Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-01
AND HERE IT CONTINUES

7 RUSHED to my lodging, locked my
self in a room and wept all night. My
crrand failed, and it was now up to me
TO choose between living death Tor
Yasha and selling myself. | had
visions of kolymsk a settlement Of
several scattered huts, populated 10y
natives, lost in the vast eXpanse of the
ice-bound tundra IA steppe in north
ern Siberia), and buried for months
under mountains of snow. | could al
most hear the bowling of the Arctic
winds and the frightful growing of the
polar bears
I pictured Yasha in the midst of it,
cut off from our race, slowly anguish
ing in the monotony OF inactivity.
Then my thoughts would yeer about 90
the other alternative. Live and work
with Yasha in outward happiness, and
stealthily, in the night, 80 to this de-
generate Governor. And what if va.
sha learned of my secret trips? How
would I explain? And of what avail
would any explanations he to him?
No, II was impossible, impossible, All,
what a terrible night it was. From
hugging the frozen banks Of the Arctic
waters, my imagination would carry
me to the revolving embraces of Gov.
ernor Kraft, in a fruitless search for a
way out.
Morning finally came and found me
all worn out. When asked by friends
as to the result Of my call on the Gov
ernor ! replied that he had refused my
appeal. In low spirits | went to see
Yasha. lie quickly noticed my down.
cast appearance and inquired into the
cause.
II saw the Governor, and he would
not change your place of exile" | in
formed him, cloomilS.
Yasha fared up. You appealed TO
/ the Governor, eh? The Governor never
refused yet an appeal of this sorC by a
woman, I am told. He is the kindest
OF men. The warden here just told me
/ llldl AllO 'IoN'i ilOi ildf' lDi5 iNlN tilN
need Of a first-class butcher.shop in
town, and would never let us go il
properly appealed to. And I hear that
you did not plead sufficiently. You
want to get rid of me, eh? You want
to have me sent 10 Kolymsk TO die, sc
that you can remain here alone ano
carry on with some other man."
! Yasha's words panied me deeply. Ht
always had been very jealous. but the
train of the Imprisonment and journey
now made him more eXcitable. Be
from the Governors office had com
municated 10 him the intelligence ths
I had not sufficiently exerted mysel
in his behalf. / did not dare to tel
him the truth, for that would hav,
leant sure exile TO Kolymsk, and 1 still
hoped against hope.
"Yasha," l implored, "how can yol
say such things of me? You know hov
I love you. and il you go to Kolymsl
I'll go along with you. have beel
to the Governor and begged him."
"Then go again. Fall on your knee
before him, and beg harder He is sal
to be such a kind man that he wi
surely have mercy. Otherwise, we ar
lost. Think of our destination, Ian
without the sun, colony of three o
four shaclis, spread over a space of te
or fifteen versts, this is kolymsk. n
horses, no business. no trades! A Ian
not for the living. Go, pray to the Gov
ernor, and he may take pity"
! looked at Yasha, and my heart wa
1lled with anguish. He was onl
twenty.seven, but his hair was alread
turning gray. He looked pale and el
hausted. could not keep myself fror
breaking out into sobs. Yasha wa
touched. and, placing his arm aroun
me. apologized for his insinuatlon, as
suring me OF his devotion and sppreci,
tior of my endeavors to sustain him
his trials left him, with the undel
standing that I would call on the Gov
ernor again.
| ITO go or not to 60" was tn
thought that tormented me on III
= way from Yasha. learned that tn