The Mena weekly star., 1910-12-29
A Sacrifice
By ANDREW c. EWING
Copyright, 1910, by American Press
Association.

my fellow passenger
Suddenly | heard him give smoth-
cred cry. and. following the direction
of his eyes. | saw man running like
n deer to catch the train. The pas
senger put his head out the window
to see the end of the race, drew 1t in
and gasped:
MY Godv"
"Did he catch the train7' asked
"He jumped on to the footboard of
the last car"
my friend" said, II judge that
you are political refugee"
"Why do you think thatY' said the
man. stiffening up.
'"The man who ran to catch the
train is a government Official His
object is to arrest you"
"Who are your
"An American"
"Ah! Americans are our friends.
will tell you. That man. as you say.
will arrest me, and l shall be sent TO
Siberia. Help mew
How can / do thatr'
we art uOb uullhC--tAC CttinC hSa6h
both light hair and beard. both wear
glasses. Give me your travelling coat
and your golf cap and put on these
Russian clothes. When the train stops
an officer will come here to arrest me.
But by that time 1t will be night.
shall pretend to be asleep In my cor
ner with the collar of your coat pulled
up about my face and your cap down
over my eyes. You say. with a groan
of despair, i am caught at last, but !
will not live to go to the mines"
While they are removing you 1 shall
watch for an opportunity to get away
before they discover their mistake"
When the scheme was first proposed
to me / had not the remotest idea of
perpetrating it. But since it was an
hour before the train stopped he had
that time to persuade me. / should
have yielded. but was not sure that
l would not suffer long term Of i'm
prisonment for interfering in the
mans capture. Before we had reach
ed the station he had promised If
would take his place to see that the
American minister was made aware
of the matter. and as the train slowed
down. not being able to resist his pa
thetic appeals. adopted his plan
All happened as he had predicted.
AS soon as the train stopped the coach
door was thrown open and g lantern
thrust into the compartment True to
my promise. / cried out in Russian.
Il am caught at last. but / will not
live to go TO the minesr'
l was jerked out of the coach and
''politicap l did not know. was
taken into the station. given a closer
inspection and the deception discover
ed. BY the next train ! was taken
back to st. Petersburg and thrown
into prison.
The next morning asked for writ
ing materials. which were given me-
and wrote a note to the American min
ister. stating that I was an American
citizen in Russian prison and asking
his assistance. The day passed and
heard nothing. A week. month, went
by. gave up hope and cursed my
self for fool.
One morning young man came to
see me. saying that he was from the
embassy. asked him why he had been
so long in taking cognizance of my
note. He replied that no note had been
received. but the very next day after
my arrest the minister had been in
formed of all that had happened. He
had since been trying to get the gov
eminent to take the matter up. l had
been twice moved from one prison to
another. and each time the embassy
bad been informed of my removal. In
short. my note to the minister had not
been delivered. but some one had been
keeping watch over me and informing
the minister of my condition.
After another months hard work the
embassy succeeded in securing my re-
lease on condition that / leave the
country Immediately. was escorted
over the line. wondering the while
whether had been fool or a fine
fellow. l had no sooner got beyond
the border than a man stepped up to
me and said. 81 am to take you to the
count"
Thanks. no. don't want to go
to any count. I've had enough of this
business"
But he persuaded me and took me to
house where was received blythe
man whom had helped to escape. He
rushed forward and gave me q bear
hug and kissed me on both cheeks.
When his transports had subsidized he
said:
Il kept my promise The government
tried to lose you. but my friends pre-
vented. After you left me / got out
Of the car and escaped. have been
here ever since. ! am noble, rich.
and half my fortune is yours.
NO." said lit feels so good to
have made one sacrifcial act that you
can't pay me for doing it,
But I found 1t impossible to get rid
OF the counts gratitude. went to
Paris and had no sooner arrived than
number of Russians called on me.
One offered me a box at the opera.
another the use of house. There was
nothing ] wished for that was not
-