TWO HUNDRED BURIED ALIVE
/\wful Mine Disaster at Crebbs,
Indian Territory.
M®“ T*k®n °nt Badljr Jn
jureil-Ovcr Two Hundred Still
Entombed—Piteous Appeal,
of Wires end Children.
SovTn McAllister, 1. Tif J&n> 8.^—
Vews from the mine disaster in the
Osage mine at Crebbs, five miles east
of here, is coming in very slow. It is
learneii that at the time of the explo
sion nearly 350 men were in the shaft.
Most of them had stopped work for the
day and were waiting their turn
to ride out in the cage.
They had congregated near the bottom
of the shaft and that locality is com
pletely jammed with dead bodies. It
is stated that eighty-five succeeded in
reaching the open air by means of an
abandoned tunnel. About forty min
ers were rescued by the lowering of
buckets by a rescuing party outside
the shaft.
At daylight this morning ten dead
bodies were carried to the surface.
They were so badly bruised and black
ened as to be scarcely recognizable.
The mouth of the pit is surrounded
by a crowd of men, women and chil
dren, nearly all of whom have relatives
in the mine Their grief is pitiable
and their prayers and cries are agoniz
ing as they beseech the rescuing party
to increase their efforts to save their
loved ones.
Of the eighty-five men who were
reached safely by means of an old tun
nel over half have received such, in
juries that it is feared they will not
recover.
ii is ut'ucvcu iiiuw i/iiu CApiuaiuu was
caused by the tiring of a shot when
the mine was probably filled with gas.
At the present writing (8 a. in.) 223
miners are unaccounted for. Of this
number it is believed that nearly 100,
and perhaps more, are already dead.
Owing to the great excitement at the
scene of the disaster and the distance
from any telegraph office, it is impos
sible to get a list of the dead and
injured.
The explosion occurred about 5
o'clock last evening. The day men had
just changed off and had reached the
surface when a puff of smoke was seen
to.issue from the mouth of the shaft.
Immediately after this a terrific report
followed, which was heard for some
distance in the surrounding country.
The men who were around the mouth
of the shaft knew instinctively what it
meant and at once sounded an alarm.
A throng gathered at once, but there
was nothing they could do to rescue
the unfortunates.
PRESIDENT’S PROCLAMATION.
Must Suspend the Free . Admission of Agri
cultural Products.
Washington. Jan. 8.—The presi
dent’s proclamation under the recipro
city section of the tariff act states that
in view of the provisions in ;the reci
procity section of the tariff law of Oc
tober 1, 181)0, making it the duty pf the
president, after January 1, 1892, to sus
pend by proclamation the free admis
sion of sugar, molasses, coffee, tea and
hides against countries producing these
articles, as after that date main
taining tariff duties upon any agri
cultural and other products which he
may deem unequal and unreasonable,
the president submitted to the attor
ney general the question whether the
law authorized him to issue a procla
mation fixing a future day when the
duties imposed by virtue of the procla
mation would take effect. The attor
ney general has given an opinion that
the duties must attach and be collected
on and after the date of the proclama
tion, and that a future day cannot be
named by the president. Owing to this
decision and to the fact that justice
to importers of the articles named in
section 3 of the tariff law requires that
a reasonable notice should be given of
the president’s intended action, Secre
tary Blaine today sent notes to the
diplomatic representatives of Austria,
Hungary, Colombia, Haiti, Nicaragua,
Honduras, Spain, PhiHipine Islands
and V enezuela informing them that on
the 13th day of March, next, the presi
dent would issue his proclamation, un
less in the meantime some satisfactory
reciprocity arrangement should be
made with the countries named.
COULDN'T FOOL THE PREACHER
▲ Boy Who Played Corpse Knocked Out by
a Hoosler Parson.
Crawfohdsvillk, Ind., Jan. 8.—Dur
,ng a protracted meeting at a church
near Jackville, six miles east of this
city, two weeks ago Sunday, a crowd
°f boys became so boisterous that the
Preacher, Mr. Johnson, ordered them
lo leave the church. The hoys laid in
. *or Him on his way homo and
led to scare him by playing ghost in
,,e darH woods where he passed
This did not frighten him,
" ‘“e matter was supposed to have
quieted down.
v ~ no was called lrom ms
“?® an<l asked to sit up with a corpse
. mile a'yay. He grot in his buggy and
at the house took his place
re* he head of the coffin and, having
}JC8hed himself with a cup of coffee,
?an to sing a song. He had
until froceeded very far, < however,
1 ‘he supposed corpse sprang up in
p and in a low, hollow voice
**®laimed: "When a man is in the
6imrL"C*n0^ the dead he should not
»ft» ‘ he Preacher regained himself
dealt .k surPrise and sprang back and
left v. .6 corpse a blow in the face that
the h'm on the floor in agony, at
n, s.an)e time remarking: “When a
,e_ *S d,ead should not speak.” The
snd u , Sfentlemen then took his leave
stent j8 5a*e to say he will not be tor
the , a^ain. The boys who played
in auPP°aed corpse on the preacher
v*hn ?D8 ot ^ Coughlin, a farmer,
s much humiliated over the joke.
Disabled Steamer In Tow.
viueknstows. Jan. 8.—The steamship
3 *rom New Orleans, December
to» Ure®l»» Mae. and hating in
Ll»nj “>* disabled British steamer
u, ,,°®.City, from New York, Decem
‘-°t the Bristol line, has been
"Khted oO Kinsale head.
SOCIETY SHOCKED.
Mr». Henry Von Puhl, of New Orleans, a
Diamond Thief.
New Orleans. La., Jan. 8.—A clever
robbery was perpetrated in the jewelry
house of Scoller & Co., a few days ago,
which had an unexpected sequel today.
A well dressed woman visited the store
to purchase dlainonda She picked out
some large and handsome ones, but not
having the money with her to pay foi
them, had the clerk accompany her
with the diamonds to the residence of
^rf. "jitney, one of the wealthiest
residents of New Orleans, whom she
..u?d as her aunt The clerk went
with her and remained outside while
wS..lady t wont in to show Mrs.
Whitney her diamonds He waited
naif an hour, and growing sus
picious sounded an alarm. The
woman could be found nowhere about
the house, and no one knew anything
of her. The police and detectives have
been looking for the diamond thief
ever since. Yesterday she attempted
to dispose of the diamonds at a pawn
shop, but becoming frightened again
disappeared, leaving the jewels be
hind.
A great shock was experienced to
day when the police arrested Mrs
Henry Von Phul, a member of one ol
the oldest and best known families in
the state, as the diamond thief, just as
she was about to take the cars for
Baton Rouge. Mrs. Von Phul at first
denied and then confessed and sur
rendered other diamonds and jewelry
she had concealed about her room. She
is the wife of Henry Von Phul, form
erly a rich sugar planter of this state
and son of Mr. Von Phul, of St Louis.
Her family say that she is insane and
has been confined in an asylum and is
not responsible for her acts. It is said
that she has been in similar escapades
in St. Louis.
HAD A STRONG PULL.
The Despised Pony of » Westerner Fooled
Southern Sports.
Memphis, Tenn., Jon. 8.—There is 8
let of sports in this town today whe
are hunting for somebody to kick them
around the block. All because they
picked up a wild westerner fo'r a suckct
and he “made monkeys” out of them.
His name is Dr. Stiller and ho came tc
Memphis a few days ago with a drove
of ponies. Among them was an ugly
little beast that excited the derision oi
all who saw him. This morning a crowd
of sporting stockmen gathered at the
sale began to guy the doctor about hit
“Tacky.”
“That pony, gentlemen, can do some
thing that none of your fancy horse!
can do. He can pull 300 pounds of sand
attached to a rope a mile long for a
distance of ten feet,” said the doctor.
"What will you bet on it?” demanded
the crowd. “Anything you like,” said
the doctor, calmly pulling out a wallet
full of big bills and drafts. The sports
called in their friends, and altogethei
they raised $5,000 in cash. One oi
them also put up 160 acres of land
in Iowa. The doctor covered all
beta The trial came off in
the afternoon on a smooth turnpike.
The bag of sand was weighed and the
rope was measured^ and straightened.
The doctor took the despised pony tc
the other end and hitched him to the
rope, then slapped him on the rump
and told him to “go. ” The little ani
mal moved quietly forward till the
rope was taut and then gave:a steady
pull. The bag moved twenty feet.
“Its an old trick of his, gentlemen,”
said the doctor, when he rejoined the
crowd. “Ho has done it before many
a time. It’s the gentle, steady pull
that does it. Much obliged to you all,”
and he led the pony leisurely back tc
the stable.
A WIFE AT TWELVE YEARS.
She I. a Sluslcal Prodigy, and Her Hus.
band Is Twenty-live.
Louisville, Ky., Jan. 8.—Angelina
Faccenda, a musical prodigy, just 12
years of age, sat in Chief of Police
Taylor’s office yesterday afternoon.
In a chair at her side was Frank Ben
nett, a handsome young man about
thirteen years her senior. These twe
had been fond of each other for many
months and took the first opportunity
to elope. They were man and wife.
Bennett is a grocery man. His child
wife lived with her father. Faccenda
is a professional musician and his little 1
daughter was the pride of his life until
a few weeks ago. The piccolo is hei
favorite instrument, and upon it she
plays with wonderful skill. She al
ways played with her father at con
certs and private entertainments
Sunday night the musician missed
his daughter and her fayorite instru
ment Yesterday he notified the
police. In the afternoon the girl was
found on Fourth street and was ar
rested. Her father was sent for, and
Bennett, who had seen her arrested,
was also in the chief's office. Before
her father arrived Angelina produced
a marriage licence, showing that or
Sunday evening she had been married
in Mew Albany. The police could not
interfere between man and wife and sc
dismissed the child.
BLAINE TOO STRONG.
No Effort Will Be Made to Send Ilarrbot
Delegates From Philadelphia.
Philadelphia, Jan. 8.—No effort
will be made in this city to send dis
tinctively Harrison delegates to the
Minneapolis convention. After look
ing over the ground the republican
leaders have come to the conclusiot
that the Blaine sentiment is too strong,
and that in consequence it would not
be good policy to make any fight. Sc
the Harrison element will not bring
out any candidates in any of the con
gressional districts save the Fifth,
where one has already announced him
self and proposes to stick. The efforti
of the federal office holders, however,
will be felt in the interior of the state,
and they have hopes of being able tc
secure a majority of the state delegates
favorable to the renomination of the
president.
Played the Bones. "
New York, Jan. 8.—Parker C. Leon
ard, who was treasurer of the opet
board clearing house of 48 Broad street,
was arrested this morning charged
with misappropriating to his own use
84,033.13 of the funds of the company.
The money is said to have bees
squandered oa horse racing.
CAN*3*S LATEST SCANDAL.
Lady Macdonald's Name Dragged Into a
yuNtlouaUe Transaction.
Ottawa, Ont.. Jan. a—Them la a
sensation in political circles ovor the
charges preferred against E. H. Dewd
oey, minister of the interior. A par
liamentary investigation will likely be
held. The charges are preferred by a
government supporter, N. F. Davin, M.
P., editor of the Regina Leader. It is
alleged that in 188c, when Dowdney
was a high government functionary, h»
entered into an arrangement with
ether persons, certain governmentsup
ply contractors among them, for buy
ing government lands, whose value he
proceeded to enhunce by planting a gov
ernment town site upon them, the site
if liegina itself. The Leader states that
a “personage of great influence at.
Ottawa” was in the pool. The per
sonage referred to is Lady MacDonald,
fhe, the wife of the premier of the
fay, is virtually accused of having been
a partner with Mr. Dewdney. If they
fid not make a lot of money it was not
through any fault of theirs, but simply
because the whole northwest venture,
in which public and private capital to
the amount of 9150,000,000 lias been
•pent, has ended in a fiasco. The
statute of limitations has been invoked
oy the ministers of justice to shelter
John Haggart from an inquiry into his
alleged connection with a government
railway contract in the same year.
The Leader, if not controlled by, is
closely identified with a prominent
member of parliament who supports
the ministry. Mr. Davin will doubt
less be p. epared to lay such evidence
as he has in his possession before a
committee.
ALTERING 1 HE BUILDING
8. Chicago Architect Remodeling the Min*
neapolfts Kxposttlon Kdiltce.
Chicago, Jan. 9.—David Adler, the
prominent architect of this city, has
already commenced work on his plans
lor the alterations necessary to the in
terior of the exposition building' at
Minneapolis in order that it may i c
available for the purposes of tho na
tional republican convention.
_ According to his preliminary out
lines all the delegates and alternates
will have seats upon the ground lloor,
and the spectators will be banked
around them on every side, tho tiers of
temporary seats running up to the gal
lery. Tho press representatives will
occupy the raised platform to the right
and left of the presiding officer's desk,
and also in the rear of the latter. J ust
how many people can be seated undei
his present plans is bo fur an open
question, but it will be somewhere be
tween 15,000 and 20,000.
THEATRICAL MAN LOST.
Advance Agent Walter Southgate Cannot
Re Found—Ills Family Anxious.
Chicago, Jan. 9.—Walter South
gate, the old-time theatrical advance
agent, who mysteriously disappeared
from this city in September last, hat
vanished as completely as though the
parth had opened and swallowed him
up. He was universally known to the
theatrical profession, but although in
quiries have been sent to about every
place in the United States that boasts
of a place of amusement, not a trace ol
his movements from the hour that lie
was last seen can be found. His wife
and family, who are residents of one
of the suburbs, are in great distress
over his prolonged absence, and, while
hoping against hope, are fearful that
he has met his death somewhere auc
been buried as an unknown.
Fatal Train Wreck.
Little Rock, Ark., Jan. 9.—A freight
train jumped tbe track on the Little
Rock and Fort Smith near Reynolds'
Spur last night. The engine and
seven cars rolled down the steep em
bankment. Engineer Brown, Fireman
Freeman and Drake man Kennedy were
killed.
Ravages of the Grip.
Keokuk, la., Jan. 9.—Doctors report
.hundreds of cases of the grip at this
place. J. E. Johnson and Mrs. G F.
Thiem were the victims yesterday.
THE MARKETS
Live Stack.
Sioux Citv. Jan lb
Bogs—Light, $3 75(33.85; mixed, $3.Sj(2
&90i heavy, $3.90(34.00.
Cattle—Steers, 1,100 to 1,300 pounds
t3.00@3.70; feeders, *2.30(32.90; Stockers
*2.30(32.00; cows, common to good, $1.00(2
12.00; yearliugs, $2.00(32.15; bulls, *1.50iu
2.00; veal calves, $2.50(33.50.
Chicago. Jan 11.
Hogs—Light, $3.80(34.20; mixed. $3.90(3
4.20; heavy, $3.98(34.20.
Cattle— Extru and native beeves
$3.80(35.75; Stockers and leeders, $2.00$
8.50; mixed cows and bulls, $1.40,2
8.75; Texans, $2.20(34.00. .
Sheep—Natives, $5.25(35.25; westerns
$8.75(36.00; Texans, $8.75(34.90.
Soutu Onaiia, Jan 11
Cattle—Choice beeves, $3.25(34.50; cows
$1.25(32.40; leeders, $2.25(3 2.'75; bulls
$1.20(32.1U
Hog*—Light, $3.80(33.93; mixed. $3.85$
8.90; heavy, $8.90(34.00.
Kassa* Citv, Jan 8
Cattle—Extra fancy steers, $>.00(35.25
cows, $1.75(32.00; stackers and feeders
$2.50(33.50.
Bogs—Extreme ranges, $3.45(38.50.
i'rotlnee awl i’rovisloa*. '
Chicago, Jan. It
Flour—Spring patent*, *4.55@4 83; win
ter patent*, *4.o0<«4.05
Wbeat — Cash. 87%c: May, 'J3k'@U39J<
Corn—Cash, o»%c; May, dl>^c.
Oat*—Cash, 2Vo; May, dl%a
Hye—87 c.
Barley—DO*
Flax—
Timothy—*1.24.
Whisky—$1.18,
Pork — Cash, *8.50; January, *11.25
May. *11.8a
Lard—Cash, *6.12}{@6.25; January, *0.25
Mav, *6.65(ffi6.57($.
Short Bibs-Cash, *5.80@5.50.
Shoulders—*4.UO(a4.ttJ>4; short dear,
*4.030*5.58
Butter—Creamery, 17@17c><; dairy, 20(3
25a
Cheese — Full cream Cheddars, lOVfl
ll^c; flats, U(gll%0; Young Americas,
12t®12Jia
Eggs—Fresh 22}<@23a
Hides—Heavy and light green salted,
6c: salted bull, 4>4@4>io; green
salted calf, C@6>4c; dry flint, 8c; dr;
salted hides, 60*7e; dry calf, g@vc.
deacons, each, 25a
Tallow—No. 1 solid, 4c; packed. 2<d
2Kc; cake, 4>4a
Minneapolis, Jan. 11.
Wheat—Closing: No. 1 Northern. Jan*
unry, 85%c; May, 87%c; on track. No. ]
hard, 873<c; Na 1 northern, bOUc; Not I
northern, 73®S#!^a
THE EXILES.
A RUSSIAN STORY.
Ladislas was charged with furnishing the
household with birds and fish. The lad had
pulled some hairs from the horses’ tails and
made snares of them. He hnd snares fast
ened to stakes and snares with springs—
snares suspended in the air amd snares on
tho ground. M. Lafleur was roreod to de
viso recipes for dishing up partridges,
hoath-cocks, Jackdaws and starlings which
were caught in the boy’s traps. Nadoge,
on her side, prepared a partridge puto, tho
dough of which was formed of dry fish re
duced to powder and mixed with a little rye
flour.
Tho little Pole had also mnnurnctured
oslor nets, which ho kept beneath the water
of tljp torrent by moans of stones; the fish
tbat entered them could not escape.
And while Nadege busied herself in get
ting ready winter garments, lining them
with tho skins of murtens and zlbcll|ncs
which Yegor caught in traps set for that
purpose, M. Lafleur was not idle. Seeing
that tho birds beoamo daily more distrustful
in the vicinity of Ladislas’ snares, he had
lnventod another stratagom for their cap
ture. “I have lost my shoes," said he, “and
bonce no longer need my rubbers.” And ho
melted thorn over the tiro with rosin, thus
obtaining an excellent thick and pitchy
glue. He placed upon tho egluntino bushes
little sticks steeped in this mixture, and all
the poor singing birds, which Innocently set
tled on them, stuck fast by the claws an d
wings, and fell, uttering loud cries.
M, Lafleur at once hastened to tho spot
and put them in his huge pockets, Ladislas
had at first been entrusted with tho collec
tion of tho poor victims, bst M. Lafleur no
ticed, at last, that tho ehilu, who, doubtless,
pitied the little winged musicians, sot free
more than ho brought homo.
One day, tho excellent M. Lafleur return
ed with a rudlant look. Had he captured
moro sparrows than usual I Ho smiled arch
ly and winked, holding one of his bauds be
hind his back.
When tho child stood before him, ho gave
him a superb flute made of a rood.
“And now,” said ho, "blow in it, placing
two of your fingers on tho30 holes."
Tho boy puffed out his chocks, blow, and
clear, soft notes issuod from the lnstrumout
as If by magic.
Ladislas passed soveral hours daily In
practicing music, and, in tho evening, M.
Labour drow his littlo violin from his pock
et to accompany the airs improvised by his
pupil.
Does it not soom as though thoro were a
fuiry in every young giri f Nadogo's hut
was otnbollished day by day, thanks to her
care, her good taste and her lovo of neat
ness and order. She had made of that hum
ble shelter of loaves something charming, a
delicious nest soft with moss and perfumod
with flowers; at tho door, in tho guise of a
curtain, hung a great mass of ivy tom by
Ladislas from one of tho votcran trees of the
forest; thick furs sproad upon the floor ovoi
dry louves served her for a bed. Yegor
had made for his betrothed a rustic tnbio and
chair formed of the roots of a troo felled by
tho wind.
Upon tho table, between two thin boards,
was enclosed the young girl’s most precious
possession, her father's last pooms, written
in days of trial and trouble, which she do
signed to publish if she should ever sot foot
upon a land of liberty!
Above, the Holy Image, carried every
whore by Nndege in her exjte—as tho an
cionts earned tho lares of the earth—stood
out from a background of gold, suspended
beneath garlands of moss.
Meanwhile, tho honest and good M. Laf
lour suffered less from having lost his shoos
than from being deprived of tobacco. Think
ing to return to Yakoutsk in a few days, he
had neglected to supply himself with it. His
noso of respectable dimensions, planted
like a red standard in the centre of his
parchmonHiko face, had become melancholy
from lack of sim!f, and was visibly falling
Ojvay. Tobacco was evidently as necessary
for that nose, with its wido nostrils resem
bling two thimbles, as tho dew for the plant
and the manure for the fields. M. Laflcui
incessantly drew his silver snuff-box from
the depths of his vest pocket, and, opening
it with a sad air, shook his head and rubbed
his nose; then he restored the snuff-box to
bis pocket, uttering a deep sigh.
M. Lafieur, who claimed that his ideas
had vanishod with his tobacco, nevertheless,
found one. “Tobacco,” said he, “was brought
from America to Europe. Suppose I were
to look for some similar plant! In certain
countries, they replace bread by the potato
and even by tree bark.” So he began to
search, and, as all who sock find, he thought
that a species of arnica which he encounter
ed in his walks would supply the objoct oi
his desires.
He dried tho leaves of that plant upon an
Iren plate and succeeded in reducing them
to a suitable powder.
Tho first whiff of this chestnut-hued snuff
made the good M. Lafieur sneeze for half an
hour. His nose seemed transformed into a
mitrailleuse. It exploded, thundered and
raged. He laughed at it, with tears in his
eyes. “Ah 1” cried he, “I believe my nose is
firing a salute of Joy 1”
Thus the first week of the encampment
passed away. A few days more and the
Yakoute would return with his sledges and
reindeer. That would be freedom, almost
deliverance! Yegor, without allowing his
feverish impatience to be seen, counted the
hours and the minutes. M. Lafieur still
flattered himself with the hope that, Yer
mac dead and no witness of his complicity
existing, ho could readily return to Yak
outsk.
Thus far, nothing had troubled the fugi
tives in their retreat. They, nevertheless,
continued to be very circumspect and watch
ful. Near the encampment was an eleva
tion, crowned with enormous pines, which
overlooked the rest of tho forest. Morning
and evening, Ladislas climbed to tho top of
one of these trees to scan tho vicinity; it
was the fugitives’ light-house and post of
observation. From it, tho glance embraced
the immense forest, rolling away like a sea
of leaves, of which the conical points of the
firs simulated the waves. And, afar off, in
a long greenish perspective, chains of bare
mountains formed, as it were, the steep
shores of this ocean of verdure. Away
above, huge birds floated like shreds of torn
cloth, borne along at the will of the winds
in a tempestuous sky.
One morning, the exiles found the trees
and the ground covered with snow. Thr
flakes continued to fall one by one, slowly
and silently, weaving a white winding-sheet
for the earth, putting swan's-down around
the trunks of tho aged pines, and on the
branches of the larches, heaps resembling
stalagmites of virgin, wax. The bushes,
sprinkled as if with cotton, produced a most
picturesque effect, and every breath of life
beneath the leaves and in the thickets was
bushed and suspended.
Not the note of a bird, not the bum of as
Insoot, But a heavy, sad silence, One
might have thought that this sudden Irrup
tion of winter In the groon forost hod frozen
with terror nil tin inhabitants. But, for tin
fugitive*, winter, cold aud (mow, leveling
marshes and bogs, woro instruments of de
Uvemnool
Yet M, Lsfleur, shivering, displayed •
voxod look. Finally, towards noon, the
Hakes enmo tn lessening numbers and the
snow ceased to fall. The dunrlng-mastot
cast his oyes over the vast stretch of white
ness, which suggested an immense gluciei
of tho primitive opoch, when part of the
world was slumborlug beneath a thick on
volopo of crystal.
That day, aftor the few hours duration
to which the sunlight was redueod, they
lighted in Nadego's hut the great eoppoi
lamp intended to furnish both heat and il
lumination.
Tho young girl made and served ton, re
counting tho while to M. Lafleur tho suitor
ings endured by Ivor father r*vd herself on
their Journey to Siberia, in tho midst of a
severe winter, during which they encounter
ed several of those terrible hurrleanos sc
frequent beyond tho Urol Mountains.
They snw wolves running on oaeh sfde
of their slcdgo, ready to leap upon tho
horses If they should fall or relax tholrpace
Such experiences were dreadful for an old
man and a young girl so stooped in mlsfor
tuno. They reached Ncrtclitnsk exhausted,
after a journey of more than forty-soven
hundred miles, accomplished under the
worst conditions.
“Poor father I” murmurod Nadoge, a* she
finished her recital.
“Poor Nadogo I” sold Yegor, extending hie
hands to his betrothed.
“My friends,’’ laid the Parisian, “you de
servo a bettor fato! But patlonco; it will
cornel Filial devotion will have its re
compense, and the energy and courngo ol
him who is to bo your companion In this Ufo,
Mademoiselle, will also bo rewarded!"
While they were thus talking the night
had advanced. M. La flour smoked a final
pipe, discreetly puffing out-of-doors the
clouds of his doubtful tobacco.
At last, bod-timo came. Yogor and the
Parisian bade the young girl ami her broth
er good-night and retired to their hut.
Tho preparations for bod did not cost
them much toll; the two men put on fui
night-shirts or kuchlankast ouch of thorn
crawled, foot first, Into a largo reindeer skin
sack, burying himself up to tho head, and
sleep camo qulckfy. Tho dog Wab kept
guard over nil.
Suddenly, a littlo before midnight, the
guests of tho forest wore awakened by a
Btruuge noiso mado by the cracking, crunch
ing, and fall of trees amid a grout crush of
branches. Hoars of animals and plaintive
cries minglod with It. Wab uttered furious
howls. •
On opening their cyos, Yegor and his com
panion saw tho sky red with fire. Masses
of ruddyssinoko rolled across it, whirling
ono about another. A strong odor uf burn
ing green wood was everywhere.
At this sight they stood terror-stricken
and overwhelmed.
"The forest Is on fire!” criod M. Laflour.
Yegor was olreudy hurrying towards Nad
ego's hut.
He found her up. She had seen the first
streuks of light in tho sky,* but hud taken
them for the effort of the aurora boroulis.
Little Ladislns, thinking it all a dreuin, was
rubbing his eyes.
“The forest is In flames!” said Yegor.
“Then wo ore lost!" cried Nadogo, with a
look of despair. “Oh! Yegor! that aftor
suffering and hoping so much wo should
come hero to dio! Ah! if I could have fore
seen It! At Irkoutsk, at loast, I should huve
been buriod beside my father."
And sho burst into toars.
“You tako alarm too quickly, dearest,"
said Yegor, grasping her hands; "you de
spair too soon! Am I not here I Arc wo not
resolved, all of us, to perish if necessary to
save you ?”
“Oh! see how the flumes are advancing I"
cried sho.
“Fear nothing, Nadogo! I will save you!"
cried Yegor; "we will save you! But do
not paralyze our strength.”
“Bo calm, be calm, my children!” said M.
Lafleur. “Let us effect our retreat together
and in good order. Wo must not soparuto.
I will be your guide.”.#
“But we cannot abandon our camp pos
sessions,” observed Yogor, “our garments
and our provisions 1 If wo do, what will be
come of us f”
“And the horses?” said tho little Pole, on
perceiving tho throe animal which, in their
fright, were tugging at their ropes.
“The horses?” said M. Lafleur. “It will
suffice to release them. Their Instinct will
teach them how to escape without us."
Yegor set the horses at liberty.
Nadcge hastily gathered the objects which
filled her hut, and, first of alk, the precious
manuscript—her father’s songs of exile;
Ladislas made bundles of thorn. Yegor
and the Parisian attonded to the elothing
and food.
“Above everything,” said Yegor, stoutly
working away, “wo must be careful of our
stock of powder!”
At last, they sot out, now preceded, now
followed by Wab.
The conflagration increased with frightful
rapidity. Tho larches, pines and all the
resinous trees flamed like immense torches.
Tho tallest of these trees, burning from root
to crown, rose in close ranks like enormous
pillars of fire. The flames, kept from as
cending by the wind, extended their rav
ages afar. The huge branches detached
themselves from the trunks with a crash,
and, an instant after, the giants of the
forest fell, one upon another, with hollow
thudn.
Fire-brand* and spark*, forcibly hurled
into space, fell everywhere like incendiary
fuses, kindling new conflagrations. A show
er of fire accompanied them. On some
elevated points, groves of tall trees, with
their upper benches burning, suggested
light-houses overlooking a sea of Are, in
which were surging hither and thither, like
fire-ships, lofty ridges of flame.
Soon this immense furnace spread around
its insupportable heat; the conflagration fan
ned by the wind transformed this abandon
ed boreal region into a torrid zone. Here
and there, a huge bird was seen, borne away
in the tempest of fire and smoke and recall
ing the fabled phoenix reproduced from the
flames of its funeral fire.
Wolves, foxes, wild sheep, hares, and
even brown bears were fleeing In toner,
pjursued by an intense light; heath-cocks
skimmed along the ground, uttering half
stifled cries. ,
The fugitives, struggling beneath burdens
much too heavy for them, although they had
sacrificed a portion of their possessions,
inarched straight ahead, without turning
around and with but one thought, one aim—
to escape being burned alive.
They advanced through a fiery semi-circle.
Which was rapidly gaining upon them and
bringing its two extremities closer and
closer together as if to stop them in the
flight. Yegor noted the progress of the con
flagration with despairing gaze, but took good
care not to communicate his terrible appre
hensions to his companions.
Suddenly, Nad ego »topped bod said to hin
in a faint voice:
“I can walk no longer, Yegor I"
“What la the matter I" asked the youni
man. '
“I don't know—emotion—fear, perhaps
My limbs bend bonouth me. It Is Imposslbli
for mo to advance anothor atop."
“Then I will carry you," answered hq
resolutely.
Ho cast, nsldo his burden and, seising th«
young girl lu his arms, boro her courageous
iy away.
Nudogc notlood the advancing flames and
comprehended, as Yegor had done, that they
would speedily cut off their retreat I
“Oh, hoavonl” cried she. “I am ro
tanllng your paco and exposing you all to
death!"
“No, no!" said Yegor; “wo are getting
along very rapidly, uud you uro no heavier
than a turtle-dove!"
“But, Yegor, see the flames which till
wind prevents from rising ubova tho trees.
They will soon bo upon us; already thl
smoko stifles mo. Suveyourttolf—save Ltd
lslas! Hasten—husteu I If necessary, too
rlfleo mo!"
“Sacrifice you, Nadegot How can you
talk in that way I If you die, It will be onlj
after I myself have succumbed 1” ,
“Alii this Is too much 1" murmured Nad
ego, “I can hold out no longer. It scorns to
me that my life Is lo&vlngme. Yegor, adieu,
but never forgot mo!"
As, In a fooblo voice, sho uttered theM
words, which tho roar of tho conflagration
would havo overpoworod, had not Yegot
gathered them from tho lips which murmur
0.1 thorn, Nudngo lost consciousness.
In tho prevailing ruddy light, Yogor dH
not perceive her pallor; but ho saw that be»
eyas wore closed and realised that she had
swooned.
- ip
>! f;V
What is tho trouble! criod M. Lofleuri
who, with Ludtslua, was a fow stops In tub
vanco. '
“Ah! seo, my door Monslour!" answered
the young man. “Sho looks as though stu
wore doatl."
“Xt will amount to nothing!” rapllod tho
Parisian, briskly. “But tho ueuldent is to
bo regretted. Whore is tho package you
wore currying!"
“I left It at tho foot of a tree; It contained
nil tho little possessions of the dour child.
Tho torrent is not fur distant, la It!"
“Noj I hear It," said M. Lafleur. “Adash
of cold water will rovlvo her."
“Let us husteu on,"
Now, blazing llro-brands fell upon thoit
pnth uml It wus necessary to stop over them.
Several times Nudego’s dress narrowly os
ca]ied taking fire. The smoke grew thick
and rendered their progress uncertain.
Happily, tho noise of tho torrent already
rose above tho din of tho forost, shukon to
its very foundation by tho scourge which
Was devastating It.
At lust, M. X.ufteur saw tho torrent.
“Wo uro saved!” cried ho.
The torrent whs brood enough to opposa
to tho ravages of tho conflagration an insur
mountable barrier. Yogor found a ford,
and, in tho sinister light of the flow of flame
from which they hod all just escaped, at
tempted to cross it.. While tho Parisian and
tho lad woi'j disembarrassing themselves of
tho burdens they bad curried, Yegor passed
over the torrent, clasping Nudege convul
sively in his arms, and deposited her safe
and sound on tho other bank.
M. Lafleur aided Ladlslas to pass from one
atone to unother.
At tho spot where Yogor had lain Nadege
upon tho moss, an out-jutting rock formed a
suitable temporary shelter.
“I trust her to you, Monsieur Lafleur 1*
crlod Yogor. “I nm going to try to recover
what I abandoned."
"What, Yogor! are you going buck!”
“Stop him, stop him, Monsieur Lafleur I*
exclaimed Ladlslas, who, kneeling beside
Nadogo, was bathing her forehead with a
piece of dampened linen.
But Yogor wus already far aw«y.
“Stop whom!” asked tho young girl, com
ing to horsolf.
“Yegor," answered the lad, sadly.
“Where is ho!" demanded Nadogo, lifting
herself up and looking around in fright.
“Ah! I romembor; ho carried mo away and
saved mo from death. Where is he 1”
“Ho will return shortly.” responded M.
Lafleur, affecting an assurance he was far
from feeling.
Nodoge opened her oyes to tholr full ex
tent and peered excitedly through the smoke ;
sho clasped and wrung hor hands In un
speakable anguish. The precipitate beat
ings of her heart marked eternities of suf
fering.
“Ah, heaven! why did he roturn to that
furnace!" murmured she. “Was it not
enough to have escaped from it> You
should have prevented him, Monsieur Laf
leur!” ,
“It was for you that he returned,"answer
ed the latter to justify himself; “It was to
bring buck to you—-if not too late—your little
possessions, Mademoiselle.”
Ladlslas hod re-crossed the torrent, and,
without straying too far, eagerly gazed into
tho forest.
-
\0.
x
-
■m
jt.
“There he Is I" cried he, at last.
“Ah!” exclaimod Nadege, in a transport
et joy. whic'i came near causing her to loan
consciousness a second time.
Yegor appeared, bearing an enormovq
package on bis shoulders. His dog, v-hich
had remained behind to keep watch oven
tho abandoned property, was running before
him.
“Come here,” began M. Lafleur, ready to
administer a reprimand. “Come here, Yeg’
or. Great heavens! do you know that you
have filled us with horrible fears!” * wJ
Tlie young man laid down his burden and
crossed the torreDt. His face was radiant
with joy. He saw Nadege moved and happy *
at seeing him again.
“Oh! why did you expose yourself thus!*
said she, in a tone of reproach.
“Should I have allowed you to lose your
souvenirs, your relics, the most procims
things your father left youl”
“Thank you, Yegor!” said Nadege.
She seized one of his hands and kissed it.
Yegor felt a tear of gratitudo fall upon it.
“What do you think of this burning of the
forest!” asked M. Lafleur, who, standing
with his hands in the pockets of his panta
loons, seemed as if he were looking at aa
exhibition of fireworks at the Barriere du
Trone. “It is, Indeed, a marvelous and
splendid spectacle! Look—the sky is al*
most as red as the glowing coals which mark
tho site the forest. Poor forest! it will
soon be nothing but cinders! But it would
be more beautiful,” added he, with a sigh.
“if we had not had to pay tho cost of the
display!”
| The fact is that the fugitives had lost
much, in their precipitate flight, by aban
doning a large portion of those articles so -U
loboriously collected and transported to tho
forest with so much trouble, articles neces
sary to assure the success of their perilous'
enterprise. •,
“Where is our goat!” asked Nadege. J;
“And the little kids!” added Iiadislafc
M. Lafleur answered:
“Bah! who cares for a goat
[to n ooirmrom]
