St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1908-08-12
The Women ChumS.


and Siberia About Eve miles from
the Russian coast ut sunrise in the
morning the lookout in the fire top. a
woman (women on Scandinavian ships
DO the same work before the mast as
mem, saw on the port quarter a black
speck on the track Of sunlight SHIN
mering on the waves A black speck
on a river usually means nothing, but
at sea always excites attention. The
lookout seized glass and brought ii
90 bear on the object, which under the
magnifving power Of the glass was re-
solved into a boat with person in it.
The lookout sent word 70 the captain.
who gave orders to put the vessel OFF
point or two with a view 70 discover
ing if the lone boaman needed as
sistance.
As the Sea Gull approached the boat
the figure in it was discovered to be
that Of a woman. She was lifted over
the ships side 10 an exhausted eondi-
ton. pale and emaciared. but when
they asked her questions she could rc-
spoud only he the Russian language.
which was uninrelligible TO the Scan
dinavians. one OF the crew was
young Russian woman. Eaua Jarof
VINO had shipped nj a Siberian port
few days before Knowing a little
Scandinavian she was brought for
ward as an Interpreter 4 close OBJ
server would have noticed a slight
start on the part Of both her and the
woman from the boat when they first
saw each other but they sufficiently
restrained themselves so that nothing
unusual was noticed Eatia questioned
the stranger and reported that she
claimed TO have been aboard Russian
vessel and. mourning the displeasure OF
the captain. had been marooned. She
asked where the Sea Gull was bound
and when rold that she would frst stop
at q Norwegian port asked to be trans
ported there. Since she had no money
she was required to work her passage
before the mast
Naturally the two Russian women
became companions. The woman who
had been maFoOned. Sonia Sarder-
hon. was large and soon rpgained her
strength. which WIS considerable
Katia, On the contrary, was delicate
ana SIZE seemed 10 have been pulled
down 0v some past hardship Both
women were intellectual looking. aud
their station WIS evidently far above
that of the balance OF the crew Sonia
from rhe time she WIS able 10 stand
watch offered TO DO duty aIso for Kata
This she Insisted upon and most Of the
time did double work relieving 6atia-
The FIRST mate. a Swede named Sean.
derson. became euamored Of kaua ANA
made love 20 her Eatia repealed aim.
bur be persisted. Sonia took the giri
under her protection. which led 20 hard
words between the mate and Sonia. and
during the alteration Sonia told him
Thar If he did not cease annoying her
friend and couurvwoman she would
compel him 20 do SO This interested
the crew who ridiculed Scanderson
He paid no attention to Sonia s threat
but persisted In annoying hatia-
one day while be was so doing he
was felled 70 the deck by blow from
Sonia When the mate got up several
or the sailors were laughing az him
he attempted to bring the open palm
Of his hand against S0nias ear: but
leaving his own face unguarded. he re
ceived a knock under the jaw which
raised him OF his feet and landed him
on the deck again
| A fight between a man ana a woman
| brought the crew together 10 see. The
mate arose and let drive ar Sonia. lie
I was now in earnest. and the fight was
| more even. Sonia was at a dlsad-
vantage from her skirts but she had
| the luck 10 knock her enemy against
/ the capstan. which stunned him and
/ he was carried below unconscious
THAT ended the mates attentions to
Eatia. and from the time Of the light
/ the two women were tnseparabie
But Sonia had nothing TO do with
/ any Of the women Of the crew except
Katia She would not occupy a bunk
with the women. sleeping when she
/ lid sleep at night on deck She WIS a
puzzle TO the men. and her devotion
/ 70 Eatia excited a good deal Of curios-
Try The captain. hearing Of her quar-.
rel with the mate, reprimanded him
and gave orders that the two Russian
women should thereafter be treated
with every consideration He even
relieved Kaua Of her part Of the duties
81 a seaman
Finally the Sen Chill rounded the
northern extremity OF Norway ami
sailing down into the Atlantic ocean.
! put into Bergen When the anchor
had been dropped in Swedish waters
the women went TO the cabin of the
captain and made n confession The"
were both escaped prisoners from the
Russian political prison at Kara
Katia had been convicted Of teaching
/ the Russian peasants. Sonia was
man. Michael vlostof. who had g1t
himself sent to Kara for the express
! purpose Of freeing Katia. which he