The Washington times., 1903-04-12

minus One-qUaTier OF its former bulk.
which still lies beneath the black wa
ters OF the Angara-has gone on 10 81.
Petersburg under the care of new
custodian. for Captain Dagmars Illness
prevented him from assuming his old
position. though it would have been
readily given him
It IS December in Irkulsk, that
beautiful capital Of eastern Siberia. the
city Of palaces. and schools. and prisons.
and broad. majestic Ihoroughfares. It
is early afternoon Of q clear. crisp cold
day. and the scene on the Balshoi Ou-
Iitza-lhe main promenade-is one Of
animation and enchantment.
The foot walks are throngcd w. IN peo-
pie and the driveways with an endless
string Of luxurious sIefghs. high-step-
ping horses. richly dressed inmates
passing and repassjng. chatting. laugh
ing bowing, as they speed over the
frozen snow.
His -axceUency tho governor general
forms part Of the procession, with his
beautiful daughter Yaria muffied in fUrs
beside him. and in front and behind an
uniforms.
Colonel Sudekiu is there. too. booted
and gloyed and uniformed to personify
the might and majesty of the UraI Cos
sacks, six members Of which superb
body ride beside his sleigh
a tall, slender figure cauters along on
spirited black horse. sticking TO the
saddle as though he were a part and
parcel Of it; and as he passes the gov
eraor's equipage with a graceful bow
and salute. his exceIlency remarks:
There goes Captain Dagmar. my dear.
Re has quite recovered from his illness.
Next week he returns to ST. Peters
burg
Yes answers Varia. absentIy. y
saw him. II is not OF Captain Dagmar
she Is thinking. but Of some one else.
and how 70 reach him
The governor goes one way. Andre an
other. and they are soon far apart.
Extremes meet. and nowhere so much
as in Russia Irkutsk has a bright and
/ dark side.
{ ia narrow street close 20 the Bal
shoi OuIitza stands long. low building.
intensely gloomy and severe-the great
/ Central Prison. Those who pass along
/ the streets do not dress after he Paris
/ and London modes. bur they have hearts,
( as well as those who throng yondeT
! brilliant promenade. and they look sadly
al the narrow grated windows of the
prison. and at the Cossacks patroIIing
/ before the gates.
Then they pass on. shaking their heads
and talking in low, solemn tones. for
they know that in four days time the
+ feonvicts Baranok and Waldorf will come
out from those grim walls 10 stand on
the gaiIows in the public square
The scene that Nerestchagiu has pic
Jured with such realism and fidelity is
no uncommon one in Russian cities.
as the pale. coppery. sun went-d down OF
the Irkutsk on this particular day. :
prisoner was lying on a hard pallet IT
one Of the most gloomy and isolate
cells Of the Central Prison. stckly
light filtered in through the grated hole
far up near the ceiling. and G5mIv re-
vealed the bare dark walls and tb,
wooden stool with its earthen jug o
/ water.
/ The prisoner was Donald Chumleigh
and in this noisome dungeon he has
/ spent six long weeks Of misery. NOR
mental than physical, daily expecting
the order from ST Petersburg tha
would ring on the final act. and con
sign him irrevocably to the mines.
IN all this time he had seen no human
face but that OF the guard who brouEh
him food and drink. and this indivIdua
might as well have been made Of stone
for he was deaf and mute 10 ali in
qujrieS
Donald was stretched al full lengtt
aith his mead piHowed on his arm,
watching the ghostIy light fade out O
/. his cell. and pondoring on the harz
treatment thai late had mered TO hin
when he heard the quick patter Of foot
steps coming along the corridor.
He knew that il was nearly time 70
Ihis jailer 10 arrive with his coarse even
ling meal. bat mis- quick senses. sharpen
ed preterua-uraIly by solitary condue
menr told him that this was a strang
footstep
Nearer and nearer eamesthe soft. bur
81 TIeG tread UEtll bDH3id SIN d. HF I'D
rog grating OF his cell door the clea
+ cut features Of Varia TichimirOG Sh
bad brown of the hood that envelope
her head. and was looking timldly -
crying o aecuatom her eyes IN the dee
gloom.
Donald started back IN amazemen
more than half convinced that it was
deluslou
You" he gasped. ron here"
Her sweet voice reassured him
Hush" she whispered Make d
3 noise 3fy presence here must not /
. known. came in disguise and bribc
2 one OF the guards-who formerly was
r. waiting on my farher-to let me see 20
for FIVE minutes have known no re.
for night and day. wanted TO than
you for saving my life at such tel
rIbIe risk Ny father would tell II
- nothing. except that De promised TO bel
5 you. and then found thar he could no
q keep his word. He says that you are
f-rq bad man but I am sure ghar ne
mistaken. ! am doing very wrong
come here. but ] wished 10 help YOU if
could. 7 have brought you this. don
+ know If ii viii benefit Won or not