The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1854-01-12

was frighted to the heart when the sharp
shrill voice once more saluted him With
Peter Letski, that fine night!'
"Middling," said Peter. s"Who are
you?" as looking in its direction, he saw a
dwarfsh old man, clothed in rags, which
had once been rich fur and velvet, and so
thin that his bones seemed feshless-
straining and striving to raise the upturn-
ed sledge.
"I'm brother of the traveller you took
home with the corn merchants legacy"
said the dwarf.
care there many of you?' inquired
Peter.
ga great family, and like to be greater"
replied the dwarf. "Come and help me
to raise this sledge.
els it yours?' said Peter, who would
have helped anything, as between them
the sledge was lifted, and he saw@it was
richly lined and gaily painted.
Everything is ours" cried the dwarf,
thrusting his hand under the crimson
cushion and drawing out leathern money
bag. '.Take this" he confined, chink-
ing it at Peters ear, "and I'll go home
with you. What are you thinking of,
man?'-as Peter held back both his
hands. ''This would buy the land your
cottage stands on; and the boyar will be
glad enough to sell it before my brothers
done with him.
"I'm thinking how my mother would
like it," said Peter.
"Your motherp' said the dwarf
E'What can she do for you and Niga?'
',She taught me to be honest, and trust
in God," said Peter.
At the last word, he felt the heavy bag
of ruble thrown on his feet. The red
fire light sank, and with it the old dwarf
vanished, and long moan sounded thro'
the ruins. Peter knelt down in the dark
ness, and said his prayers; before he fin
ished, the rising moon was scattering the
mist, and by its light he saw what the
fire had not shown him-a traveller laying
at no great distance, as if he had fallen
from the sledge. Peter ran to him; he
was sound asleep, and covered with a
good fur mantle. So, carefully replacing
the money-bag under the cushion, he ran
for help to the nearest cottage. Five
strong peasants assisted Peter to carry
the traveller home; his sledge, with all it
contained, also found room in the log cab
in, for the poor horse had broken its neck
by falling on the slippery snow. Old
Roskin said she never heard such snoring
as the stranger practieed that night; but
next morning he awoke, well, and much
astonished. Peter explained how their
acquaintance had commenced, presented
him with all his travelling chattels safe
entire even to the even flask, which hud
contained three pints of Livonian brandy.
The travellers own story set forth that he
was Lithuanian merchant, on his jour
ney to collect debts and purchase linen
yarn in the province; that the mist or the
brandy had bewildered him; and that of
the ragged dwarf he knew nothing. No
Ihospitable invitations of its lord, however,
could induce him to take rest and refresh
ment at the hof; but he presented forty
rubles to Peter, half that sum to the par
ish church, purchased peasants horse,
and took his departure. It must have
been through that Lithuanian merchant
the tale of Peters adventures oozed out
even before the arrival of Father Michael
but far from being warned, the boyal
swore that Peter had slandered his noble
house, refused all offers for his cottage
ground, and vowed to take great re-
venge, by marrying him to Ratinka the
day after Christmas. Old Roskin had
made up her mind to retire, unincumber-
ed with their forty rubles, for father Mich,
ael's pleadings on their behalf had failed
but on Christmas night festivities ran os
high, that the hof was set on fire, and, be-
fore morning, burned to the ground
Very little of goods or lagacy was saved
but stumping steps were heard to go in
before the family to the hunting lodge on
the edge of the forest, where they took
refuge. Theodore Niklewitz sold the
Letskis their cottage ground, for he was
in want of rubles; and a pitch-gatherer,
who came to help at the fire, and was a
stranger, having consented to marry Ra-
tinka, Peter and Niga did dance at hel
wedding, which preceded their own q
whole week, to eschew the remnants b
the boyar's displeasure. The peasants,
of course, rebuilt their lords house; but
the wealth and dignity Of it was over, and
Count Ratschof was seen there no more
It was believed, however, that the guest
who came in Peters sledge was happily
transferred, with quantity of old clothes
and utensils, in which the boyar paid
Ratinka's promised portion, to the cottage
of the pitch gatherer, where the peasant.
rv asserted neace was never after known