasures and gayeties Of st.
Petersburg for this dismal place."
II have seen enough of st. Peters
burg gayeties to last for time" an
swered Olga. MY life is not all spent
In pleasure. am not yet your age,
colonel, but / have learned that to be
happy and to be contented with one
self one must find some work to do,
and do 1t WELL"
you are very young" said the
colonel slowly. "and very wealthy to
have found that out. I, of course,
learned 1t long ago, but my age is three
times yours. You say you have found
pleasure in work. Would 1t be pre-
srmptuous to ask what work has
found favor in your eyes?"
"Presumptuous? Not at all, colonel.
am always pleased to talk with one
who is able to appreciate 1t. l have
become thoroughly convinced that there
are faults in our social system. am
neither a nihiliss nor a socialist, but 1
do think that the wealthy mobiles Of
Russia are not doing their full duty to
those who, it is true, are dependent
upon them, but upon whom also they
are dependent"
1T Is DOld stanu Ior young WOm-
IN to take. Men have been sent to ST.
IBERIA for those sentiments"
"And the sentiment sent me to Sibe-
ria, but not under sentence. 1 have
come partly to visit the governor, who
is relative, and, more than that, to
study the convict system as worked
out under his rule in Tomsk."
"You will find plenty to study" he
answered, "but fancy you will not
proceed rapidly. Our system-well, 1t
is the same, suppose, as that in vogue
at Tobclsk."
perhaps 1t will prove so. am ac-
quainted with Count de Muloff, govern
or general and know that, while he
ia a stern man. he Ia lust, When.-he