The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1907-12-12


him of twenty thousand roubles.
His wife was In despair, and did
not know what to believe. Her child
ren were all quite small; one was a
baby at her breast. Taking them
all with her, she went to the town
where her husband was in gaol. At
first she was not allowed to see him;
but after much begging she obtained
permission from the officials and was
taken to him. When she saw her
husband In prison dress and In
chains, shut up with thieves and
criminals, she fell down and did
uot come to her senses for q long
time. Then she drew her children
to her and sat down near him. She
told him of things at home. and ask
cd about what had happened to him.
He told her all, and she asked:
What can we do now?"
1--WE must petition the Gear not
to let an innocent man perish"
His wife told him that she had
sent a petition to the Car but that
1t had not been accepted.
Aksyonof did not reply, but only
looked downcast.
Then his wife said: 1T was not
for nothing l dreamed your hair had
turned gray. You remember? You
should not have started that day"
And passing her fingers through his
hair, she said: "Vanya dearest. tell
your wife the truth; 1t was NJ: you
who did it?"
so you, too, suspect mel" said
Aksyonof, and, hiding his face in
his hands, he began to weep. Then
soldier came to say that the wife
and children must go away; and AXIS
yonof said goodbye to his family for
the last time.
When they were gone. Aksyonof
recalled what had been said, and
when ne remembered that his wife
had also suspected him. he said to
himself: 1T seems that only God
can know the truth; 1t is to Him
alone we must appeal. and from Him
alone expect mercy"
And Aksyonof wrote no more peti-
tions; gave UP all hope. and only
prayed to God.
Aksyonof was condemned to be
flogged and sent to the mines. SO
he was logged with a knout, and
when the wounds made by the knout
were healed. he was driven to Siber-
Ia with other convicts.
For twenty-six years Aksyonof
lived as a convict In Siberia. His
hair turned white as snow, and his
beard grew long, thin and gray. All
the mirth went; he stopped; he walk
ed solwly, spoke little, and never
laughed. but he often prayed.
In prison Aksyonof learned to
make boots, and earned little mo-
ney, with which he bought THE
Lives OF the Saints" He read this
book when there was light enough
in the prison, and on Sundays In he
prison-church he read the lessons
and sang In the choir; for his voice
was still good. The prison authori-
ties liked Aksyonof for his meek
nsss and his fellow prisoners respect
ed him, thsy called him Grand
father" and The Saint" When
they wanted to petition the prison
authorities about anything. they al
ways made Aksyonof their spokes-
man, and when there were Quarrels
among the prisoners they came to
him to put things right and to judge
the matter.
No news reached Aksyonof from
his home, and he did not even know
II his wife and children were still
slivs.
One day q gang OF new convicts
cams to the prison In the evening
the old prisoner collected around
the new ones and asked them what
towns or villages they came from and
what they were sentenced for Among
the rest Aksyono sat down near the
newcomers and listened with down
cast air to what was said.
One OF the new oonviots. q tall,
strong man OF sixty. with closely
cropped gray beard. was telling the
others what he had been arrested
for.
We'll. friends" he said. Il only
took q horse that was tied to
sledge. and I was arrested and ac-
cused Of stealing. l said had only
taken It to get home quicker. and
had then let 1t go; besides. the driv-
or was a personal friend of mine. So
I said. IT'S all right No. said they,
'you stole IT. But how or where |
stole 1t they could not say. l once
really did something wrong, and
ought by rights to have come here
long ago, but that time | was not
found out. Now l have been sent
here for nothing at Allah. but It's
lies I'm telling you: I've been to
Siberia before, but I did not stay
long"
where are you from2" asked
someone.
From vladimir. My family are
Of that town. My name Is Makar,