The Bowbells tribune. [volume], November 20, 1914, Image 6

About The Bowbells tribune. [volume] (Bowbells, Ward Co., N.D.) 1899-1969

Image provided by: State Historical Society of North Dakota

                
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SAVED
FROM SIBERIA
A Story of the Russian
Revolution
By P. A. MITCHEL
I. A A A A .I. J. A A Af.
A
PTTTTTTTTTTT
Leaving my comfortable boiue lie
hind me, my dear father and mother
my brothers and sisters, I set out foi
St. Petersburg, the headquarters of tht
revolution, where 1 became identified
with the revolutionary, party and die
such work as was assigned me. It
time my clothing was worn thread
bare I became thin and pale fron
want of proper nourishment and frou.
the condition of a noble was reduce*)
to that of a serf.
One day I was informed that u
young girl who was a prominent work
er for the revolution had been caught
iu a bouse where bombs were founr!
by the police and bad been arrested
tnd thrown into prison. I attended
tecret meeting of persons devoted to
the cause, convened to take measures
to free her. Five hundred rubles were
raised to bribe her jailer, and one of
our number was appointed to Inter
view bim.
In a few days the messenger called
us together again and informed us that
lie had offered the money to the jailer
If he would contrive the girl's escape,
but the man had said that it would be
impossible. He had, however, suggest
ed another plan. If one of our own
party would marry the girl be would
arrange that the priest who performed
the marriage service should antedate
the marriage certificate so that when
she came up .for trial her identity
would be lost, it would be supposed
that a mistake had been made in hei
case and the wrong person had been
Hi-rested.
The jailer agreed to carry
out this plan for the 500 rubles.
it was decided to accept his terms.
The marriage being simply a form to
save the girl from Siberia, no impor
tance was attached to it, and almost
any of us bachelors was willing to be
the groom. But it was decided that I
THE I,OT FELL TO ME.
we should draw lots for the service,
mid the lot fell to me.
I went to the prison, not as a groom
going to his bride, but as one going to
perform a duty of no especial Impor
tance to himself. But my first glance
at Marya Ivanovna, or Marya, tin*
daughter of Ivan, changed all tliis.
She was not so very beautiful, but
there was in her face the look of a
martyr—a look of perfect innocence
She had been told of our plan by the
jailer and knew that I had c-oine to
marry her. She seemed to consider It
a great favor on my part and gave me
u look of gratitude that went straight
to my heart. We were obliged to wait
some time for the priest, and 1 spent
It chatting with my bride. Singular
as it may appear, when the priest ar
rived and married us I kissed my wife
with ail the fervor of a bridegroom
who had married for love.
In a twinkling there had been in me
a change of motive. I had entered the
prison, aa I have said, carelessly to
perform a duty to the cause of the rev
olntion. I left it with a burning de
sire to free my bride and possess her
In peace. The incentive of the amelio
ration of millions of people kept in ig
norance and poverty had vanished to
give place to a matter of individual
selfishness.
Yet was it selfishness? Pity had
brought love, not for the millions, but
for one. I grant that the former is a
broader emotion, but love for the indi
vidual is not less divine.
At any rate, it seemed to me that I
bad stepped back to take a new start
a new foundation that,/whereas I
bad been standing on a vast plain too
large for my diminutive power to cul
tivate, I now stood on my own little
flat The sympathy 1 bad for my
-downtrodden brethren had become
concentrated upon one poor girl In
prison.
rejoined my comrades for u differ
ent purpose from that with which I
bs4 l»tt them. But 1 took cats not la
fsaaasstmtf&es
iipvfinl t» tliflffj "Wi
eowft 'pY4»V IBA)
be changed his
[TP
ir
'M ffftjr
duty that wasWigjiffl me.pH. -8*1 tUf
whiip I was tliintfijjir 'f '0ine plan by
winch I miulit h'fjiteH the 'release ol
Marya Ivaiu vna! There is no habeas
corpus in Russia, pud a prisoner, inno
cent or guilty, may remain for years
in prison without hiring brought tc
trial. 'Pile thought r,f my wife thus
wearing out her life behind bars was
maddening fcj me. 1 went to the pris-,
on to see her and to talk with her, but
the sight of her sad, pale face so dis
tressed me tl flt, realizing 1 needed ail
tlie coolness bat was in me to work
fur her liberation. i did not go again.
Then I sifttlet' down to plan in her be
half.
Marya Ivauivna had been in prison
hut a short t'-.-iie when we were mar
ried. Therefue. if I should call the
attention of Li-j anthoi tries to her case,
she would b( remembered, and the
plan or losing her idei.tity might fail.
1 did not on this net omit dare take
such a course-at least, not without
waiting. That there was no other had
already been flemonstv\ted. The jail
er had said tin he could not contrive
lo permit the prisoner to escape. But
that was because the money appropri
ated for lie pus»ose was no more than
enough for him: elf. Might he not, if]
supplied with sufficient funds to bribe
others in the chjln of government of
ficial* concerned In the matter, be able
to accomplish tin desired result?
1 went to him and asked Urn tills
question, lie replied that it was pos
sible. but the amount required for the
purpose would bo considerable. When
1 asked him how -jiuch he said that he
would have to Investigate, nj,d, con-,
sidering my shabby appearance and
the improbability of my raising any
large fund, I did not believe that he
would trouble himself in the matter.
Ilowner, I had a plan by which 1
might probably r.iise the amount re
quired, and when 1 revealed it
t0
him
lE.umer
and, I felt con­
fident. would so.md thos'i who must
lie bribed.
Within a week he sent for me and
told me that in order to procure Marya
Ivanovna's escape It would be necessary
to bribe five different persons, iu:lud
ing himself that one of these wvjs an
official of importance aiid could onlj
be bought for a considerable sum. In
short. 12.0O0 fibles wou':d be required
to put the scheme through. 1 iett him
and immcdi: telv started for iuy fa
tbi-r'fi home in Smolensk.
So shabby was my appearatn.e that
when I entered the gate the dogs bark
ed at me, and 1 was ordered asvay by
one of the servants. But 1 pai,l no at
tention lo either of these and. itoing to
the from door, opened It. a'.d there
stood my mother in the hall. She rec
ognized me and fell into my arms. 1
told tier that 1 had come horn* to make
a request of my father and if he would
grant it I would agree never again to
commit any overt act in favor of the
revolution. The boon 1 asked was the
money to free my wife.
.My mother used her influence with
my father to Induce him to grant the
request, but he, fearing that I was al
-eady so far entangled with the law as
to compromise the rest of the family,
would only consent on condition that 1
would I-ave Russia and not return. I
cared
to do this only in case 1 could
get Marya to go with me. So I re
turned to the capital—with means for
my temporary necessities given me by
my mother—and held a conference
with my wife.
Her health was breaking down un
ler her confinement, and it was not
probable that she could ever strike nn
other blow for the cause of the revo
lution. Ilesides. my interest in her be
half had already won her heart. This
last act of devotion served to make it
.•ompletely mine. Siie consented to my
plan oniy too gladly, and I left her
with high hope Tor her speedy release
and our future happiness in a foreign,
land.
Returning to my borne, 1 completed
the arrangement with my father, re
ceiving 5.000 rubles in lieu of my share
in his estate, and returned to St. Pe
tersburg. There I set my friends of
the revolufionary propaganda to work
to forge passports for myself and my
wife oti which to leave Russia. At
this work we had several experienced
hands, and 1 was not long in securing
the necessary documents. Then when
:ill had been made ready 1 went to the
Jailer, showed him tlie money he asked
to free my wife and gave him half
•a 1th a promise (if Ihe other half when
Marya should be delivered to me.
How he accomplished his work I
never have learned, but infer that he
bribed those who were a check upon
aim to wink at certain Irregularities.
Hid forced papers probably assisted In
Ihe work. Marya was released at 12
n'elock in the morning, and by arrange
ment I was near tlie prison with a car
riage. I put her in without'a word
and. having directed the cabman to
drive to the railway station, got in aft
•r her and closed Ihe door.
Then, locked in each other's anus.
»ve experienced inexpressible delight.
We selected America for our destine
lion and In due time arrived at otir
new home. i. having been well edu
cated. have found no difficulty in mak
ing a living Hi the United States.
f,hougli until I learned to speak the
language I was at a great disadvan
tage. Already, having an excellent
manager for u wife, I am becoming
prosperous.
The Russian revolution Is over, many
a young life has been taken, many are
perpetual exiles, and yet little was
accomplished. But though the people
have lost their cause they have not
been put back to the poinf from which
they started. They have made their
first dash for liberty, and as the north
pole of the earth was gained after a
number of dashes go doubtless will a
greater freedom eventually bp gained
in Rusalii.
imfcr'ii 'lift' "•S'i TrZjjjwJfrtib" ijjjja
mrst Doy^Y'Si Dmo
Pickle Barrel Suicide Threat Leaves
Hjr Husband Unmoved
By M. QUAD
«'npyrij*hi. AsHiK'i.'ttoU Lit
erary Pross.
After supper, when Deacon Dolby
tool the kerosene can and started for
the stoic, he left Mrs. Dolby singing
the hymn that she had u home over
there. She hadn't been so cheerful ill
many weeks.
When 'he deacon returned an hour
later there was no singing. The lamp
on the kitchen table was turned low
down, and the house seemed to be de
serted.
"Cone over to Brown's," said the den
cou lo himself as he turned up the
wick.
Then his eye caught sight of a uote,
and he half groaned.
The note was brief and concise, it
read:
1 have beard all about you and the bull
calf, and you will tind my drowned body in
pii-Uk barrc-l down cellar.
••Nice pickle she'll make!" grunted
ihe deacon as he proceeded to'the sit
ting room and turned up the lamp
there, lie had brought with him four
big apjdes.
it was lather foolish of Mrs. Dolby
to choose tbe pickle route to that bet
ter land when there were so many bet
ter ones, he thought.
He had finished his first apple and
begun peeling ihe second when Mrs.
Dolby appeared in the kitchen door
and in a hollow voice exclaimed:
•Samuel Dolby, the dead speaks to
ou!"
Samuel didn't jump out of his chair,
lie didn't even give a start of surprise.
••Samuel, one day last fall, when yon
were pulling the carrots, a man came
along
ihe road with a bull calf.- Do
ynii remember it?"
'The deacon remembered, tint he didn't
admit that lie did.
"After a little talk with him you
-larted off downtown with the two. I
e-i|led and called yon. but yon never
evi ii looked back."
11 was true. Inn tlie deacon wasn't
going lo say so. lie wasn't going to
-a.\ anything at all.
SVhen yon got back home you had a
skinned nose and was breathing ha I'd.
All yon would say about it was that
you fell down Samuel Dolby, you
lied to your confiding Wife!
While you were downtown this
evening Mrs. White came ill and told
me all about it. It seems that the man
was taking the bull calf to sell to tbe
butcher. When he got there there was
a dispute about the calf's weight. That
was where you butted in. You never
owned a lmil calf in your life, but you
had lo butt in and offer to bet $2 to $1
that you coujd lift him."
The deacon grinned, but the grin was
hidden from Mrs. Dolby.
-The man bet with you and you lost.
Von could no more lift that calf than
you could lift a barn. You heaved and
grunted and tugged. And when you
claimed yon had lifted it when you
hadn't and you refused to band over
ihe bet both men called yon a liar
and I he owner of the calf skinned
your nose and chased vou a quarter of
a mile!"
The deacon cringed, but chewed vig
orously lo hide it. He honestly be
tiev. that he had lifted tbe calf, but
the nihers were against him
••There is the case. Samuel, and do
you blame me for jumping head first
into tlie pickle barrel?"
The deacon had finished his third
apple and lie was full, lie therefore
shut and pocketed his jackknife and
gave a sort of gulp to signify that he
was full.
"I thought I could die and not say
anything about it," continued Mrs.
Dolby, "but I just had to back out of
thai barrel and let you know that your
perlidy was discovered.
"I have done my duty, Samuel, and
I go back to my pickle barrel. I don't
want the angels to say 1 was too hard
on yon. and so 1 will admit that I have
heard of cases where men were half
crazy about bull calves. Thar may
have been what ailed you (hat dav. If
yon think ii was, why--why"
The deacon may have thought so,
and he may have repudiated the sug
gestion with scorn, but lie had a wise
i-.1 head on his shoulders and main
'aiued silence except for a yawn or two.
"If you were bull calf crazy then I
might forgive you if you got dovn on
vour knees."
"Humph said the deacon to him
self
"Samuel, you needn't mind •about a
large funeral for me. I deserve oue.
but I don't want to put you to needless
expense, lteing as 1 drowned myself In
ihe pickle bar'l. why not use that as
my eolliu?"
Tbe deacon may have thought it a
good idea, but lie didn't say so. There
was a long minuteif silence.-and then:
"1 don't know but what it is my duty
to stay here on earth. Samuel. When a
husband gels to running after bull
calves, who should watch out for him
but his wife? If you would only get
down on your knees"
The deacon made no move to rest on
his marrowbones.
"Or If yon would promise to let bull
••'•aIves alone for the rest of your life"—
The deacon yawned and stretched,
"Or if you would just say you was
•iorry"—
The deacon didn't sny It.
"Well," said Mrs. Dolby a die wiped
her tears away. "I know by your looks
that you are sorry, and so I atn going
to forgive yon. Samuel, would you like
buckwheat cakes and maple 'lasses for
breakfast?"
And Mrs. Dolby was saved again!
ing and TtT if
he was rWing. No word could be
obtained of the ^ackrabbit
rnmz
Hallowed
Concert
Co.
Ten Real Artists With
Baritone
on Their Twelfth Annual Tour
Coming
Bowbells, North Dakota
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