The Sunday Oregonian., May 13, 1906, PART FOUR, Page 43, Image 43

THE ; SUNDAY OREGOMAX PORTLAND, 3IAY 13, 1906.
43
THE DIVINE AND THE HUMANrOR THREE MORE DEATHS
BY I-EO TOIiSTOI.
(Contintw-d - from. Tmml Sunday ." '
VIII.
ONE of the leaders of the revolution
ary terroristic party, Ignatias Me
jenetsky, the one who attracted
Svctlogoub Into this activity, was being
transferred from- the province where he
was arrested- to St. - Petersburg:. In the
same provincial prison In which he halted
was also' being detained the old sectarian
who had witnessed Svetlogoub's departure
for his execution. . He was shortly being:
sent to Siberia. He never ceased think
ing ot the true faith and how and from
where he could learn all about it, and
sometimes he recalled to mind the bright
youth who had gone to his death with a
joyful Smile.;
. Hearing that In the same place there
was confined a comrade of this youth,
tnan.whd shared': his faith, the sectarian
was delighted and1 persuaded the' chief
warded- to let Wm have an interview
with him. -
, Mejenetsky, notwithstanding the strict
ness of prison discipline, had not ceased
to maintain communication with his
arly, "and was from day to day awaiting
news aoout a mine he nad invented ana
prepared for the blotting up of the Czar's
train. - Now, recollecting some . details he
had overlooked, he was arranging the
means of transmitting them to his co
workers. When the chief warder came to
his cell and, cautiously and- In a low
voice, 'told him that one of the prisoners
wished1 to see him, he was glad, hoping
that this interview would be the means
of facilitating Intercourse with his friends.
"Who is he?"
"A peasant."
"What does he want?"
"He wishes to speak about faith."
Mejepetsky smiled.
; "Well, send him in." he said. "These
sectarians also detest the government.
Terhaps lie may be of use." thought he.
The warder went out, and In a few min
utes opened the door and let In a little
shrunken old man with thick hair, a thin,
grayish beard and with kind, weary-looking
blue, eyes.
What do you want?" asked Mejenet
sky. The old man glanced at him and quickly
dropping 'his eyes stretched out a small,
active, dry-looking hand.
"What do you want?" repeated Mejenet
sky. "I would like to have a word with you."
"What about?"
"About faith."
"What faith?"
"They' say you are of the same belief
hs the. youth whom the servants of Anti
christ strangled with a rope at Odessa."
"What youth?"
"Why the one who was strangled at
Odessa last Autumn."
"You probably mean Svetlogoup?"
"That's the one. Was he your friend?"
The old man with every question keenly
searched Mejenetsky's face with his kind
eyes and immediately looked down again.
"Yes, he was very near to me."
"And of the same faith?"
"Apparently so," said Mejenetsky, smil
ing. "it Is about this I wish to speak to
you."
.. "What Is It exactly you require?"
"To ascertain your faith."
"Our faith well, sit down." said Meje
netsky. shrugging his shoulders. "Our
faith consists In this; We believe that
the power has been usurped by Rome who
torment and deceive the people, and that
one should, -without sparing one's self,
struggle with these men in order to de
liver the people whom they exploit" Me
jenetsky, from- habit, used this foreign
. word "tofment," " he added, correcting
himself. "Therefore it is necessary to de
stroy them. They kill, and they should
be killed until they bethink themselves."
The old sectarian, with his eyes on
the ground, kept sighing.
"Our faith consists in overthrowing the
despotic government, without sparing our
selves, and In establishing a free repre
sentative national one."
The old man sighed heavily, got up and,
smoothing the folds of his coat, went
down on his knees and stretched himself
out at Mejenetsky's feet, striking his
forehead against the dirty floor.
"Why are you. bowing?"
"Oo ,not deceive me. Tell me what
our faith Is?" said the old man without
rising or lifting his head.
"I ha,ve told you what- It Is. But get up
or else I won't talk with you."
The old man got up.
"And this was the faith of that youth?"
he said, standing In front of Mejenetsky
and from time to time looking into his
fate with his kind eyes and again drop
ping them. . '
"That was his faith, and for that he
was hanged, and I am now being sent to
solitary confinement for the same cause."
The old man made a low bow from his
waist, and silently withdrew.
"No: that was not' his faith," thought
he. "He knew the true faith, whereas
this one either boasts of being of the same
belief or else does not wish to disclose It.
Well, then. I shall have to persist In my
search. Both here and In Siberia. God
Is everywhere, and there are men every
where. V'lnrfl on the road, ask your way.'
thought the old man, and again took up
his Testament, which opened of Itself at
Revelation, -snd putting on his spectacles
he seated himself at the window and be
gan to read.
IX.
Another" seven years passed. Mejenet
sky had concluded his solitary confine
ment In the Petropavlovsky fortress and
was being transferred to penal labor.
He had undergone much during those
seven years, but- his opinions had not
changed or his energy abated. During the
examinations before- his confinement in
the fortress he astonished the prosecutors
and judges by his Arm and contemptuous
attitude toward those In whose power he
was. In the depth of his soul his Impris
onment and his inability to complete the
task he had commenced caused him much
suffering, but he did not show this. As
soon as he came in touch with others a
fierce defiance arose in his. To the ques
tions put to him he was silent, and only
answered when there was an opportunity
of spiting those who cross-examined him
the gendarme officer or the prosecutor.
When: the usual statement was made
to him, '"You may alleviate your position
by a sincere confession, ' he smiled con
temptuously, and- aftei a silence said:
"If you hope to force me by advantage
or fear to betray my comrades, you are
Judging line according to your own meas
ure. Can you really Imagine that In
umlortaking the work for which, you are
Judging me I had, not rirepared myself for
the worst? You cannot either astonish
or Intimidate me by anything. Do with
nio what you may, what you like, but I
will not speak."
And it. was pleasant to him to see the
way they looked- at each other In confu
sion. .
When he was taken to the Petropavlov
sky fortress and placed In a small, damp
cell, with a dark pane of glass in a win
dow high up. he understood that it was
not for months but for years, and .was
overcome with horror. Dreadful was the
regulated, lifeless silence of this place
and the . consciousness that, it was not
him alone, but that here, behind these Im
penetrable -wall, other prisoners wece con
finedcondemned to 10. 20 years, commit
ting suicide, being executed, going mad
and gradually dying from consumption.
Here were both women and men and
perhaps friends, ... . j
"Years will pass and thou also wilt go
mad or bang thyself or die, and no one
will know about it." thought he.
And in his heart ther- arose hatted
against all men and especially those v-ho
were the cause of his Incarceration. This !
hatred demanded the presence of its ob-
WSr-' ."s
Jects, demanded motion, noise. ' But here
was lifeless silence and the soft steps of
silent men who did not answer questions,
the sound of doors opening and shutting,
the arrival of food at regular intervals,
the visits of silent . individuals, and
through the dim glass- the light of the
rising sun; darkness- and the same si
lence, the same soft steps and the same
sounds. Thus it was today, tomorrow.
. . And hatred without finding an
outlet devoured: his .heart.
He tried to communicate by knocks.
but received no' answer, . and his knocks
elicited again the same soft steps and the
even voice of a man threatening "him with
the dark ceil.
xiis oniy period 01 rest ana reiresnmeni
was the time of sleep, but after this the
awaKening was dreadful. In his dreams
he always saw himself at liberty and
mostly absorbed "with interests which he.
regarded as incompatible with his revo
lutionary life. He played on some kind
of strange fiddle, paid court to young
ladies, rowed in boats, went shooting, or
else, for some strange scientific discov
ery, he was endowed with a doctor's de
gree by a foreign university, and in re
turn made speeches of thanks at dinner.
These dreams were so vivid, while the
reality was so dull and monotonous, tnat
the memories of them were .with diffi
culty distinguished from- actuality.
The painful feature of the dreams was
that for the most part he awoke at the
very moment when something was just
going to happen .toward which he was
striving, which he desired. Suddenly, a
shock in the heart and all the pleasant
environment disappeared: there remained
only the painful, unsatisfied longing, and
again this gray wall, with damp spots,
lighted with a little lamp, and under his
body the hard planks with the straw bed,
pressed up on one side. v
Sleep was his best time. But as his
confinement went on he was less and .less
able to sleep. He sought sleep as the
greatest happiness, and the more he de
sired it the more wakeful he became. It
was enough for him to say, "Am I falling
asleep?" for sleep to be dispelled.
Running and Jumping about in his little
cell gave him no relief. From this effort
he only became weak and excited his
nerves more and more. " A pain came in
the crown of his head and if he closed
his eyes there would appear on a dark
speckled background weird faces, dishev
eled, bald, big-mouthed, crooked-mouthed,
each one more awful than the others all
making the most horrible grimaces. After
ward they appeared to him even when his
eyes were open, and not faces alone, but
whole figures, and they began to talk and
to dance. He would be filled with terror,
w'ould jump up, hit his head against the
wall and scream,, then the little slide in
the door would open and a slow, even
voice would say :
'Screaming is not allowed!
'Call the Governor!" shrieked Mejenet
sky. He would get no answer, and the
slide would close.
And such a despair would seize him that
he desired only one thing death.
Once when in such a state he decided
to take his life. In the cell there was
an air regulator, to which one might fix
a rope w-ith a noose, and mounting on the
bed hang oneself. But there was no
rope. He began to tear his sheet into
narrow strips, but they proved to be too
few. Then he decided to starve himself
to death and for two days he ate- noth
ing, but became so weak 'on the third
that a severe fit of delirium took hold of
him. When his food was brought In he
was lying on the floor, with open eyes.
unconscious.
The doctor came, put him on the bed.
gave him some rum and morphia, and he
fell asleep.
When he awoke next day and found the
doctor standing over him shaking his head
the familiar exhilarating reeling of hatred
which he for long had not experienced
suddenly surged up in Mejenetsky.
'How is it you are not ashamed," he
said to the doctor while the latter with
bended head was listening to his pulse.
of serving here! Why are you treating
me in order to torture me again? Why.
it is the same as being present at a flog
ging and allowing the operation to be re
peated."
"Be good enough to turn over on vour
baS;," said. the imperturbed doctor with
out looking at him and getting his stetho
scope out of a side pocket.
The other doctors healed the wounds
In order that the remaining SOOO blows
coulti be inflicted. Go to the deuce, to
the devil!" he suddenly shouted, flinging
his legs oft the bed. "Get away! Ill
manage to die without you! -
"This is not well, young man; we have
answers of our own for Impertinence."
To the devil with you, to the devil!"
fsr?nf '
And Mejenetsky was so terrible that the
doctor made haste to leave.
x. ,: ' , ; -
Whether it was the result of the med
icine .or that he had passed-the crisis," or
perhaps the wrathfaroused in him against
the doctor had cured him, however, from
this time he took hold of himself and be
gan quite another", life.
"They cannot "and will not keep me here
forever.!' he said.. "They. wiH set me free
some day. Perhaps, and this Is the most
likely,, the form-, of . government will
change (ours are continuing their work),
and therefore one. should preserve one's
life in order to come out healthy and be
able to take up the work again."
He. considered for a long time as to the
kind of life best suited for his purpose,
and this is what he decided upon. He
went to bed at 9 o'clock and compelled
himself to stay there whether asleep, or
not until 5 Jn the morning. Then he got
up, washed and dressed, did some physl-
31
c&ii'?., -
4 i
S If "X r
cal exercise and then, as "he called ' it,
went to business.- In .Imagination 'he
walked about St. Petersburg from the
Nevsky to the Nadejdenskaya, trying to
picture to himself ail he might meet on
the way. shop signs, houses, policemen,'
carriages and pedestrians. In the Nade
jdenskaya he entered the house of a
friend and co-worker of his, and there,
together with other comrades who had as
sembled, they discussed their forthcoming
schemes. Arguments "and controversies
took place. Mejenetsky spoke both for
himself and for others.
Sometimes he spoke so loudly that the
warder admonished him through the slide,
but Mejenetsky paid no attention to him
and continued his imaginary St. Peters
burg day.- Having passed two hours at
his friend's, he returned home and dined,
first in fancy, then in reality, eatlna- the
4 4 A?J"V.
a 1
STRETCHED HIMSEX,r OCT-AT MEJESETSKTS TEET.
" ' - - '' "
meal which was brought-to him, - and al
ways ate in moderation.- . Then he re
mained at home and studied either history
or mathematics and sometimes, on-Sundays;
literature. His historical studies
consisted ' in first selecting- a particular
epoch and nation-and recalling to mind
the facts and chronology. For his mathe
matical lessons he solved in his mind cal
culations and geometrical problems (this
waa his favorite occupation). On Sundays
he-recalled. -Poushkin, Gogol; Shakespeare,
and composed a little himself.
Before bed he made another little ex
cursion in his Imagination, having with
his comrades, " men -and -'women, merry,
humorous and sometimes serious conver
sations, which had either actually taken
place or else were invented by . him for
the occasion. : And so it went on until
night. Before ' going . to . bed he made in
reality 2000 steps, for the sake of 'exer
cise, in his cage: then lay down on his
bed and generally- went to- sleep.
On the next day It was : the same.
kj4
Sometimes he traveled to the . south, to
incite the population, or commenced a re
bellion, and. together with the people,
dispersed the landowners, distributing
their land among the peasants. All this,
however, he imagined not all at once, but
consecutively with all the details. In his
imagination the revolutionary party tri
umphed everywhere, the- power of the
government weakened, and it was com
pelled to call a legislative assembly. The
imperial family and all the oppressors of
the people disappeared, and a republic
was instituted. and -he, Mejenetsky,
chosen president. Sometimes, he reached
this too quickly, and then be commenced
again from the beginning and attained
his object by other methods.
Thus he lived, one, two. three years,
sometimes deviating from this strict order
of ilfe. but for the most -part returning
wdMkm
3 Pll)
J 1 I vk 5 i
to it. Controlling his mind, he freed him
self from involuntary hallucinations and
only rarely-was he beset with attacks of
Insomnia and visions of dreadful faces,
and then he contemplated the air. regu
lator -and decided how he would attach
the rope, prepare the noose and hang him
self. But he overcame these attacks and
they did not last long.
Thus he passed almost seven years.
When the term of his solitary confine
ment came to a close and he was being
removed to penal labor he was quite well,
fresh and in complete possession of his
mental faculties. - - ".
- xi. .j
- He was being conveyed alone' as an es
pecially important criminal, and was' not
allowed to . communicate with ' others.
Only in the prison of Krasnoyarsk did he
have an opportunity of intercourse with
some other political prisoners on their
way to penal labor. There were six of
them- two women and four men.' Tliey
were all young people, of the new school,
with which Mejenetsky was not acquaint
ed. Thoy were revolutionists of the gen
eration after him his successors and
therefore of special interest to him.
Mejenetsky expected to find them follow
ing in his steps, and consequently bound
to highly appreciate all that had been
done, by their predecessors, especially by
htm. Mejenetsky.-- He was prepared to
( treat them affectionately and patronizlng-
lyo But-to his. astonishment and annoy
ance these young people not only failed
Lto regard him as their forerunner and
teaoher but treated him, as it were, with
a condescension, passing over and ex
cusing, his views as obsolete.--
According to them these new revolu
tionists all that Mejenetsky and . his
friends "had done, all their attempts to
raise the peasants, and, above all, their
system of terrorizing and the assassina
tions of the Governor . Kuropatkln, of
Mezentsef and of Alexander II himself
all this . was a series of mistakes. All
this led only to that reaction which tri
umphed during the reign of Alexander III,
and caused the country to relapse almost
to Its condition during serfdom. The peo
ple's salvation,- according - to the new
teachers, was in quite another direction.
For nearly two days and nights the dis
putations between Mejenetsky and his
new acquaintances continued. One, the
leader of the rest, Roman, as they called
him, using his Christian name, specially
Irritated Mejenetsky by his determined
self-assurance in the Tightness of his
views and by his condescending and even
sarcastic condemnation of all the past
activity of Mejenetsky and his comrades.
: The people, according to Roman, are a
coarse crowd, and with the populace in
their present state of development noth
ing can be done.. All attempts to raise
the Russian peasant population were like
endeavoring to set fire to a stone or to
Ice. The people must be educated, taught
solidarity, and this can only be attained
by the growth of vast industries, and, as
the outcome of this, a socialistic organi
zation of the people. The land is not
only unnecessary to the people, but It Is
the land that makes them conservative
and servile. This is the case not only
with us, but also In Europe. And he
cited from memory opinions of authori
ties and statistical data. The people
should be liberated from the land, and
the quicker the better; the more they
take up factory life and the more their
land is seized by the capitalist and the
more they are oppressed the better. Des
potism, and above all, capitalism, can be
abolished only by the solidarity of the
working people, and this solidarity can be
secured by unions, labor associations, i.
e., only when the masses of the people
shall cease to be landowners and shall be
come proletarians.
Mejenetsky disputed and got heated. He
was particularly exasperated by one of
the women, a good looking, thick haired
brunette, with very shining eyes, who, sit
ting on the window ledge, and as If not
directly participating in the conversation,
Introduced from time to time a word or
two corroborating Roman's argument or
merely sneering at Mejenetsky's remarks.
"Is It possible- to change all the agri
cultural population into factory hands?"
said Mejenetsky.
"Why not?" expostulated Roman. "It
s the universal economic law."
"How do we know that this law Is
universal?"
"Read Kautzky," interpolated the bru
nette, smiling contemptuously.
"If even one admits," said Mejenetsky
"I do not admit it that the people will all
become proletarians, still, how do you
know that they will then adopt the form
you have decided In advance?"
"Because It is scientifically demonstrat
ed," remarked the brunette, glancing into
the room.
But when the discussion reached the
form of activity needful" for the attain
ment of these aims their disagreement
was even worse. Roman and his friends
insisted that it was necessary to convert
the army of factory workmen and get
them to assist in the transformation of
the peasants into factory workers and to
propagate socialism among the people,
and that they should not only refrain from
open . strife with the government but
should utilize it for the attainment of their
ends. -".'.
Mejenetsky said it was necessary to
strive directly with the government and
to terrorize It: that the government was
both stronger and more cunning than they.
"It is not you who will deceive the gov
ernment, but the government will deceive
you.. We .went, in both for propaganda
among the people and for strife with the
government."
"And what a lot you have done!" iron
ically remarked the brunette. - . .
"Yes, I think direct strife with the gov
ernment is an unprofitable loss of en
ergy." said Roman.
"The first of March a loss of energy!"
exclaimed Mejenetsky. "We sacrificed our
selves, our lives, while you are quietly
sitting at home, enjoying life and merely
preach."
"Well, not much enjoying life," quietly
said Roman, looking round at his com
rades and laughing triumphantly in his
uninfectious, distinct, self-assured way.
The brunette, shaking her head, smiled
contemptuously. - .
"Not much enjoying life." said Roman,
"and if we are sitting here it is thanks
to the reaction, and the reaction is the
result precisely of the first of March."
Mejenetsky was silent; he felt he was
choking from exasperation ' and went out
Into the passage.
"Date of the assassination 0f Alexander II.
'xiiv
Endeavoring to quiet' himself, Mejenet
sky began -to walk up and down the corri
dor. The doors into the dormitories were
left open until the evening roll-call. A
tall, light-haired prisoner with a face the
good nature of which was not spoiled by
his head being half shaven approached
Mejenetsky.-
"A prisoner in our dormitory has seen
you. sir, -and asked, me to call you in."
"What prisoner?"
"Tobacco Kingdom; that is his nick
name. He is an old sectarian "'Bring me
that man,' he said. - That's you, sir, he
means." . -
J'Well. where is he?" .
"In here In our dormitory. - 'Call that
gentleman,' he said." . .
Mejenetsky entered with the prisoner
Into -a small dormitory with beds. , on
which were prisoners sitting and lying.
On bare boards, under a gray coat at
the end of the row, was lying the same old
sectarian who seven years before had
come to Mejenetsky to Inquire about Svet
logoub. The old man's pale face had be
come all wrinkled, up, but his hair was
Just as thick. The thin bit of beard was
quite white and turned up. The blue eyes
were kind and attentive. He was lying
on his back and was evidently feverish:
on his cheeks there was a sickly pink
color.
Mejenetsky approached him.
"What Is it?" he asked.
The old man with difficulty lifted him
self onto his elbow and stretched out his
little shaky drled-up hand. Xttemptlng
to speak, he began to breathe heavily, as
If balancing himself, and, gasping for
breath, he said softly:
"You did not reveal it to me .then,
God forgive you, but I disclose it to
all."
"What do you discloser
"About the Lamb .. . . about the
Lamb I disclose . . . that youth had
the Lamb; and it is said the Lamb will
overcome them, will overcome all . . .
and those who are with Him are the elect
and faithful." '
"I don't understand," said Mejenetsky.
"You must understand in the spirit. The
kings have received power with the beast.
The Lamb shall overcome them."
"What kings?" said Mejenetsky.
"There are seven kings. Five are fal
len, and one is, and the other is not yet
come; and when he cometh he must con
tinue a short space . . . and then it
will be all up with him. ... Do you
understand?"
Mejenetsky shook his head, thinking the
old man was raving, and that his words
were crazy. So also thought the prison
ers, his roommates. The shaven prisoner
who had called Mejenetsky came up to
him and. touching him with his shoulder
to attract his attention, winked at the
old man.
"He keeps babbling and babbling, 'our
Tobacco Kingdom,' " he said, "but what
he says he does not himself know."
So. thought both Mejenetsky and the old
man's companions. But the old man well
knew what he was saying and it had for
him a clear and deep meaning. The mean
ing was that evil has not long to rule,
that the Lamb by righteousness and
meekness conquers all. that the Iamb will
wipe every tear and there will be neither
weeping, illness nor death. And he felt
that this was already being accomplished
accomplished in the whole world because
it was being realized in his soul enlight
ened by the approach of death.
"Yea, come quickly! Amen! Yea. come.
Lord Jesus! Come!" he murmured, with
a slight, significant, and, as it appeared to
Mejenetsky, insane smile.
XIII.
"There he is, a representative of the
people." thought Mejenetsky, coming out
from the old man. "This is one of the
best of them, and what darkness! They
(he implied Roman and his friends) say
with such a people as they are now noth
ing can -be done." . .
Mejenetsky at one time was occupied
with revolutionary work among the peo
ple and knew all the "inertia," as he
called it, of the Russian peasant. He
also associated with soldiers, on active
service and discharged, and knew all
their obstinate faith in the oath. In the
necessity of obedience, and knew the lm
posslbllity of influencing them by argu
ment. He was aware of all this, but had
never drawn from it the natural conclu
sion. The discussion with the new revo
lutionists upset and angered him.
"They say that 11 that we did, which
Haltourtn, Kibalich, Perovskayu did,
was unnecessary, even harmful; that It
was this which called forth the reaction
of Alexander III; that thanks to them
the people are persuaded that the revolu
tionary activities emanates from the land
lords who have killed the Tsar because he
deprived them of the serfs. . How absurd!
What a want of comprehension, and how
insolent it Is to say so" he thought, con
tinuing to pace the corridor.
All the dormitories were locked except
the one used by the new revolutionists.
Approaching it. . Mejenetsky heard the
laugh of the brunette he detested and the
strident, assertive voice of Roman. They
were evidently speaking about him. Me
jenetsky stopped to listen. Roman waa
saying: -
"Not understanding the economic
laws, they did not realize what they
were doing. And there was here- a
deal of
Mejenetsky could not and did not
wish to hear of what there was a good
deal, and he Indeed did not require to
know this. The tone of voice alone
demonstrated the complete contempt J
which these people felt toward him.
Mejenevky. the hero ef the revolution,
who had sacrificed for it 12 years of his
life.
And in Mejenetsky's soul there arose
a fearful hatred, such as he had never
before experienced. A hatred acainst
everyone, everything, against ail this
senseless world in which only people
akin to beasts could live, like this old
man with his Lamb and similar half
bestial hangmen and wurtiers and these
Insolent, self-assured, stillborn theor
ists. The warder on duty came and led
away the women to the female quar
ters. Mejenetsky retreated to the far
end of the corridor lu order not to en
counter him. Having returned, the
warder locked the door on the new po
litical prisoners and asked Mejenetsky
to go to his room- Mejenetsky obeyed
mechanically, but begged' him not to
lock the door.
Mejenetsky lay down on his bed with
his face to the wall.
"Is it possible that all my life lias
indeed been spent in vain:-my energy,
strength of will, genius he deemed no
one superior to himself in mental qual
ities, sacrificed In vain?" He recalled
to mind how not long ago, when al
ready on his way to Siberia, he had re
ceived a letter from Svetlogoub's moth
er, who upbraided him in, as he
thought, a silly feminine way for hav
ing ruined her son by attracting him
into the terrorist work. When lie re
ceived the letter he only smiled con
temptuously. What could this foolish
woman understand about the aims
which were before him and Svetlogonb?
Now recalling the letter, and thinking
of the kind, trustful, impulsive person
ality of Svetlogoub, he began to medi
tate, first about him, and then about
himself.
"Is it possible that my whole life has
been a mistake?"
He closed his eyes and tried to fall
asleep, but suddenly he realized with
horror the return of the attacks which
he had had during his first month at
the Petropavlovsky fortress. Again a
pain in his head,, a gal l horrible faces,
big mouthed, disheve ed. dreadful, on
the dark, speckled 1-ackgrouiiU, and
again figures visible to the open eyes.
The added feature was that some crim
inal in gray trousers with a sh;:ved
head was swinging over him. And fol
lowing the association of ideas he be
gan to search for the regulator to
which he could fasten the rope.
An insufferable hatred demanding ex
pression consumed his heart. He could
not sit still. -he could not calm himself,
could not dispel his thoughts.
"How?" he had already begun to ques
tion himself. "To cut open an artery. I
shan't manage that. To hang myself? Of
course that is the simplest."
He remembered a rope tied around' 'a
bundle of wood lying In the corridor, "to
get. on the wood or, on a stool? In the
corridor the warder walks. But lie will
go to sleep or go out. I must watch, nml
when the opportunity comes fetch the
rope into my room and fasten it to the
regulator." ,
Standing by his door. Mejenetsky list
ened to the steps of the warder in the
passage, and from time to time, when
the warder went to the far end he look-rt
through the open door, but the warrior
did not go away, nor did he fall asleni.
Mejenetsky, with sharp eyes, listened- to
the sound of his steps and waited.
At that moment there was taking place
In the dormitory where the ill old nin
lay in the darkness, barely lighted by a
smoking lamp, amid the sleepy sounds of
breathing, grumbling. snoring arid
coughing, the greatest thing in the world.
The old sectarian was dying and to his
spiritual vision was revealed all that
which he had so passionately sought for
and desired during the whole of his life.
In a blinding light he saw the Lamb .in
the form of a bright youth, and a great
multitude of people from all nations were
standing in front of him in white robes,
and all were in great joy and there was
no longer any evil in the world. All thjs
had taken place, the old man knew it In
his soul, and in the whole world, and ho
felt great joy and peace.
Whereas for those who were in the dor
mitory what took place was this: The
old man was loudly gasping with the
death rattle in his throat, and his neigh
bor awoke and roused the others. When
the noise ceased and the old man becanie
quiet and cold his companions began M
knock at the door.
The warder opened the door and went
in. In about ten minutes two proners
brought out the body and carried it
away to the mortuary. The warder fol
lowed them and locked the door behind
him. The corridor remained empty.
"Lock it, lock it," thought MejenetskV.
following from his door all that was tak
ing place.' "yon will not prevent me from
leaving all this senseless horror."
Mejenetsky no longer felt that inner
frenzy which previously tormented him.
He was so completely absorbed bv one
thought, how to avoid any hindrance to
the accomplishment of his object. ?
With palpitating heart he went up to
the bundle of woo-i. untied the rope,
pulled It out, and looking round at the
entrance, carried It into his room. There
he mounted the stool and slung the rope
over the regulator. Having tied botji
ends he made a knot and by doubling the
rope made a noose. The noose was too
low. He again tied the rope, gauged the
height to his neck and. anxiously listen
ing and looking around at the door, got
on the stool, pushed his neck through the
rope, adjusted It, and, kicking away the
stool, he hung In the air. - ;
It was not until his morning round that
the warder saw Mejenetsky standing
with bent knees by the overturned slool.
He was taken out of the noose. T!i
Governor hurried up. and learning that
Roman was a doctor, called him to the
assistance of the strangled man.
All the usual methods of restoration
were applied, but Mejenetsky did not re
Ive. Mejenetsky's body was taken to the
mortuary and put on the planks bv ths
side of the body of the old sectarian. ...
Dinner-Pail Philosophy. .
Bishop Phillips Brooks in Exchange."
Prayer is the parent of perseverance:
Nothing is conquered until self is over
come. ,
The heart, that loves must be prepared
to suffer. .
No man finds himself until he is willing
to be lost.
Be on earth what good people hope to
be in heaven. ....
If you would succeed, learn to know
what you can't do.
We are all willing to admit the deprav
ity of our neighbors. ..
Unmerited applause has been respons
ible for many a failure.
Men who He easily get into many placus
where they lie hard. ;
Greatness depends not upon the thfngsi
we do, but the way wo do them.
Try to be better than .yourself Instead
of better than others. -
The surest, best and quickest way-'tff
kill time is by hard work. .1'.
Keep your promises even though the
doing so causes you inconvenience.
A man is never happy until he has
ceased to care whether he Is or not.
A woman never really enjoys hurting a
man's feelings unless she loves him.
When a young husband boasts of home
cooking, the recording angel gets indi
gestion. , .
Some men are so lucky that when they
lose their purses there was never any
thing In them. .,,..'
Be such a man. live such a life, that If
every man were such a man as you, and
every life a life like yours, this earth
would be God's paradise.
TV. ward V-II rule over more Mnhninm-rlnu-i
than rh- Sultan of Turkey, ow more
bnew than there a---- In I'al!Mtn and ovr-r
T.-rn- Hum any aovereltia of Alric.