The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1870-03-25

see only his shaggy head, as bigas a
beer tub, and broad hunched back,
under the wet rags in which he was
clad. Before him, on the naked
ground, kneeled delicate woman, in
an old cloak, likewise dripping with
wet, and with dark kerchief on her
head, drawn down almost over her
eyes. She was striving to pull off the
boot from one of the holy mans feet,
but her fingers slipped on the dirty,
greasy leather. The landlady stood
with her hands crossed upon her
breast, and gazed reveFently upon the
man of God. He continued all the
while his unintelIigibIe mutteIings.
At last, the woman in the cloak sue
ceeded in drawing off the boot, almost
falling over backward as she did SO,
but picked herself up, and began to
unwind the rags in which the saints
foot was wr spped. Upon the mstep
appeaerd q wOund-I turned away.
twill you have a nice cup of tea,
friend ?'' humbly asked the hostess.
"What are you thinking Of%' re-
Joined the holy man. "Pampering
the sinful body ?-oh-O-Oh Break all
the bones in il, ard then-tea Alas!
worthy mother, Satan is strong in us
hunger, cold, the fiOOdgates of
heaven-the streaming rain falls on
him, and yet harms him nOt-he still
lives! Think of the day of interces-
SION of the Mother of God Thou
shalt have, thou shalt nave much ~
! The hostest uttered low cry of adj
miratiOn.
'1'he old enemy, strong as adamant,
as adamant. the demon, the evil one
the evil-e-Y-il O-nep the man
kept repeating, and gnashing his
teeth. ''The old serpent-serpent-
but the Lord will arise! The Lord
will arise, and His enemies will be
scattered will summon all the dead!
I will go forth and smite His enemiesl
Ha-ha-hO "
'rHave you not some Oil?" asked
the woman in scarcely audible voice.
sGive me a little to put upon the
wOund-clean bandages | have my
self"
Again looked through the crevice.
The woman in the cloak was still
busted with the saints wounded foot.
! / thought of Mary Magdalene.
"Right away, right away, my dear
est" said the hostess, and, Fastening
! into my apartment, she took spoon
full of oil from the lamp before the inn
age of the holy Virgin.
'eNho is it that takes care Of him ?"
| asked.
1--WE do not know, dear father, who
she is. She, too, is on the way OF
salvation; perhaps she is atOning for
her sins. But what a good man he
isw
"Akulina, dear, my child, my dear
daughter" said the holy man, and
suddenly he began to sob.
The woman, who was still on her
knees before him, raised her eyes
GOOD Heavens! where had | seen those
eyes?
The hostess came back to her with
the spOonful of oil. She finished her
ministratiOns, and rising from the
ground, asked whether they could not
have q clean room, and some hay
| "WassiH Nikititsch loves to sleep on
the hay" she added.
Certainly, certainly" answered
the hostess. "Pray be so good, my
dear, be so good as to dry yourself,
and take some rest" He grOaned,
rose slowly from the bench, his chains
ratified again, and turning his face to-
ward me, as he looked apparently for
a crucifix or image of the Virgin, he
began to make great signs of the
cross in the air.
/ recognized him instantly. 1t was
the same Wassili who once had shown
me the image of my deceased teacher.
His features had altered very little,
had only become still more uncOnl-
mon, more repulsive. The lower part
of his face was overgrown by bristly
beard. Ragged, dirty, wild-he in
spired me with more aversion than
fear. He ceased crossing himself, but
his vacant look continued to wander
over the walls and floor of the room
as if he expected something.
Suddenly he raised his head, and
turned round-his feet stumbled, he
tottered. His companion sprang to
his side at once, and seized him under
the arm. To judge by her voice and
figure. she semed still a young woman.
1t was almost impossible to see any
thing of her face.
"Ayulinchen-fr said the
holy man once more, with tremo-
ling voice; and then opening his
mouth wide, and shifting his breast
with his fist, he uttered deep grOan.
In a few moments both had left the
room.
/ returned again to the. sofa, and
thought long of what had seen. My
friend, the magnetiZer, had become
then completely metamOrphosed in
to a IurOdiwi. The magical power.
which it certainly could not be denl-
ed he possessed, had brought him at
last to this.
On the following morning / prepar-
ed to start again. The rain still pour
ed as it had done the day before, but L
could tarry no longer. Upon the coun-
tenance of my servant, when he
brought me water for washing, pre-
ceived a peculiar smile of suppressed
irony. 1 well understood this smile.
1t meant that my attendant had just
learned something equivOcal, or even
especially scandalOns with respect to
the "gentry." He evidently burned
with impatienee to impart it to me.
"Well, what is it," / asked at
length.
"Have you been pleased to see the
IurOdiwi yesterday" the fellow I'M
mediately began.
'TYes, saw him-what then z?
sDid you also notice his eompan-
ion ?''
"Yes."
"She is a young lady-Of good fam
ily;n
: at am telling you the truth. Mer-
chants from O-haye passed through
7 here. They recognize her-even men,
( toned her name-but | have forgot
ten it," 7sE
1t was as if flash of lightning had
made every thing clear to me. "Is
the holy man yet here-Or has he al
t ready gOne?' l asked.
= stHe has not yet gone, think. Not
long ago he was sitting in the gate
: way, and was acting in such man.
2 ner that the people were at a loss to
} understand it at all. As the hound
] grows fat, he gets bold, you know,
f and, besides, he finds his advantage
5 in it.''
: NV attendant belonged TO the same
: category Of polished servants as Ar
: dalton.
l "And is the young lady with him?''
fOh, yes, she is always with him."
/ I stepped out upon the porch, and
: Derceived the demented man seated
e on a bench in the gateway. Support
: tnp himself with both hands on the
bench. he was rolling his head, bowed
I down uDon his breast, from side tC
! side. inst like a wild beast in a cage
Thick locks Of crisp, curling hair COW
: cred his eyes, and waved to and fro as
e he moved his head, as did also hi:
1 hanging lips. From the latter pro
Y ceeded a strange, hardly human, NUT
tering sound. His companion hat
q washed herself in a bucket, whlci
d hung from a pole, and without havln:
: replaced the kerchief about her head
4 $Bv the name "Inrodivi" are designate'
in Russia certain fanatics, who ike IN
i Eastern SautOns, or the Indian Faklrs, ue
n spise the amenities Of life, and roam aDoo 9
! through the country. The people regar ar