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About The Rockdale banner. (Conyers, Ga.) 1888-1900 | View Entire Issue (March 25, 1891)
HOT THAT KIND OF A POET. nr m. c. Knows. •No, William." Ihe million faltered, Aud a tear stood in her eye. •I never, ne'er, ran be your wife. And I 11 tell yon the reason why; You re only a poor * prink’ in poet. Without auv prospects life. Ant aJtito could - you're as nice a* nice can be, Von never support a wife." A'onng William arose from his i ended knees, And his voice ran* proud and clear; *lf you tnii.k l'ut a go lmg, Ma'ildy Jane, You've pot the wring chick by the ear; I ain't none o’ yer dishwater tmets. That howl about spring and its charms. I write patent-medicine puffs. ” he cried, ■ And she tumbled right nto his anus. —- Yankee lilailr. THI8 LOVE OF OUBA BT WM. W. LONG. This great love of onrs nomorial can measure Its height and its depth and radiant light; It* grandeur and glory, and inoense sublime Will swoop from our lives all shadows of night All s potless arid pure is this wonderful love, And void of the stains that degrade and oppress ; The angels in heaven in wonder look down. And the Ruler divine the pure thing doth bless. LOLA PULASKI; -OB The Victim of Circumstan¬ tial Evidence. A Story of Nihilistic Plottings and Crimes. BY LEON EDWARDS. CHAPTER XfX. A RTABTL1XO SITUATION. It iB easier to imagine than to de¬ scribe the situation in which Ivan Berger found himself. He would not allow himself to think that Lance was disloyal. He knew that Maux was the night turnkey, daylight, and that he believed that soon af¬ ter would unprepossessing release him. per¬ son app ur to In his great anxiety to get out, Ivan forgot tha' at that moment he repre¬ sented in dress and make up the very man he was expecting. Another turnkey appeared in Manx's place. He wan a stolid,eoarse-looking fellow, whom Ivan had never seen be¬ fore, so lit; dtd not dare to accost him. I To cold and anxiety, hunger was added ns the day wore on, and the gloom of another long winter night came to the prison corridors. It may not bo amiss here to explain the conduct of Lance and the turn¬ key, Maux. , Lance’* passion* wore as strong as his great frame. Separated from the world, ho was tierce in liis vindictive hate of its rulers, and ho sought every opportunity to drown his memory in drink. He had been drinking when Ivan met him, and with such men the only safety is in keeping away from the cursed cup. drinks, till One drink means other the frenzit d intoxication seizes on the brain, and destroys all prudence and immediate responsibility. in the cell with After leaving Ivan Lola Pulaski Lance and Manx went to the drinking place near the prison, in tending to remain but a short time, for it was against the rules for them to leave at all without permission. with bottle, But they sat down a like forbidden fruit, between them, and under such circnmstauoes such men soon forget time ami all the duties they owe lo their fellows. Indeed, Ltvueo and Manx forgot the duty they owed to themselves, and drank till they forgot they were not free men. In vain did the proprietor of the place urge them to get hack to the prison while it was yet dark, and they could return by the secret passage. The men went on daylight drinking and curs¬ and ing the Czar till came, they fell to the floor, in the heavy sleep of iutoxication. Long before daylight both men should have left their bods in the cel¬ lar, under the prison roeeption-room, and reported for well duty. in other In this, as as every the branch of the Czar's service, rules are inflexible, and their enforcement is rigid as death. The absence of Lance and Manx was, of course, detected the very instant they should have gone on duty. “The lazy dogs,” said the governoi of the prison, an old soldier and a most pliant of tool their of beds, the and Czar. put “Roust thorn in them cells •out lor a week.” Being so two of prison ■officials started to seek Lance aud Maux, but they soon returned with the startling report that “the lazy dogs' oouUl not be found. Then the old governor became furi ©us. lt was clear to him that the men had deserted their posts. lie caused llteir disappearance to be telegraphed all over the city, and also to General Paul’s chief of staff, who was acting as head of the secret serv ice, during the incapacity of his su At once a thousand , men were on the \ search, and placards were posted de scnbmg the appearance of the two men, and informing the public that Lanee and Maux were “partially par doited criminals a class of culprits unknown outside the dominions ol ‘ i*/' Had h Lance and , Maux ,, , been in an in accessible place, far away from the Neva prison, the chaines are they would have been detected and arrested at once, but, being under the walls, a* it were, they were comparatively se ■cuf®- In the meantime Ivan was in great anxiety. Hunger was added to mental torture. He reasoned that if Lance or Manx had betrayed him for the sake of the rewards, that befoie this tlie prison officials would have appeared to exam¬ ine him. Hut it was very evident that cell three was lo ked upon as vacant. He feared that any minute the turn¬ key would appear with a prisoner and show hon in. “I can't remain here till hunger and cold sap all my strength,'’ reasoned Ivan. Hut he could not so readily hit upon » way of getting the out of the trap. He watched stout turnkey aK he went his rounds, and he came to the conclusion, about midnight of the sec¬ ond day, to discover himself. Waiting till the turnkey stopped in his rounds, near cell three, which he lid about every half hour, Ivan made a scratching noise on the door. The man was on the alert, for he came over and listened aud the noise was repeated. The turnkey held his lamp up to the grating in the upper part of the door and tried to look inside. He could see nothing, but he did hear a cat as plainly as ever a cat was heard in the world. "I wonder how that cat got in there?” mused the man. He set his lamp on the floor, and putting his mouth to the bars, he whispered: leetle “Pussy, pussy, poor puss.’* “Me-ow!" was the reply. hardened The man, whose heart was beyond all feeling for the afflicted of his own kind, had his sympathies strongly aroused for tire imprisoned cat. “Poor pussy,” out.” he said, “patience, and I will let you Slinging the lantern over his arm, he fumbled with the keys at his belt till he found the right one, and this he inserted in the door. Ivan heard and understood all the turnkey’s movements. the He slipped into a corner, w here door, which opened inwards, would conceal him when the man came in. Engrossed with his mission of mercy, and anxious that the cat should not get out and run wild through the cor¬ ridors, the turnkey opened the door only sufficient to admit himself, and then quickly closed it behind him. When Ivan changed clothes with Manx he took care to retain the pistol which ho always carried. This he now grasped with his right hand, and the moment the man was fully inside the cell, he seized him by the throat with the left and threw him on the cot. “One word! Whisper an alarm,” hissed Ivan, as with the strength of a giant he held (ko aatM-iaharl t iiynkev flown, “and you are a dead man! The lantern fell on the bed, but did not extinguish. the turnkey recognized By its light of the bending the face and dress man over him, and he very naturally took him to be his old associate Manx, for whom ho entertained no love. “Manx! Manx! I’ll do as you say!” the man managed to gasp. hold somewhat, Ivan released liis uul said, for he did not want the per he represented to sutler for this conduct: “1 am not Manx.” “Not Manx?” “No.” “Then, in the name of saints, who *ro you V ” “That matters not to you. I got ir here by a mistake--” “A mistake!" echoed the man, whose ayes threatened to pop out of his heads “Hist ! You must do as I say; I am i desperate man.” “1 see that.” “If you value your life, obey mo.' “I will, L will! gasped the frightened wretch. Still covering the man with liis pis tol, Ivan stepped back, and, taking tin lamp from the bed, set it on the floor, and lowered it. “Now,” lie said, “let me have yotu key.” nothing else to do, Seeing there was the man unbuckled the heavy belt and handed it to Ivan. “Now take off your coat and hat Don’t growl; I will give you those I. have on, which are quite as good. The turnkey groaned, but there was nothing for it but to comply with this request. back to the door, Ivar With his quickly made the change, and tin man asked; “That is all I want you to me but I am not through with you.” “Pray do not harm me.” "I shall not, if you still obey; but mark you, I am lighting for my owr life.and it is more precious than yours Now lie out at full length on the bed,’ said Ivan, with unmistakable resolu tion in his low tones. “What are you going to do with me?’ asked the turnkey, as he obeyed tlii; command. “I am going to tie and gag you!” “Oh, Lord!’ "Not a won! !” With surprising quickness, _ Ivan cut the blanket into strips, which be twisted, ami then proceeded to tie the man’s hands and feet. This done, he gagged him with the heavy woolen muffler which he hail been wearing alanit his own neck. “Now," he said, as be took up the lantern, "I shall assume your charactei till 1 get out of the prison, then I will st ->nd word, to the Governor, explain veur situation, and you will tie ro leased.” The man groaned out and shook his' head, but of course could say nothing. Ivan ran his arm through the ring that supported the lantern, and going out lie closed, but did not lock, the cell door behind him. So far he had succeeded beyond liis expectations, but he was not yet out of the prison. He felt that he could go back the route by which Lance had led him in, but the spirit of audacity was stirred up in him, and formed the resolution of going out the regular way. He knnv nothing about the where¬ abouts of the cells, nor of the ar¬ rangement of the j rison, but he did know that the turnkey had to report every half-hour, and he noted that this was timed by a bell that tolled solemn¬ ly through the corridors. He was prepared to answer the bell, when the door leading to the recep¬ tion-room was swung open and an of tieial called out: . “Turnkey, turnkey—this way for prisoners. ” Ivan hastened out. and to his amaze¬ ment he saw Lance and Laux standing before the desk. CHAPTER XX. THE AUDACITY OF DESPERATION. When Ivan saw Lance and Maux, lie took in the situation with a rapidily thnt surprise! himself. Indeed, at the moment he could not help being amazed at his phenomenal ooolness. After leaving the cell, he planned to reach the reception-room the first chance, and then to make a break through the front door, and depend upon his speed as a runner, and his knowledge of the city, for escape. But at sight of the men who had be¬ friended him, his purpose changed, ind, with the quickness of lightning, ue hit upon another plan. Another recorder sat behind the ponderous book, in Lance’s old place. He had just got through writing lown a description of the prisoners, noth of whom had been captured in the place where they got drunk, and, tuni¬ ng to Ivan, he said: “Take Maux to cell seven, turnkey.” “Yes, sir,” replied Ivan, saluting, md imitating the gruff tones of the atan whose character he was for the first time assuming. e And take Lance to cel! three. ‘ * Yes, sir.” Ivan opened the great oaken door, with its rusty knobs, and the prison¬ ers, looking gloomy and desperate, followed him into the corridor. “Well, Lot,” said Maux, after they had gone half the length of the cor¬ ridor, and were out of hearing of the people in the reception-room, even if die ponderous doors were opened; ‘you’ve got your wish at length, and ire going to lock me up.” “And see hero,” joined in Lance; ‘are you quite sure, Lot, that there lin’t another prisoner in cell three?” “I know there’s a prisoner there,” growlea ivan, x.o.. ill ^ — ’-to a lusky angle in the corridor. “And do you know who the prison ors—by the mass, there should be two :tf them!” exclaimed Lance, as it sud lenly dawned on his mind that Lola Pulaski, as well as Ivan, should be in rell three. “Lola Pulaski is gone,” said Ivan. “And who is in there?” “Lot is the sole occupant of that pleasant place at this moment.” As Ivan spoke he raised the lamp tc his own face, lifted his hat and wig, and the two men had to press their hands to their mouths to keep from shouting when they recognized him. “Ivan Berger!” gasped Lance. “Yes, Ivan Berger! Ask no explana¬ tions now. We have one-half hour in which to save ourselves! How can it be done*?” asked Ivan, in a hurried but intense whisper, in the Greek Cal¬ “Bv all the saints endar!” said Lance; “you should he a General!” “But we must get out of this. My life, your liberty, depend on it. Why, 1 do not even know where cell seven Is.” Lance smote his forehead. The situation and its necessities sud¬ denly dawned upon him. “Quick! follow me!” he whispered. Ivan and Manx followed him to the rear of the prison, where he lifted a Hag in the floor. It was to his giant strength a mere child-weight. which The light of the lamp, Ivan parried, fell upon a narrow stairs, to which Lance pointed. descended, Lance coming The three last, and letting the flagstone fall into place from his upturned hands. “Let me have the lantern for a few seconds,” said Lance, “while I get some other clothes to us.” Ivan would have protested before he against could this arrangement, but do so Lance seized the lantern and was gone, in tlie gloomy A mistep, down awful. depths, would be The seconds were like minutes, though not mauyof them elapsed be¬ foi-e Lance was back again with three fur coats, or, rather, coats of sheep skins, with the hair on. anil caps to match, such as are worn by the team sters and lower orders of the city in the winter season. [ “There are enough for three,” he j paid as threw the things on the Kromu i and b-sau ^ selecting the largest; i ..^ t ns C;u . h on a C oat and cap.” ! Thi , took but a few seconds, and ith the ffreat co n ars hmied.up to their and the baggv fur caps drawn over their eves, the three men were so disguised that their dear est lrioT5ds woold not . have known them. “Now let me play guide,” said Lance. “After we are outside the walls I will turn over the commaud to you. Com¬ rade Ivan.” AY ith this he strode ahead, the others following at nearly a run. went Along dark, intricate passages Lance, without a second's pans?. At length he rose to the surface, and bv means of a key which he had se¬ creted on his person, he opened the little door in the great wall through which he led Ivan when they entered the prison, and again the three men stood free in the black shadows. The door in the wall being closed be¬ hind them, Lance turned, and, laying his hand on Ivan's shoulder, said: “Now, comrade, you must take com¬ mand.” “Do you know of no place where yon could be safe till you can get a chance to get out of the country?” asked Ivan. “I do not. I know the little brandy shop across the street, and the place where our people meet in the city “You mean the Nihilists?” “Yes, comrade. But beyond the places named I know of none. The world, which I hate, has forgotten me. ” “Havre you or Maux any money?” asked Ivan, adding, with a sigh, “at present I am bankrupt.” “I “Aye, comrade,” replied Lance, have a thousand rubles sewed in the lining of my coat, which those fellows at the office did not take from me. ” •‘Good. I do not want the money for myself, but that you and Manx may be able to compensate the poor man—the brother, who will take charge of you. Now, follow me, or rather let us keep on side by side. I wish we had three whips, that we might better carry out our characters. ” With a slouching gait that the others lid not have to make much of an effort to imitate to perfection, Ivan walked on between the two men. They crossed some of the wider streets, passing bodies of soldiers, and making no effort to avoid the police¬ men, who were never out of sight. Ivan’s objective noint, was the house of one George Nevski, a theatrical costumer. This George Nevski was an old man, a bachelor, and a confirmed Nihilist. He was well known in the city for his eccentricities, but it was not sc well known that these eccentrici¬ ties were assumed to hide his schemes against the Czar, whom he bitterly hated. George Nevski’s house was a low, old-fashioned structure, the first flooi of which was several steps lower than the street. The old man was in the act of put¬ ting up tlie shutters in his little shop windows for the night when the three men halted before him, aid Ivan gave him the Nihilist sign of distress. “Quick; go into the house,” said the old man, “and I will follow when I have finis 1, ed my work.” They entered the shop, and in a few minutes George Nevski came in and carefully locked the door behind him. Ivan had learned the art of disguise made himself old bb m, and ,fl.nrl explained now he Known, why they had come. ’ihe old man was startled at Ivan’s audacity, and alarmed at the dangei that was thus thrust on himself; yet he “aid, firmly: oath, and “I do not forget my I tc the best of my ability will aid yon all.” He led them up a narrow stairs, and into a little back room, where his supper was cooking on a kitchen stove. who He made more coffee, and Ivan, had not eaten for forty-eight hours, fairly devoured the food set before him. After the simple meal w r as over— and it may be well to state that while eating—George Nevski told about the release of Lola and her father, anil that they were then at General Paul’s hotel, he said: “Stay you three here, while I go out and spy the land.” He gave them three papers and a box of tobacco, and went out, followed by a woolly little dog. George Nevski bad been gone about an hour, it seemed like a day to the waiting men, when he came back tc report that the city was in a great state of excitement. “You are missed from the prison,” he said, “and the police are searching the city. As I entered the house I met a group of officers near the door, and I feared they were coming in, for they questioned me closely about three men who were seen to pass up this street. ” “Take care of Lance and Maux,” said Ivan, rising. asked “But where are you going?” the old man. “Out. I shall appear on the streets as a one-armed soldier. You must loan me an old military dress. ” “But where do you want to go?” “To General Paul's hotel,” said Ivan. The old man gasped on hearing this, and repeated: hotel!” “General Paul’s “Yes; you say Lola Pulaski is there, and if so I must see her. ” “If you are bound to go out,” said Lance, who for some minutes had been opening the lining of his inner coat, and taking therefrom a lot of paper money, “it will be better for you to have some cash. Here-are a hundred rubles. What, comrade! will you in¬ sult me by refusing?” Ivan thankfully took the money, and, bidding Lanoe and Maux good¬ night. and warning them not to ven¬ ture out till he saw them again, he went down to the shop. Here he was provided with a sol¬ dier's tattered uniform, which he donned with the ease of a man accus¬ tomed all his life to such attire. He “made up” his face with the skill of a professional actor. • He had only one arm exposed, the other being concealed on his breast. George Nevski let him out by a back door that opened on a lane, after beg¬ ging him to be very, very careful. Recent success made Ivan Berger bold to tha verge of recklessness, t or lie walked straight to General Paul’s and he stood and read, on a post be¬ fore the door, the reward offered for his own capture. CHAPTER XXI. LOLA IS ALARMED. in Russia, as in all civilized countries crippled soldiers are a privileged class! They are free to enter even the palace of the Czar unchallenged, and when¬ ever they “salute,” pass a sentry, the sentrj comes to a an honor paid onh to superiors. this when he Ivan knew assumed his disguise. audacity that characterized AYith the all his recent actions, he was about to enter the hotel—which, it must be re¬ membered, was not a public house— when Count Lin wold came out to waiting sleigh. held letter The Count a in his hand, and looked about him as if to find a messenger. forward Ivan sprang at once, and touching his hat, he asked: “Excellency, can I be of service?” “Ah, yes, my man, ” said the Count, eying him over. “Do you know me?” “You are Count Linvvold,” replied Ivan. “Right. Do you know where ] live?” “As well as I know my own cot, ex¬ cellency,” and Ivan told him the place. “Take this letter bring to the my daughter, and when you answer back to this place, to which I will return in an hour from the AVinter Palace, I will reward you.” “My reward is sufficient if I can be of service to your excellency,” said Ivan, taking the letter and darting away. muttered the Count, he •‘Ah,” as got into his sleigh, “there are true hearts still in the empire. That brave fellow gave an arm to his country, and now he gives her his heart.” As Ivan was ascending the steps oi Count Linwold’s palace he heard a footfall behind him, and turning he saw Colonel Orloff. “AA’hat do you want here, my man?” asked Colonel Orloff, as he returned Ivan’s salute. “I want to see the Countess Elvira: I have a letter for her from her father,” replied Ivan. led him Colonel Orloff into the warm hall and gave him a chair, saying: “I will take the letter to the Count¬ ess.” The Countess was expecting her lover, for she stood in the door of her own little parlor and met him with an ardor scarcely to be expected in one of her icy cast of character. The letter stated that General Paul enough ------Aanger to walk about but well his quarters. Further, that the General refused to marry Elvira, arguing as his strong reasons that neither the lady nor him¬ self were parties to the contract, and that she had no desire for such a union. The letter urged Elvira to write at once, the saying that she had always known of early contract, and that she stood ready to fulfill it. “This letter of yours,” the Count wrote in conclusion, “I will show to “he Czar, who already suspects Gen¬ eral Paul’s loyalty. The young man is insane, for he is treating old Pulaski and liis daughter as if they were his gAests. The game is in our hands, Elvira, if we play it well. Answer at once, and destroy this.” Elvira showed the letter to her lover, aid at once "wrote a reply in accord aice with her father’s wishes. Count Orloff took the letter out to Ian, who was sitting, hat in hand, in th hall, and said : Here is a ruble for you, my friend; ah take this letter back to Count Lin w<d. ” thanks, excellency,” said Ivan, tui^ng “nd I t 0 the door, say, my man, if you are not otutwise employed, and you call to mon t this address, I * w a think I can bud something to do.” L't thanked him. took the card, aud, omising to call on the Colonel tne nt day, he vanished. Heurried straight back to General raul hotel, and waited outside till Coun'uin W old’s sleigh returned, when he haed him the letter. The.ount took the letter, and said: "low me, my man; I will pay you inside. Ivacollowed him, and the Count meetiEat the door an officer, with whom entered into earnest conversa¬ tion asey walked on, he forgot about Ivan, o kept respectfully behind him. [TO BE CONTINUED.] A n peculiarity in human nature has b< revealed by a German anato mist, t calls attention to certain hys tencabmen who are affected with a kind pam joy —not only experi encinj pain from surgical mutilation, but fig a morbid desire to bear witlimnarsthetics o TJ erations which shou trove Ter 7 pai a ful. A young womjas introduced . ousiyxred her who had' seri lower jaw during a paroi sistetn of having hysteria, but who hadln the necessary removal oi p the jaw and ligature of two artef rfcirmed without an anaesthetic, and urgently declared that the oper atioEg iven her grea t pleasure. Aathe ^occupations that Lon don |aoQ) oi jgm are engaged in ar ® 4* t°t ‘'•-visiting board
