The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-30


moral for every succeeding age, till that
greater deluge pours its fiery flood upon our
apOstate race, and closes the drama of the
world in "blood and fire and pillars of smoke"
We still advanced. The last wayfarer had
long passed us, hieing ere night-fall to the
shelter of the city. The vermilion hues of
light that had played so magically upon the
snowy face of the mountain had long given
place to the ashy hues of death, as we opened
upon the plain before us, with all those
sobered feelings which night in strange land,
especially in the East, brings upon the spirit
of the traveller. However, we were bowling
along briskly, and the flashing in the twilight
of our Cossacks' weapons, and the prancing
of their steeds, gave some excitement to our
march. Raphael was motionless and silent as
death, save for the impatient whitfs OF his
cigar, and the sudden clutches which he every
now and then made at the seat of the car
riage as it luTChed to the inequalities of the
road. Ere dark night followed upon twi-
light, / examined our tackling, and finding
all firm, urged on our horses to the utmost,
till we reached our last Cossack station on
mound over our track. The distant roll of
our carriage had reused up the guard so that
ere we came to halt, we saw against the sky
the black forms of our relief escort fully
equipped, already descending, our relay horses
in the rear. The drivers were so quickened
with arrack potions that, "shadows avaunt,"
they were burning for peril, and in full conf
denee, moreover, of the road, and our destina-
tion. As we were now deepening into night
and was assured of the safety of the road, |
was reluctant to force the poor Cossacks from
warm quarters, through cold and moonless
night, merely to serve as parade of escort. |
therefore, to Raphael's great dismay and to
my after regret sent them back with bak-
sheesh, and drove forward alone into the
dark and silent wilderness before us. The
starry heaven above, the hushed and Silly
world below, would have been sublime to
my hearts musings, if only we could have
distinguished objects sufficiently about us to
be assured of our way. Lamps, indeed, we
had, but no oil in them. On, therefore, we
moved in faith, desire considerably cooled, as
loneliness and helplessnesS became more felt.
Our arrival, furiOusly announced by host
of half-famished ours, brought no one out to
receive us. l concluded, therefore, that the
guardians of the place had wisely retired to
better night-quarters on the other side of the
ATaXes. To follow them, however, was i'm
possible. Our horses were dead beat, and so
quite unequal to cross the river, even if it
were fordable. And then we had no pass for
the outpost, and so might receive our
"quietus," instead of welcome. After con-
tinuing to batter, though in despair, the door
of the better of the cabins, we finally heard
voices from within. In few minutes, to our
great Joy, an old white-headed man stood
before us, demanding our business at that
unreasonable hour. To give him an air
of authority, he had thrown over his thin
frame an old rusty coat, decorated with
CIimean medal; but his wild weird look,
and his scant sparse hair, gave him a very
uncanny appearance, as he stood shivering
in the night breeze, rushlight flickering in
his hand To our demand for shelter, curt
and prompt was the reply, 'Here is no enter
h,o, Al l. II
must have it," was my reply. 'That is" he
added, laughing, 'both must have what
neither will get. Rest as you are till day
light, and then cross the ferry to the damp,
where you will find all the entertainment you
have a right to. Here you will find none"
So saying he turned to reenter his wretched
abode. "Stop stop ~ l cried, jumping out
of the carriage. "Be more cautious, or you
will have to answer for it. We come armed
with authority, which you must respect"
A momentary doubt seemed now to cross
his mind, and so, throwing his hand against
his rushlight, ostensibly to protect it from
the wind, but really the better to scan my
face, he added in a softened tone, 81 will give
you man to accompany you to the Sheikh of
the district, with whom officers usually put up
on their way between the camp and Erivan;
but here it is impossible to accommodate you"
His previous bearish conduct and sinister looks
made me so distrust him that l cried out i'm
patiently, "Bandy me no further words. We
are weary, and it is late. Respect the Cover
nor's authority. Give us quarters without
further delay, or you will account for it to
Colonel D on Monday. We rest here
till then, when you will see that we have
horses and an escort to conduct US to the
camp" 'The Governors authority" he said,
sis shown Immediately on strangers arri-
val, and is always supported by an escort
of Cossacks In the absence of both, you
would have me credit your word to compromise
me with my superiors, and so bring me into
trouble" On this, threw out before his
astonished eyes, not only the Governors fir
man, with all its long array of imperial eagles
and seals, additional to my ordinary Govern
ment poddrogiace, but the Secretary of States
authorization, to lay under contribution men
and beasts, as l needed, wherever | came.
This acted as magically and as instantly as
the Gorgon's head of old upon rebel bystanders.
| His obsequious back in an instant arched
Wondrously, bringing his barred head almost
to the dust. In the meantime, inside the
house, screaming children, and a sharp
| voiced scolding wife, were raising domestic
tempest. Excusing himself that he might
| go to reduce to peace the tender strife, he
rushed within, and was soon so furiously
stormed upon by his gentle Abigail, gifted
with utterance beyond the usual capabilities
other sex, that in spite of his sins my heart
relented towards him.
| room was allotted to us, which was q
marvel of dirt and confusion, and which all
the zeal of Nicholas General ks servant)
and the Crimean could hardly reduce to order.
| When at last the filthy chaos was cleared, 1t
mad something of the air and comfort of home.
1 i spread mattrass OnOn the floor, and