Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1903-05-27

The following story was related t
me- by a Russian gentleman at whose
house | spent. few weeks last sum
mer. He had been in the employ O
his government for some years as al
inspector of prisons. and ii was or
the occasion of Cne of his official Wis
Its to the famous convict establish
ment at Tobolsli that he heard the
story from the lips Of an old man, WHO
had spent upward of 10 years in pris
on. Substantially it ran as follows:
Many years ago-hcw many.
,; cannot tell you, sir-I was living on
the outskirts CT tho thriving little
town of Vena, in Russian Poland.
was blacksmith By trade, and my
forge stood at the angle Of two cross
roads. about mile from the centre oi
the town. Adjoining il was my cot
tage, the neatest and prctticst little
homestead il I'll that countryside
Many there were who envicd me my
lot, and, indeed. it was an enviahie
none could boast happier home.
Il had been married two years
when my wife gave birth to boy-a
faithful copy Of his mother-%ho as
time went on. grew sturdy, bright
eyed little fellow. the darling OF cur
hearts and the brightest jewel in our
crown of happiness. What he was to
me no words can tell. know only
that he became the very light Of nay
life. and when some childish ailment
checked for brief space his merry
prattle l was like to go mad with
grief and fear-so bitter was the
thought that some dav, perhaps. hn
,snisnUiee- taken from me.
One day I was at work when l
heard troop of cavalry approaching
the forge at full gallcD. Laying aside
my hammer l went over to the hall
door to catch glim. so of them as
they rode by. The leading files had
already passed when piercing shrek
rent the air and froze the very mar
row in my bones-my heart stood
still. Oh, God! can | ever forget the
fearful sight that met my gaze.
see it now, as plainly as on that day
my darling, my hearts idol, and his
angel mother, side by side on the
dusty road, trampled to death by
those cruel hoofs With a terrible
cry-a cry such as only man infu-
rated to the pitch of madness, can
utter-I snatched up my hammer, and
whirling it around my head, rushed
among the soldiers, now dismcunted
and gathered about the PROSTATE and
nnangled forms of my darlings. a
panic seized them and they struggled
furiously to get beyond the reach OF
my wild blows. One there was, how
ever, that essayed to close with me
and wrest the hammer from my
grasp but I-hurled him to the. ground
and struck him a blow that, had 1t
fallen on his head, would have killed
him outright. Happily for him and
for my future peace of mind. his up
raised erm saved him; and before
could strike again one Ci his com
rades dealt me blow that stretched
me beside him, bleeding and sen>e
less. When recovered conscious
ness l found myself lying on the floor
of a cell in the Ftison of Velna.
"Oh, the misery OF that awakening!
How snail l describe it to you, sir?
How describe the awful sense OF des
olation that crept over me with the
first dawning of consciousness, and
so laid hold of me that prayed, and
praycd with all my might, to die:
How describe the tortures | suffered
when the remembrance of all that had
happened at the forge that day cam:
back to me with redoubled force, and
flooding my soul with anguish created
in me a fierce thirst for revenge-Dut
cannot, | cannot. To realize my
misery you must suffer as | suffered
love as | loved-and that | pray you
never will. But let me continue my
story. The daylight had faded in my
cell. when two soldiers, bringing with
them food and drink. communicated
to me the intelligence that | was tc
be tried on the morrow for attempt
ing to kill one of His Majesty's
guards. l paid little heed to what
they said-so wrapped was | in the
bitterness of my thoughts-and my
Indifference angercd them. He is a
sullcn dog" said one OF them, and
spurning me with his foot, passed a
cruel jest that sent the hot blood
surging to my head. Had l not been
bound | would have fallen upon him
and torn him to pieces, but they hat
chained me to ring in the wall, anC
strain as would. | could not reach
him. My fruitless struggles but
served to amuse them. and they jccrcd
at me and taunted me with the impo
tency of my rage, and so goadcd me
with the brutality of their jcSts thai
was like to go mad. When al
length they had satisfied themselves
with the cruel sport they left me
left me to the torturcs of slceplcss
night. Of a. night filled with memories
of my dear ones and of the cruel trag
edy that had robbed me of them; ant
countless tines through those Ions
hours of darkness did see them, side
by side on that dusty road, with theiI
blood-stained faces turned toward me
as if in mute appeal to avcnSe thcil
deaths.
with the dawning of the morning
these visions faded and | sank into {