Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-01-21

| columns appear on the heights. and we
| will crush the invaders"
Then. turning to General Voranzof,
eve will visit tomorrow" said he, "the
works on tie right bank. The Angara
will soon become icebOund, and per-
haps the Tartars will be able to cross
It."
"Will your higbness permit me to
| make IN observation" said the chief
| Of the merchants.
"Make it, sir"
81 have seen the temperature fall
many time to 80 and 40 below zero,
and the river has been filled with float
ing pieces Of ice without being entirely
frozen. This is owing no doubt to the
rapidity Of the current. If, then, the
Tartars have no other means Of cross
ing the river. | can assure your high
ness they cannot possibly cross in that
manner" The governor general con-
firmed this assertion.
at is very fortunate circumstance" e."
answered the grand duke. "Neverthe-
less let us be prepared for every emer-
gency."
Then, turning to the head of the po-
lice, he asked him:
"Have you nothing to say to me-?
81 have to place before your high
ness" said the head of the police, "a
| petition which has been addressed to
YOU"
by whom"
"By the exiles Of Siberia, who, as
your highEass knows. are to the num-
Der of 500 in this city"
The political exiles. scattered all over
| the province. had indeed been concen-
trated at Irkutsk from the commence
ment Of the invasion. They had obey
| ed the order to rally at the town and
| to abandon the villages where they eX-
erciscd different professions. Some
were doctors, others professors. either
at the Japanese school or at the school
| of navigation. From the beginning the
grand duke. like the cZar, trusting to
their patriotism. had armed them. ana
he had found in them brave defenders.
"What do the exiles ask for:" said
the grand duke.
''They ask your highness' permis-
sion," answered the head Of the police,
"to form n special corps and to lead the
sortie."
YES" said the grand duke. with an
emotion which he did not seek to con-
ceal, these exiles are Russians. and 1t
| Is indeed their right to fight for their
country"
IL can assure your highness." said
the governor general. that we have no
better soldiers"
"But they must have leader" said
the grand duke. "WhO shall he be-"
"Would your highness like to have
one" said the head Of the police. "whC
has distinguished himself on many oc.
casions?
'Is he RussianT
"Yes, a Russian of the Baltic prov
inces."
what Is his nameT'
"Wassi!i Feodor."
That exile was the father Of Nadia.
Wassili Feodor. as Is known. rXer'
sised at Irkutsk the profession of q
DOCTOR He was an educated and char
table man and at the same time man
If the greatest courage and patriotism.
When he was not occupied with the
sick, he was engaged in organizing re-
sistancc. 1t was he who had united his
companions in exile in common action
The exilcs. up to that time scattered
among the population. had borne them
selves in bSttlc in such manner as to
draw the attention Of the grand duke.
In several sorties they had paid witt
their blood their debt to holy Russia
holy indeed and adored by her children.
Wassili Feodor had conducted himself
heroically. On several occasions his
name had been mentioned as the BRAY
est of the brave, but he had asked nell
ther for graces nor favOrs, and when
the eXiles formed q special corps lie
had no idea they would choose him as
their leader. When tie head Of the
police had pronounced that name be-
fore the grand duke, the latter replied
that it was not unknown to him.
Indeed answered General Noran-
goff, "Wassili Feodor Is man of valor
and courage. His influence over his
companions has always been very
great"
How long has he been at Irkutsk"'
asked the grand duke.
1.-TWO years"
"And his conduct?"
His conduct" answered the head
of the police, "is that Of n man who
submits to the special laws under
which he lives"
General" answered the grand duke,
"haye the goodness to present him im'
mediately."
The orders of the grand duke were
executed. and a half hour had not pass
ed before Wassili FeodOr was intro
duced into his presence.
He was q man some forty years OLD
or more, tall. with sad and severe
countenance. One felt that all his life
was summed up in this one word,
struggle, and that he had struggled
and suffered all his life. His traits re-
minded one remarkably of those OF his
daughter. Nadia FeOdor.
More than any other thing the Tartar
invasion had cut him in his dearest ar
fcction and ruined the last hope of
that father, cXiled to distance or
more than 5000 versts from his native
place. A letter had informed him or
the death of his wife and at the same
| time of the departure of his daughter,
who had obtained from the government
permission to rejoin him at lrkutsk.
Nadia hau to leave Riga Oh the 10Th
of July. The invasion was on the 10th.
| Ii at that time Nadia had crossed the
frontier, what had become Of her in the
midst of the invaders? One can con-
ceive how this unhappy father must
have been devoured with anxiety, since
from that time he had received no
news of his daughter.
Wassili F,odor in the presence Of the
grand duke bowed and waited to be In
terrogated.
."Wassili Fe,dor," said to him the
grand duke. "your companions have
asked to form u picked corps. Do you
know that in that corps they must
fight to the last manp
"They know it." answered Wassill
| Eaodor