Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-01-27
MORNING LEADER.
THE HANGING GUEST.
A RUSSIAN STORY.

II
: wooden country house, with green and anti
quated roof Here usually throughout the sum-
Iner, and sometimes, too, In autumn resides
. Gaurlla Miehallowitch P, a retired captain,
and at present district tjustice, very worthy
man, as are all the district justices in the va
department.
Early one Sunday morning, in the month of
; August, -, his worship Gaurila MiehailO.
witch, with his honored lady, Parskovya Yego-
) rowan, set of for the city, in britschka, to
transact sundry urgent matters of business
VIZ to go to church, to drink with his reverence
and protopope, to eat and be c0nxivial with the
district attorney, to hear the town news from
the commandant's lady, to read the St. Peters,
burg papers at the district treasurers, and to
play boston at the governors. Scarcely had
the master and mistress driven from their door,
when all the servants followed their example,
and quilted the house, The butler went TO see
his cousin in the village; the cook betook him
self to the publie-holse to drink brandy; the
cook maid to the river to catch crawfish; Pro-
cher and Darla went nutting in the wood; Vas
ka and Matasba slrayed to the heath 10 gather
cranberries, DC; Duna alone remained in the
house Duna, the pearl of the whole Va
department, sprig htly, viTtuous damsel BY
her calling house-maid; by her natural good
qualities, the favorite of her mistress the god
dess for whose sake the governors valet--who
like herself, had been brought up in the great
world in the Neyska Perspeetiye-nealected
the polishing OF his masters boots, to the great
| scandal and indignation of tue whole provincial
| administration /; none but he could appreciate
her feelings; none but she could duly estimate
The grace of his department. They mutually
adored each other, as only hearts can adore that
have taken fire by the Kasan Bridge in st. Pc.
tersburg, and they were as happy as none can
be but in the country. aas Irs -i a-a
Girls shut up in house by themselves are
always afraid of thieves. Duna, therefore, care
fully fastened the outer doors, and to avoid
thinking of thieves, she went to look at herself
IN the glass while she waited for the valet whom
she had given to understand that her master and
mistress were to spend the whole day in town
In the PIeasantest possible mood, Duna ar
ranged her curls, set her neckerchief in order,
tightened her girdle, and hummed tune,
when suddenly there was gentle tap at the
door. THAT is heI" and like an arrow, she
flew and opened it to let him in "Ah it is
not he ~
| 4 am your man, replied deep husky voice,
as there cautiously entered through the open
door big-built fellow, in tattered frieze cloak
and faded cap, with swarthy face much in
want OF the BARRIERS Office, terribly foxy nous
taches, and dusky red nose, and scarlet fore.
hSeauy DluS eyes; Lse very
type of the chairman of city pot house, or one
of those -diabolical= figures that only to be
seen-in Salvador Rosa's paintings.
The astonished Duna recoiled some steps, and
repeated with q sigh from the bottom of her
heart, sis it not he ~ Meanwhile the stranger
had stepped in, and with the utmost coolness
closed the door again, locked it, and put the key
in his pocket. "A rs -
"What do you want Who are you !" cried
Duna. Why do you put the key in your
pocketi" .s---
Don Don't be alarmed, my little dear" he said
time must have hung heavily On your nands, all
alone here" r
''NOt at all But what DO you mean by pOck-
eting the key = 81. r. -
Instead of answering, he went up to her, and
patted her on the cheek. She sprang from him.
| "Why do you lock the door? Give me the
key, or 1 will cry out"
"That will do you no good. I know very
well there is no one in the house"
"a pretty thing indeed Come in, without
| With your leave, or BY your leave, and lock
the door as if you were in your own house p
81 always lock the door when have the luck
to be alone with so pretty girl as you my an
| gel :" and once more he patted her cheek with
his coarse, dirty hand. The angry Duna re
treated into corner.
''But who are you! 1t is very unhandsome,
so it is, to make fun of a girl, and tease her 50
without any acquaintance"
/ "Ineyer visit acquaintance" he replied, with
an altered look, and tone that froze the poor
girls blood.
In every ante-chamber and chancery office,
Duna bore the reputation of a girl of spirit
She was no easy conquest. Many presump-
tuous clerk had felt the print of Ter nails in his
face to that degree that he was not likely to
forget it, though he should live to be master
chancery Duna, in fact did honor to the vir-
tue of st. Petersburg. But bashfnl provincial
chancery clerk, with his inky fingers, is trife
to girl who has been brought up IN the best
milliner's shop in the Nevska Perspective an
unshayed, broad shouldered, ugly yagabond, in
frieze cloak, with red moustaches and violet
nose,is quite different sort nf thing and enough
to frighten anybody. Duna began to cry.
"Dont cry, my little duck won't do you
any HARM" he said, in softer tone as he drew
near her Now, this softer tone alarmed her
even more, and she inyoluntarily stretched out
her arms to keep him off.
"Who are you, 1 sayi" she cried, in despair,
but with an assumption of courage, with fire,
that was gradually extinguished by her gushing
tears. "You shall tell me on the spot who you
are ="
"Who 1 ami"
eyes, who you arei Your callingl your
name - EHu .-.
81 am thief"
"a thiefl" she echoed, falteringly, turning
as white as snow. -..
81 am thief by name, and robber by sta
ton" he said, with smile, and looking ten
derly into her blue eyes; but the smile on his
face resembled the ghastly glimmering of the
moon upon the foul waters of the morass.
Duna was terrified (not at the phrase but at
the smile,) and a cold tremor ran through her
frame; but seeing that her visitor was making
sport of her uneasness she rallied herself little,
and cried out huniedly, but with tremulous
voice, "a robberl PohI what horrid life"
every man to his calling. had another
once; but now, say, my pretty lass, give me
something to eat. have not put bit in my
mouth these three days. We will breakfast to-
gether and then" one .1E 4
With sudden gesture he threw his arms
round her neck to kiss her The sight of his
bristly chin and formidable moustaches charg-
ing SO fercely upon her the sight of his ugly
red nose that nearly touched her cheek, put her
in downright passion; and with the strength
that makes heroes of us in moment of extreme
peril, she pushed the audacious fellow back.
Hands of, if you please, Mr. Robber I'd
| thank you not to fnghten me for nothing. l
know what you are come for" ~
"You know, do youl Well, what is it, thenl'
"Ohl know very well; but allow me to tell
you it is very great shame. will have you
up for it. Give me back the key this moment,
and be off"
"Some breakfast" !" growled the stranger.
81 have no breakfast for you; there is nothing
to eat in the whole house. Go breakfast in the |
public house. if YOU have a mind. By the same |
token You smell of brandy enough to knock one |