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

The following story was related to
me by Russian gentleman, at whose
house I,spept few weeks last sum.
mer.s He had been in the employ OF
his goyernment storSseree years as an
Inspector Of prisons, and it wss On
the occasion of cne of his official Wis.,
Its to the famous convict establish
{ ment at Tobolsk that he heard the
story from the lips of an old man, who
had spent upward of 40 years in pris-
on. Substantially 1t ran as follows:
9 MANY years ago-how many,
:. Cannot tell YOU, ssir--.Izwas living on
i the outskirts OF the thriving little
town of Velna. in Russian Poland. |
was blacksmith b. trade, and my
sSforges stood at the angle of two cross
roads, about a mile from the centre OF
the town. Adjoining it was my cot.
tage, the neatest and prcttiest little
homestead In all that countryside.
Many: there were who ehvied nae my
lot, and, indeed, it was an envlable
:one, for few prospered as l did, and
none could boast happier home.
y. "I had been married two years
when my wife gave birth to boy-a
faithful copy of his mother-who, as
time went on. grew sturdy, bright,
eyed little fellow, the darling of our
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 I was like to go mad with
grief and fear-so bitter was the
thought that some day, perhaps--h -hn
.9nzsag.5e-fa taken from me. (, - &c
One day I. was at work. when 4
heard a troop of cavalry approaching
the forge at full gallop. Laying aside
my hammer / went over to the half.
door to. catch a glimpse of them as
they rode by. The leading files had
already passed when piercing shrek
rent the ar 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. 1
see it now, asapiainly 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 terrible
cry-a cry such as only a man infu-
rated to the pitch Of madness, can
utter-r snatched up my hammer, and
whirling it around my head, rushed
among the soldiers, now dismcunted
and gathered about the PROSTATE and
:. rnangled 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
I raised arm saved him; and before
could strike again one of his com
rades dealt me blow that stretched
me beside him, bleeding ana sen.e'
less. When 1 recovered conscious,
ness I found myself lying on the floor
of a cell in the Feison of Yelna.
'+oh, the misery of that awakening!
! How snail 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
prayed 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-but
I cannot, cannot. Fo realize m!
misery YOU must suffer asI suffered
love as iloved-and that pray you
never will: But let me continue my
story. The daylight had faded in my
cell. wien two soldiers, bringing witt
=. them food and drink. communicated
Ito me the intelligence that was tt
). be tried on the morrow for attempt
ling to-:kill one of His Majestys
: guards. I paid little heed to wha
they said-so wrapped was 1 in the
bitterness ,of my thoughts-and my
:. indifference angered them. "He is
sullen dog" said one of them, and
ispurning me with his foot passed {
cruel jest that sent the hot bioot
surging to my head. Had l not beer
bound 1 would have fallen upon hin
and torn him to pieces, but they hat
; chained me to a ring in the wall, ant
strain as I would. I could not reacl
him.. My. fruitless struggles bu
served to amuse them. and they jeeret
at me and taunted me with the impo
tency of my rage, and SO goaded mt
with the brutality of their jests tina
I was like to. go mad. When a
length they had satisfied themselves
with the cruel sport they left me
left me to the tortures OF sleeples!
j. night, of night filled with memorie!
ssof my dear ones and of the cruel trag
5 edy that had robbed me of them; ant
countless times through those lon,
hours of darkness did see Them, sid
BY side. on that dusty road, with thei
blood-stained faces turned toward M
as if in mute appeal to avenge thei
deaths.
81 "a ayyr;tb !tbn downinp of. the morninI