The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1906-07-18
A TRUE STORY Of THE
RUSSIAN REVOLUTION
fOrignaL1

airy committee In New York recently
came upon man the sight of whom
startled him.
why, sergius, thought you we're
dead"
But you see am alive"
Your name certainly came through
our secret press as having been exc
.cuted together with number Of 9TH
ers."
The man addressed seemed haunted
by some danger, some memory what It
was his friend could not tell. He
looked about him as though he feared
a policeman or Cossack was coming
from behind to cut him down.
Come with me" said the other. 81
viii take you where you will feel more
comfortable You cannot have been in
this free country long or you would
not fear your shadow. When did you
arrive?'
Yesterday
When they were settled at table
in cafe with something warm before
them to restore the courage Of the new
" arrived man he told the following
experience
you know, OF course. OF the putting
down OF the revolution In the Baltic
provinces. You also know that my
fathers paper did not support the revo-
luton, though 1t was liberal. Since the
car had promised liberty Of the press
we supposed we were safe. But the
troops were all about us, and whenever
they entered town they would declare
martial law and by their drumhead
courts martial proceed TO get rid Of
those they thought proper to destroy.
One day our peaceful village received
such visitation. Some countries fear
hurricanes, some fear earthquakes.
/ would prefer either 10 what came upon
us The soldiers respected no one, old
| Or young. sick or web, male or female.
| Ny father was arrested as editor of
our paper, and |, having written for it,
was also arrested. was III at the time,
but that made no difference
I'VE were tried by the 'drumhead,
which should be named the black
death, and, OF course, convicted. 1t
mattered not whether we were limo
cent or guilty, certain number must
be sacrificed 20 strike terror into those
who remained There were about
eighty Of us selected to be shot, my
father and among the number.
1T is horrible thing that which Is
common at home today--to be marched
i out In gang TO be shot down like
dogs. Men and women were driven to-
gether TO pen while our fellow citi-
gems looked ON without power TO help
us. I can see my horror stricken com
| panions wailing, praying or nearing
their end in silence. can see" he put
his hands over his eyes-"my father
standing among the rest and the look
be gave meme whom be had brought
up from babe. can see that line of
death, hear the word OF command from
the officers. / saw these men raise
their pieces and bring them to an aim.
The suspense between the aim and the
fire was too much for me. weakened
as was by illness. tainted and as
the balls moved down my companions
fell, too. but from another cause.
1 When came to myself, remember
ing the horrible situation. | supposed
that | was In the agonIes OF death.
Then. in darkness, shffocating. load
upon me, II occurred TO me that had
been buried alive. | had struck the
truth. After the execution the bodies
were gathered and thrown into a
trench dug for the purpose The bullet
intended for me had gone over my
head, and / was not hurt, l was thrown
in with the rest and all were covered
over with earth. but not deep or |
would not be here with you today.
"But was not thinking Of this then
was working as well as my strength
would permit-of course 1t was greatly
magnitied by my situation and at last
scrambled out. AS lay on the surface
gasping to fill my lungs ! saw it was
night There was chance for my
life.
II lay still for some time, listening
There was no sound near me that !
could hear. No sentry was needed &c
guard the dead. Perhaps the troops
that had stricken us had passed on to
the next town AT last | gained suiti
Gent strength and courage to crawl
away. You remember Ivan Drovon.
sky. Well, his house was not IN the
town. 1t was on the outskirts and
near the shooting pen. l went there
and called him up. When he saw me
standing at his door he thought was
my ghost. told him my story, and he
! took me in aud concealed me
Fortunately, as you know, we were
not far from the German border. and
my friends advised and helped nue. te
reach IL They furnished me with b
disguise and started with me, since
was too weak to get on BY myself OF
course had better chance than one
the police were looking for. No one
looked for me, for / was supposed t
be dead. ! reached the border safely
and. travelling through Germany, tool
a steamer for the United States
"But cannot shut out that dreadful
scene. see strong men and veal
women waiting for the slaughter.
see their neighbors, their children, who
have followed them TO the place Of ex
ecution. 7 see again and again always
that fearful line their pieces aimed Al
our breasts. Every night ! wake suf
locating in that pit wedged In among